Bring History to Life with International Travel

I have a new tradition for the summer: travel abroad with students. It started last year when I took a group of students to Western Europe (Spain, France, and England) and this was where I formalized Minarets Abroad for my school site. You can read about our adventures here.

The group pictured in the city center of Kraków, Poland.

This year, I decided to shift the focus away from Western Europe and give students the opportunity to explore Eastern Europe, including Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, and Austria. Unlike the previous trip, our trip was specifically focused on exploring the historical sites of the Holocaust in Europe, which made it a true one-in-a-lifetime trip.

By the end of our fifteen day adventure in Berlin, Warsaw, Kraków, Prague, Nuremberg, Munich, and Salzburg, my students and I came to the conclusion that visiting historical sites is far more influential than learning about it in the classroom or from a book. Each and every location left me with new knowledge, but there were two that stood out the most to me: Auschwitz and Warsaw.

Having taught students about the Holocaust for the last six years, I felt that I had a pretty good understanding of the events, but I quickly learned that barely scratched the surface while touring Auschwitz I and II:

The shoes left behind by those murdered at Auschwitz.

• I knew that that Auschwitz was the most deadly concentration camp and over one million Jews were murdered there. I didn't know how shocking it would be to see what remained of the murdered victims, including glasses, brushes, suitcases, shoes, and human hair. 
• I knew that they tortured prisoners, but I didn't know that they made prisoners stand in small cells that only allowed them to stand, but not sit or lay down. 
• I knew that the Nazis deceived the prisoners to think that they were taking showers instead of being gassed, but I didn't know that the Nazis went so far to tell the victim to tie their shoes together and remember the hook number where they hung their clothes for after the 'showers'.   
• I knew that the bodies were burned in large ovens, but I didn't know that the ashes were dumped in rivers, lakes, and ponds nearby, which makes Auschwitz the largest cemetery in Europe. 
• I knew that it would be sad to visit camps like Auschwitz and Dachau, but I didn't know the amount of dread, heaviness, and despair that still linger at these sites and how it stays with you after visiting.

In Warsaw, my learning wasn't just limited to the events of the Holocaust, but into the Cold War and its effect on Eastern Europe:

The memorial for Bunker Anielewicza, headquarters of the Jewish resistance.

• I knew that there were Jews in Poland before WWII, but I didn't realize the rich and deep history that they had in the area. 
• I knew that over six million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust, but I didn't realize that three million of them were Polish Jews, which was 90% of the Jewish population before the war. 
• I knew that many of the murders of Jews took place in Poland, but I didn't realize how many sites and memorials there would be in Warsaw alone.
• I knew that Warsaw, Poland was damaged during WWII, but I didn't know that it has been completed destroyed after the Nazis occupation. I also didn't know how quickly they rebuilt the city after the war and how mismatched the buildings were. 

The Palace of Culture alongside other buildings in Warsaw.

• I knew that during the Cold War the Soviet Union forcibly occupied Poland, but I didn't know how many reminders still exist. For example, when we first got off the train, I was shocked to see a huge tower that looked so strange compared to the surrounding area. Our tour director explained how this was a Soviet building known as the Palace of Culture, the most hated building in Warsaw as it represented how the Soviets were focused on building what they thought was important, not what the city needed, like decent public transportation. 
• I knew that Soviets were oppressive, but I didn't realize how truly bland and ugly Soviet buildings were. I couldn't help but cringe when seeing these buildings. If the buildings were so oppressive and depressing, I couldn't even imagine how oppressive the Soviets must have been in other ways.
• I knew that Warsaw suffered greatly under Soviet control, but I didn't know how resilient the people were. Despite the decades of hardships and oppression that can still be sensed in the city, the people continue to live, survive, and move forward towards the future. 
• I thought that Berlin would be my favorite city, but it was definitely Warsaw. By the end of our visit, I was able to appreciate the unique and beautiful city of Warsaw with a complex and tragic history. 

The group of the last day of the trip.

For me, I learned far more than I ever expected on this trip and I wasn't alone in thinking this; on the last day of our trip the entire group gathered together to reflect on what they had learned and a common theme was that this trip brought history to life in a more meaningful way than anything in the classroom. You can learn more about what my students thought about each city with the Youtube playlist that I created. 

This trip reconfirmed my desire to give my students the opportunity to explore history through international trips. Both for me and my students, we learn so much about history, culture, perspective, and so much more. I'm already excited for the next Minarets Abroad trip next summer; we will spend fifteen days exploring Australia and New Zealand!

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Special thank you to EF Tours for putting on this trip and giving students the opportunity to travel. An even bigger thank you to our tour director who truly made this an incredible and unforgettable trip!