After four fun filled and exhausting days in London, we traveled over to Berlin for our next stop of the trip. Immediately, when we arrived in Germany, I felt a little bit of culture shock. Looking around, I could not read any of the signs and it sort of took me aback for a minute. It was already so different from London, not just the language aspect, but even the people seemed to have a different attitude about them and they didn’t appear to be as laid back as the people in London were. However, I decided to embrace everything that Germany had to offer and was excited for the days ahead even if that did mean many confusing German conversations. Once we arrived in Berlin after a full day of traveling, we walked a few blocks from our hotel to visit the Kaiser Wilhelm church. The church was beautiful and had ornately detailed ceilings that you couldn’t help but stare in awe at. The next day our class split up into two groups and took a walking tour of Berlin with a tour guide. On this tour we saw many historical and important monuments that contributed to Berlin’s rich history such as, where the Berlin wall once stood, the Holocaust memorial, checkpoint Charlie, and the place where Hitler’s bunker once was.
What really stuck out to me on the tour was when we went to the site of Hitler’s bunker. Walking up to it you would never know that this was once the place where the horrific and monumental dictator once lived, hid, and eventually took his own life. Currently, in 2015 this area of land is now a high end apartment complex and parking lot. Other than the small sign off to the side, near the sidewalk, that depicts the layout of the bunker and explains a little bit of the history, it looks like a completely normal apartment complex. It is very easy to just walk right by it without even realizing that this was the place where one of the most heinous and powerful men in all of history once occupied. However, the tour guide began to explain that they did it this way so that the area would not become somewhat of a shrine to Hitler and a place that would draw a lot of negative attention and supporters. After the walking tour, we went to the checkpoint Charlie museum. The museum had such a plethora of information that it was a little bit overwhelming and was a lot to take in all at once. Nonetheless, it was very interesting to see the history behind the Berlin wall and read some of the amazing escape stories.
The next morning we toured Deutsche Welle, a German broadcasting studio, went to the DDR museum, and heard from a former East German typesetter that escaped East Germany. I found the DDR museum to be extremely interesting and informational. One of the things that I learned on the tour was that TV played a central role in unifying the East and West. 95% of East Germany watched West Germany TV because the TV signals reached to the East side and did not stop at the iron curtain. East Germany’s government only allowed two TV channels so by watching West Germany’s TV channels, East Germans could “escape” the dictatorship for a little while. In addition to TV, another form of media that East Germany’s government controlled was the newspaper. East Germany had 39 newspapers to make it seem like the citizens had a choice in what they wanted to read. However, every newspaper had the same information in it and they all looked pretty much the same.
Visiting the DDR museum and the Checkpoint Charlie museum really made me realize just how different the East and West sides of Germany actually were. In the Fall we learned a little bit about the two sides and their differences but to actually go to these museums and see pictures of the East side versus the West side and to hear from a man that had actually gone through it and lived on both sides, really put it into perspective. It is just crazy to think about how a simple wall can separate a country into two and cause such immense differences. One example that the tour guide gave to show how different the two sides were, was when he talked about cars. People on the East side of Germany had to order their car almost 17 years in advance and only had one option of cars, a trabant. However, in West Germany, people could get any kind of car that they wanted, when they wanted, there were no restrictions on cars, and basically no restrictions on anything.
-Kelsey Krug
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Last semester I did a project about raising awareness of poverty in the Burlington area. Poverty is something I am not oblivious to, just as I don't think Elon students are oblivious to the trailer park just across the train tracks; however only in actually seeing it, did it become truly real. The difference between knowing about it and seeing poverty is parallel to hearing about the Berlin Wall. Walking around Berlin, seeing the divide between East and West Germany put it into a new perspective from learning about it in class. There was a wall that divided families, friends, and freedoms.
In the Check Point Charlie museum, seeing the outcry of those feeling suppressed by the wall was astounding. People used the media, specifically the newspapers to voice their disdain over the wall. While East Germany was suffering, many world leaders turned a blind eye to those behind the Iron Curtain. There were too many tales of families split apart, of people risking everything to sneak across the border in car, suitcases, one family even used a hot air balloon. From what I had learned in that museum, I did not contemplate anymore than the East German's desire to get out. It was only after visiting the DDR museum that I saw more of what it was like to live daily lives behind the wall. I realized what I had seen in the CPC museum would not have been allowed within the censorship of the East. East German television was monitored by the government, every newspaper had the same headline, the government tried to give a perception of freedom while in truth restricted them into the barriers they set. The facade of allowing them to vote, for instance was to give them the notion of choice in government; although the constitution specified the only ruling party was to be that of the communists. The multiple newspapers, gave the illusion of many opinions but they all said the same thing, with the government believing if they see a life enough, the people will start to believe it. The only thing uncontrolled by the government was television because West German stations were able to come in, which upset the government greatly until they realized allowing Easterners to see what is happening on the other side of the wall allowed for more contentment and willingness to stay in the East. Living with the freedoms I have grown up with makes me take for granted the freedoms some had to work so hard to gain. Even though this was before the time I was born, it was not that long ago that these freedoms were denied to so many Germans. One of the quotes in the CPC museum said, "Nothing living and human can thrive outside of freedom." It was only when people pushed back to gain their rights that their voices were finally heard. Sydney Harris From the moment we stepped off the plane in Germany from London, the atmosphere has felt very different.The combination of the gloomy weather, jet lag, and realization of arriving in one of the most historical countries that I have grown up learning about has accumulated to this overwhelming feeling. From an early age, Germany has been a strong aspect of my academic upbringing. I don't think there is one class where I didn't discuss the Nazi regime, reign of Hitler, the Berlin Wall, or the Holocaust in some aspect. We are taught from early on about these monumental moments in time for Germany and there is definitely an overwhelming sense of emotion, sensitivity, shock factor and sometimes uncomfortable feeling after finally visiting this historical place for the first time and realizing the impact that it continues to have upon the people of Germany and for many people all across the world.
On our first day in Berlin, we started off with a walking tour of the city and the impact that the war and dictatorship had upon it. The moment that really struck me and made me realize that I have finally arrived in such a historical place, was when we visited the Holocaust Memorial. Our tour guide talked about the making of and history behind the creation of the Holocaust memorial, done by an American artist. Our tour guide mentioned that the memorial was created simplistically, consisting of many different stone pillars, emphasizing objectivity of the memorial for all survivors, locals, and visitors to form their own interpretation. Although I appreciated the creative aspect of leaving room for each individual to have their own unique interpretation, I was disappointed in the lack of "wow factor" to the memorial. I felt that those affected by this horrific time deserved more. It was hard to tell that it was, The Holocaust Memorial, until our tour guide announced it. It made me recognize in that moment how important it is to be here and the impact that it has upon me. I noticed how passionately I felt about what the victims deserve yet I realized that it is still not that long ago that this all occurred and it is still a sensitive subject on how to appropriately give recognition to something so horrible. From this, I started to reflect upon that "sensitivity" aspect of a controversial topic. In my human services discussions, we discuss racism heavily and the sensitivity that Americans and people from all over the world have upon this topic. I related these discussions back to the topics discussed on the tour of Berlin and the reactions that the people of Germany have upon these sensitive subjects. I will never truly know what it was like to be in their shoes, no matter how many facts I know or how much I learn about it. This has provided me with a sense of clarity on the reasoning behind the memorial and reactions of locals. Another site that we visited that really struck me, was the DDR and the discussion that followed with the witness. Our tour guide at the DDR conveyed to us just how prevalent television was in portraying what life was like on the west side of Germany. I really found a theme of a want for freedom through media present throughout the tour of the DDC. The tour mentioned how people from the east would watch television to get a glimpse at life on the western side, creating a feeling of escape and freedom from the east. The witness whom we spoke to told us how he never could see the wall, that it was not possible from the east side, emphasizing again that media and television was their only outlet to the other world. But now, the wall helps him cope. It's a sign of what he has overcome. Again, it's impossible to really imagine what all must have endured, but it is an eye-opening moment being present here in such a historical place and getting a glimpse at what has occurred and what still remains. -Tori Ford Before coming on this trip, I had already been to London twice before and so I had seen and done a lot of the typical touristy stuff. However, there is so much more of London that I had not experienced yet and I could not wait to take full advantage of all of the learning opportunities that we had in store for us. I was specifically excited for the BBC (British Broadcasting Company) tour because of how famous it is and how much of an influence it has on not only England, but the entire world as well. The BBC is the most prominent and popular news source and broadcasting company in the world. One thing that is very interesting and unique is that British citizens have to pay a tax fee for every television they own in their home in order to financially support the BBC. This week we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to tour the building and learn even more about the inner workings and what goes on behind the scenes. When we first arrived, we were ushered into a room that overlooked the newsroom where you could see some of the many busy employees working swiftly on some important news stories. It was even busier than usual because when we were there they were working on developing stories about the terror attacks in Paris. We were then greeted by a very friendly tour guide that told us many important and interesting facts about the BBC. He told us that the BBC broadcast in 26 different languages, but Arabic and English are the two most prominent languages in England so there is news broadcasted in those two languages 24/7. The tour was very interactive which I really appreciated because it made it a lot more interesting and really helped us get a glimpse of what some of these employees do everyday. One thing that I thought was funny was when the tour guide told us that each musician that comes to the BBC to perform is only paid 66 pounds and nothing more, no matter how famous they are. I also enjoyed hearing about some of the history of the old building and how they had to renovate it because the underground subway would constantly shake the bundling and cause too much commotion. The BBC tour was extremely relevant to our focus of media in this course in so many different ways. First of all, the BBC is responsible for relaying the news to citizens, both locally and globally, whether that is through the form of television, radio, or internet. The media has played such an important role in our history and continues to play an even bigger role in our future, as technology is continually becoming more and more advanced. The BBC was an extremely important part of World War II and relayed crucial information to the population. It was also considered a target during the war and the building was bombed. On the tour we learned that when it was bombed, a radio broadcast was going on at the time but the broadcaster did not let the listeners know what had happened. He simply kept going on with his broadcast and pretended like the explosion did not happen in order to keep the listeners from panicking and the enemies from knowing that they were successful in hitting it. During the war, a lot of times the only way to hear any information was to listen to the radio broadcasts that BBC produced. As the years go by, and other major events happen throughout the world, the BBC continues to be a reliable and easily accessible way for people to get their news. As technology has continued to grow and advance, the BBC has shifted from more of a radio focus to an even bigger focus on television. Now, whenever you hear about the BBC most people associate it with television because of the multitude of channels that they provide worldwide. I was so impressed by the tour and am so glad that I had the opportunity to tour its facilities because it's not something that a lot of people can say they have done. I am looking forward to all of the other amazing opportunities we have on this trip and what lies ahead. - Kelsey Krug Starting off this study abroad experience in London has exceeded my expectations. I expected to have a disadvantage on this trip, since I am not a communications major. I thought that that I might not connect strongly enough with the discussions present nor the material that we would learn, but London has proved me wrong. From the British Museum where we began our journey to Sky News where we ended our London tour, I have developed a bigger appreciation for the communications world and how strongly of an impact the historical meaning of communications has been prevalent amongst our society.
Two of the main sites that really spoke to me included touring the Churchill War Rooms, discovering the secret history that lives underground in London, and Sky News, a multi-media news operation in London. As I was walking around the Churchill War Rooms, I tried to place myself in their shoes at the time, working continuously down there “in fear” of being found or bombed during the war. The communication prevalent and strategic ways in communicating and transporting information to one another to overthrow the Germans was very prevalent during my time visiting the Churchill War Rooms and how it contrasts heavily with modern technology seen on our tours at the BBC and especially Sky News. An aspect of the visit to the Churchill museum that really spoke to me included the time in creating one document or piece of information and the added time in transporting that one information from one person to another, especially in time of war, where time is of the essence. I look at my life today and wander how it was even possible to come out of this war with such limited technology in communicating, compared to the various social media sites and instant feed of information prevalent in our society today that is at the touch of our hands. Looking at the tracing of a map that must have taken hours to a cartoon of the war to a single copy of a letter emphasizes to me the importance of documentation and communication and its improvements seen today. Touring Sky News was a whole different perspective. As it was much more relatable to the modern era, with social media and modern technology being so prevalent amongst the offices, it was clear how much faster news traveled at Sky News than during World War II but how it still has an everlasting stressful impact amongst reporters and news casters. The mass production was very concentrated at Sky News, contrasting with the 1940’s at the Churchill War Rooms. A very impactful moment for me was the acknowledgement on my part of how much security there was following picture-taking in the news areas on our part as tourists. I never realized how much our society and “the people” actually have an affect on media today and how news, like a simple picture we take at Sky News or BBC, could leak to various social media sites and essentially all over the world. I really took notice of the contrasting differences between the two places, but in the end I noticed that communications and reporting will always have its stressful impacts no matter how much technology or modernity is produced through time. It is a 24/7 career that has a powerful impact upon history and our society everyday, and a part of life that we constantly depend on, something that I tend to take for granted. - Tori Ford On the flight to England, I read the New York Times, "The Art of Slowing Down in a Museum" article we were assigned. It encompasses the idea of spending more time on fewer pieces in a musuem, instead of quickly passing by each piece. [If a person were to look at every piece of artwork in the Lourve musuem for thirty seconds, it would take them six months. While this is more time than most anyone has to walk through a musuem, the article would argue a lot less is achieved by looking at all the photos, opposed to viewing fewer for a greater length of time. It suggests walking around a musuem for a period of time but then going back to the piece(s) that you were drawn to. Which is very different way of touring a museum than I had grown accostumed to. After we reached England, we went to the British Musuem. Keeping in mind the article I had just read, I wondered around looking for a a piece of artwork that drew me in. I passed through many rooms of exhibits admiring the handiwork of artists of different cultures throughout the ages. However, the piece that captivated me was a sculpture in the hallway intitled, Heech in a Cage created by an Iranian artist named Parviz Tanavoli. Heech is Persian for 'nothing', so the literal translation of the piece is "nothing in a cage." The artist had created something within the cage, that was emerging outward. The more I looked at it the less I could characterize it. How could I describe something that to me was everything inside a cage, yet nothing at all. A quotation from Tanavoli on the description reads, "It is not life that amounts to nothing, but rather nothing which brimmed with life itself." The artist, I have come to realize, has found hope in nothingness. The idea comes from a branch of Islam called Sufism where heech is the annihilation of self as a final threshold along the path towards unity with God. While lookng at the structure forr twenty minutes I couldn't depict the hope within the cage, I only saw that the cage could not contain it. I finally walked away unsure of how I felt about the meaning of the piece, alls I knew is it drawn to it and I wanted to figure it out. When I was standing in front of the artwork many people scurried by with just a sideways glance, one guy even stopped to look at it with a puzzled expression, shrugged, then walked away. That is what the article taught me, different pieces will stick out to different people if we take the time to find them. There are artworks that are attractive because of the popularity and the historic value, but sometimes it the statue in the hallway that makes you stop and think. Sydney Harris After a long day of traveling we finally arrived in London and went to the British Museum. Upon arriving at the museum we had an assignment to find a sculpture or piece of art that spoke to us. As I began to wonder around the museum, I started to get a little nervous because nothing I had looked at really spoke to me. Until I stumbled upon the display, Cradle to Grave by Pharmacopoeia. A textile artist named Susie Freeman, a video artist named David Critchley, and a general practitioner named Dr. Liz Lee created the incredible display that stood before me. This display was simply a compilation of the estimated number of pills that the average British person is prescribed in their lifetime. There were about 14,000 pills knitted into two different pieces of fabric, which represented the medical history of one man and one woman. In addition to the 14,000 pills, the display included photos, and documents to portray different events that happened in the people’s lives. Each collection of pills represented an illness that the person had and showed the period of time that they took them for.
While looking at this display I began to think about the New York Times article we read. The article, “The Art of Slowing Down in a Museum”, talks about how it is more beneficial to look at one or a few things for a long period of time instead of simply looking at many different things for less than thirty seconds each. With this in mind, I took the time to actually stop and look at this display for about 15-20 minutes instead of just glancing at it and going on to the next one. However, I didn’t find it hard to spend that much time looking at it because there was so much to take in. This display was unlike any other that I had seen in a museum before. It was so unique and that is what I loved about it. It incorporated science and art together to make an amazing display that really makes you think. I found it so intriguing and shocking to think about how that many pills can go through one person’s body in a lifetime. I even began to find it mesmerizing to look at the thousands upon thousands of pills that were laid out before me and the various illnesses that the drugs treated. It is one thing to think about how many pills you put into our body in a lifetime but it is another thing to actually have a visual of it right in front of you, it is a very powerful piece. -Kelsey Krug Today, we arrived in London, our first stop on our three week journey across Europe. As soon as we arrived, me jumped right in to studying our topic of, Media's Impact on Western Civilization, beginning with the British Museum. Prior to visiting the museum, our class read an article, "The Art of Slowing Down in a Museum", by Stephanie Rosenbloom of the New York Times, focusing upon the quality versus quantity of what one captures throughout visiting a museum or exhibit, whilst letting a certain sculpture, piece, or painting speak to you.
While walking through the museum, I began wandering what possible piece of art or history could "speak to me" or that I could connect with. I found the assignment to be more difficult than I expected, until I realized the truth that came from the article, and realizing how I caught myself simply just passing by pieces without taking time to really view them and see what goes beyond the surface. Once I entered the department of Asia, the fine detail and beauty of each piece really stood out to me and forced me to take the time to value and study each piece. Finally I walked towards a large sculpture of a set of doors with very fine detail and attraction. It's size alone was a shock factor. I found myself spending more time looking at this one piece alone than any other, due to its size and beauty. The piece is called, "Doors to a Balinese palace", of the 19th century AD. The set of doors were made of "nangka" or jackfruit wood, assembled from fifteen different pieces fitted together with tenon and mortise joints, with floral decoration, evidential of Chinese contacts. After reading about the piece and looking at it, straying away from what just meets the eye, I began to find a connection with it, in relation to my own life. The doors symboled to me, an opening, a pathway to something new, a new opportunity (much like this study abroad journey), or a chance. The collaboration mentioned of "fifteen different pieces fitted together" emphasized to me the various unique aspects of my life that come together to create who I am and new opportunities and challenges ahead of me. I may not know what will come next for me (what is to come through those doors?), but I know and appreciate the value and distinct aspects of my life that have brought me here to this point. Reflecting upon the beautiful and artistic detail surrounding the door, helped me reflect upon the unique aspects of my own life, or details of life that go unnoticed, that make up who I am and what accumulates to leading to my next step forward through those doors. -Tori Ford 1. How was Wenceslas Square transformed or commemorated the outcome and events of the Velvet Revolution from 1989?
2. What are the most significant impacts and changes upon the citizens of the Czech Republic from the communist way of life to a democratic lifestyle? 3. How was Vaclav Havel's playwright background significant in the new wave of media (including theater and spokesmen) brought through the democratic changes? |