Blog #5

One of the things that I struggled to tell people about my trip when I got back was about the amount of history, of important events, and significant places where I had stood. While the United States also has a sometimes bleak history, I feel the main difference between the two countries is how they deal with the history through their culture and political system.
The German people must confront and deal with their past in every political decision that they face. One from the reading that particularly interested me, and has stuck in my head is the issue of immigration. This has been a heated topic, and as demographics in Germany continue to change, it will continue to be an issue from their past that they have to deal with. Germany has almost always approached the issue of immigration with extreme sensitivity due to their past. While one can also argue that the United States is a nation of immigrants and also has a troubled past when dealing with this issue, the matter of immigration is seldom approached with sensitivity or compassion in the United States.
Another matter that I found completely different in Germany than I did in the United States was the constant memorials and remembrance of the harder times. It seemed like everyday I explored the city I would bump into another memorial,either as small as a plaque or as large as an entire block. One thing that amazed me was the amount of memorials so close to the Reichstag. The Reichstag itself is filled with artwork speaking about the past and the future. It struck me as something that the United States government would never be able to achieve after partisan bickering and red tape.
Which leads me to the major difference that I with the German government and the United States government, representation. As someone who constantly engages people to discuss politics, one of the main complaints that I hear is the two-party system that the United States has. When first learning about the political party system that Germany and many other European countries have, I was excited and a little jealous to learn that not only are there multiple parties, but that with their split ballot these other parties even have the likely chance to make it into office. However, in the German system the executive branch drafts the legislation and sets the agenda in the country. Although the German system is set up with roadblocks and compromises, much like the British system, the parties in power achieve most of their goals. Although the gridlock and the fighting in the United States is often frustrating, I would much rather experience the joys of filibusters, then to deal with an executive branch of any party that nearly always gets there way.

European Blog #2-Rome, the Eternal City

Rome was a huge shock after the beauty and peacefulness of Salzburg. It wasnt until Katie and I were on the bus to our hostel that we reaized that neither of us even knew how to say "hello" in Italian. Good job us. Eventually we found the hostel, and made our way out to the streets. We wandered about ruins and very old buildings before taking yet another tour, this time on a doubledecker bus that didnt even make us get off-it was so nice.
Today we went to the Vatican City/Country for a grand total of about seven hours. If anyone ever decides to come here, I recommend doing some planning because I ended up having to go through security three times because everything I did just led me back out into the square. St. Peters was the best part for me, the hugeness and the beauty of it left me speechless. I guess its like the grand canyon, you can look at pictures of it all you want, but you will never understand until you are there.
The Vatican Museums were also extraordinary. They are a huge complex of buildings filled from floor to ceiling with priceless art, statues, and attractive Italian policemen.
After resting for a bit, we frantically tried to visit as many attractions as possible. The way there was fun, as was the gelato, the walk back to our hostel was not.
I dont think its hit me that Im here yet, and it probably wont until Im gone. Rome was not at all like I expected, it was insanely hot, but the city was mostly clean, it felt safe, and the only men who hit on me were not Italians.
Tomarrow we are heading back to Germany (which I miss, Katie and I kept saying "Danke"to people), and going to Munich for a night before flying home.

European Blog #1-Salzburg, Austria

After a four loud hours in Munich, Katie and I arrived in Salzburg around seven last night. I fell in love with the city right away. It's beautiful. The city is surrounded by Alps, pastel-colored houses, and a huge castle.
The hostel we stayed in was so nice! It had a sink, a fridge, a microwave, a huge bathroom, and best of all, room to walk around in! I really wish we could of stayed in a room like it while in Berlin, but oh well.
Today we explored the city and the nearby countryside by taking part in, you guessed it, the Sound of Music tour! It was pricey, but well worth it and a lot more fun that I thought it was going to be. We saw several lakes and mountains up close, and had a break in an adorable little cafe.
Afterwards, we explored the city for awhile, ducking into whatever stores and sites we saw on the way back to the hostel. After dinner tonight, we are taking a sleeper train to Rome, so when we wake up (if I can sleep at all) we will be in Rome!

Berlin Blog #4

This week on Monday, after realizing we have a photo essay due in one week, our group once again separated. After feeling guilty about having not lived my weekend to the fullest, I decided to experience as much stuff as possible that day. I left around ten, and after grabbing an iced coffee from a chain that shall not be named, I was off. I took the train to a new stop that I had not previously been to, and got off and began exploring.
One of the most satisfying things that I have experienced while I was here is the moment that you find the place you've been looking for. I had another one of those moments when I saw the shining outside of the New Synagogue. The entire street and neighborhood around Oranienburger Strasse was beautiful. It was far less crowded, and much less touristy than other places we have gone. I was able to focus on the feeling of the neighborhood, and the little details of small artwork and shops more so than previous excursions.
The experience of going into the New Synagogue was really surreal. Although we had been in several rebuilt buildings, and even churches, I felt devastated just knowing that this beautiful, peaceful building had such a tragic past. Learning about the Synagogue and taking in the artifacts inside felt important to me, and as much as I feel this is some place everyone should have visited, I was glad I was there alone. I was able to reflect and really respect the place better.
I spent the rest of the day wandering around new neighborhoods, and getting lost with myself. I was unable to find a sculpture that I was looking for, and for the first time on the trip I was annoyed with not being able to speak German. In this little neighborhood, I almost didn't want to disrupt the feeling by asking for directions, as I would felt perfectly comfortable doing in a more touristy area. Although I was always grateful to be with someone who spoke German, the language barrier never bothered me and it would not persuade me from traveling to other countries.

Berlin Blog #3

The German chancellor is one of the most powerful executives in the world, especially when compared to the executive branches of other democracies such as the British Prime Minister and the President of the United States. The several different duties that these executives have is what clearly makes these executives different in both issues of authority and power.
There are several differences in power between the German chancellor and the President in the United States. One major one is that in Germany there is a dual executive branch. The Chancellor works to set agenda and work as the head of the government. The German President works as a figure above the role of policy and agendas. He acts simply as a head of state, and as a representative of Germany. Within the the United States, the President acts as both the head of government and the head of state. He is the figure who represents the United States on a global level.
Another major difference is that the German chancellor has more control over laws and legislation within Germany. With the cabinet, they consult with experts and work together to get their goals accomplished. They do not have as high as a success rate and as easy of time than the Prime Minister in Great Britain has, but they are still able to successful pass most of their legislation even with compromises and revisions. This differs greatly from the system of government in the United States. The President is free to ask for certain laws or agendas in his speeches, but even with his party in power there is no guarantee that the laws that he wants passed will be passed. It often takes extreme negotiations and bargaining. If the party in control of Congress differs from the party of the President, there is a good chance that there will be gridlock when controversial legislation occurs.
Perhaps the most striking difference between the German chancellor and the President in the United States is the way the two are elected. As we are currently seeing, to be elected in the United States takes massive amounts of money, nonstop media attention, and pandering to interest groups. The focus is often only on the candidate and less on the party ideals that they belong to. However, in Germany, the German people decide first which party they want in control, and then the winning party choses the leader. In my opinion, this is still very much partisan politics, but the issues and the parties are more in the spotlight than the candidates personalties and looks, like I feel is often the case within the United States.
Even though the United States helped the German people construct their system of government, it has very key differences especially when the executive branch is concerned. After learning about the German government, I believe many of these differences would be welcomed in the United States.

Berlin Blog #2

The prospect of venturing out by myself in Berlin did make me nervous because of my lack of a sense of direction. After realizing that the train line I needed was shut down for repairs and then going way out of my way, I finally made it to the street I needed. After walking three blocks in the wrong direction before turning around, I finally found my destination, the Käthe-Kollwitz Museum.
I had wanted to visit this museum for several reasons. I've admired other pieces of hers that I've seen in other art museums. Another reason why I wanted to visit this museum is because it is very rare for an entire museum to be dedicated to a female artist, especially one who devoted her work to working class subjects, women, and children. I felt the need to pay respect to her work. Perhaps the main reason I chose this museum to see is because the work of Käthe Kollwitz corresponds and tells much about the history of Germany.
While her work at the beginning of her career focuses on women and children and the relationship between the two groups, as Kollwitz experienced the pain that war brings, her work began to focus on much darker subjects. After losing her son during World War I, Käthe Kollwitz expressed her pain by producing works featuring the subjects of war, including Death, starving children, and the dark hollow eyes of the people around her. Her works are deeply emotional, and they work to protest violence and war.
The museum featured four floors of her work, from the beginning to the end of her career. It displayed a wide variety of her prints, drawings, and sculptures. The room that spoke to me the most was one filled with her self-portraits, ranging from her earliest when she was young, to the ones she made right before she was about to die. The only one that features a happy expression is one that she created when she was a young artist. The rest show the solemn expression of a person haunted by death and the loss of her son and later grandson to war. Kollwitz died in 1945 before the end of the war that she protested strongly against with her work and actions. However, instead of being defeated with the chaos around her, she used it to produce great artwork even after her work was banned from galleries by the Nazis. Her works continue to show us today what she lived through and remain a powerful statement against war and violence.

Blog Question #1

Although the United States and Germany have very different histories, they both have events that need to be remembered, but would be easier and less painful to simply forget. Germany's events are infamous, and the events of the Holocaust and the Nazi era have been memorialized all around the world. The United States also has shameful events, such as slavery, the abuse and murder of Native Americans, and other issues of discrimination. These are no doubt less well-known, but are still worthy of remembering.
The history of great leaders, important battles, and the ideas that shaped both the United States and Germany seem to be memorialized in similar ways. Giant marble buildings and bronze statues in parks mark these people and events that need to be remembered. However, no matter how special buildings and other sites dedicated to history may be, there is always a chance that these sites can become part of a routine which causes the meaning behind the site to slowly disappear and become forgotten. Statues honoring war heroes can just become a bronze figure that we drive past each day without noticing. For example, the monuments dedicates to former presidents in the United States give little attention to the important ideas of these men and have now become little more than photo opportunities for most people.
In order for historical sites to remain relevant the society itself must always put effort in both the prevention of future atrocities and the constant remembrance of events like the Holocaust. This is the spot that memorializing efforts in the United States and Germany differ in my opinion. Germany not only has laws that work to prevent future human rights issues, but they seem to be more respectful in in remembering both the heroes and the victims of painful events. Sites like the Jewish Museum in Berlin and remnants of the Berlin Wall work to constantly conjure strong emotions of sympathy towards the victims without granting additional attention or glory to the people who executed these crimes.
I believe that there is a shortage of sites like this within the United States. One small example that I can remember is the site of the Battle of Little Bighorn, where a tragic battle between U.S. calvary and Native Americans occurred. Not only is the site now filled with gift shops, but there is no sense of remorse and no promise that these events will not be repeated. There are only grave stones marking the famous deaths on each side of the fight. It is only a place of history, not of remembrance or dedication. Every site that we have witnessed so far in Germany works hard not only to remember the history of the situation, but to evoke feelings towards the victims. This is just one example of Germany being more complete in both their apologies and prevention of history repeating itself.