German School Tour
An early start of 4:20 am in Dublin airport began the adventure for sixty two students and six teachers on their four day tour of Germany and Austria. Munich was the base for the four day tour.
Munich was known as the Capital of the Movement (Nazi party). The first activity was a guided tour of the city where we saw the beer hall where the Nazi party was formed as well as buildings connected with this period. This included the Fuhrer Bau, Hitler’s Offices where the Munich agreement was signed and one of the best surviving examples of Third Reich architecture in Germany. On the tour we passed the key parade squares and the hotel were the SS was formed.
After the tour we went to the Christmas markets at Marienplatz. Every holiday season, Marienplatz is home to Munich’s famous “Christkindlmarkt”; which has been celebrated here since 1642. The first day was not over yet as the last activity of the day was an evening bowling and great end to the first day.
Day two we headed to Nuremberg. We visited the Memorium Nuremberg Trials which informed us about the background, progression and repercussions of the trials, at the original location where they were held. Selected historical exhibits such as parts of the original dock, as well as historical audio tapes and films, convey a vivid impression of events at the Nuremberg Trials. From here we went to Nuremberg’s southern districts, the remains of the buildings on the former Nazi Party Rally Grounds with their immense proportions are a vivid testimony to the megalomania of the National Socialist regime. This area of eleven square kilometres was intended as an impressive backdrop for the Nazi party rallies staged to demonstrate their power. We ended our tour of Nuremberg in the Christmas markets. Later that evening we went ice-skating in the Olympic Park.
We departed by bus across the border to Salzburg a magical city of winding, cobbled streets surrounded by snow capped, majestic alpine peaks to visit the Berchtesgarden Salt Mine. Train and boat helped us explore this fantastic salt mine. From here we had a traditional meal and then we explored the Christmas markets.
The last da
y we visited Dachau. On March 22, 1933, a few weeks after Adolf Hitler had been appointed Reich Chancellor, a concentration camp for political prisoners was set up in Dachau. The camp served as a model for all concentration camps as a “school of violence” for the SS men under whose command it stood. In the twelve years of its existence over 200,000 persons from all over Europe were imprisoned here including one Irish man! More than 43,000 died. The tour was a moment to remember the horror of the and to never forgot the innocent people who died. On April 29 1945, American troops liberated the survivors.
The last thing on our tour was the all-important time in the shopping and from there we started our journey home.
Memories were made on this great tour and here are a few from the students and staff on the tour:
Students
“The Salt mines and the ice-skating, over all a great experience”
“The overall experience and getting to see a different side to our teachers”
“Christmas markets and seeing the court were the Nazi were held accountable for their actions”
“Mr Montague pulling me down when he fell on the ice”
“When we were ice-skating and Mr Farrell was falling and he grabbed a German girl and fell over”
“Nuremberg were we saw the Nazi Party Rally Grounds which was massive”
“Every minute of the trip, thanks to Ms McManus and Ms Hayes for organising it all!!!”
Teachers
“I was so proud to hear the girls practicing all the German phrases they had learned in class in its native setting. Whether it was “ eine heiße Schokolade bitte” or “Vielen Dank” it was wonderful to see and hear!
Übung macht den Meister!! (practice makes perfect!)” – Ms McManus
“The highlight for me would have to be Nuremburg. It was so rich in German history. Being in the courtroom was chilling. A fantastic trip all round” – Ms Rochford
“The trip to Salzburg was a great day. Going to Dachau was a powerful experience remembering the horror that the Nazis inflicted on the Jewish people. It was a brilliant four days.” – Mr Farrell
