Teacher blog

Centropa Summer Academy

Berlin, Germany

July 22-28, 2013

This week will truly be a time to remember, this is my first trip to any part of Europe.  So, ever since Monday I have had several aha’s moments.  On Monday, I left Myrtle Beach. South Carolina and on Tuesday by 12 o’clock I had visted theCharles De Gaulle airport in Paris, France and also had arrived to my final destination, which was Berlin, Germany. 

I'd like to share with you a project that is being done in our school. Students are trying to help Holocausr survivors locate any relatives or friends via the internet.

Here you can have a look at the blogs students prepare for the survivors, after interviewing them.

I decided to add a little bit of Centropa Awareness to the street art scene here in Berlin. If you find yourself on Brunnenstrasse see if it still exists and add some thoughts of your own.

Who do not knows us and sees my posts might think that the CSA do not demic to sit and drink coffee. But only I know how I learned talking to other teachers in informal situations.

The visit to the Film Museum was great, but more important than the visit to the museum were discussions after the visit. The groups were small so we could each say and I had time to listen to others.

Enjoy some impressions of the recent days! See more photos on flickr

Two more days spent together and very much the feeling of spending alone in reflection as well. It is appropriate that I waited until after visiting the Memorial to the Murdered Jews (a title as awkward as my feelings there but more on that later) before completing this blog. How does one "experience" the Holocaust in a city where its history in some ways began? 

On Saturday Jacek and I went out to find my mother-in-law’s (Martha) birth house.  She lived in this house from her birth until she was forced to leave Germany at the age of 15.  We took the train to Steglitz (30-40 min outside of Berlin) and we were able to find the neighborhood quite easily.  At one time this was a stately suburban neighborhood on the outskirts of Berlin.  Today it is a mixed bag.  In general it is not kept up that well.  There are tall weeds choking the sidewalk medians and the yards and houses not kept up very well.  However, at the sa