From the 2nd -5th November, U5 History students had the great opportunity to visit Berlin to enrich our knowledge of the Cold War and the Rise of the Nazi Party, core elements of our GCSE course. After an early start, we were given an interesting walking tour around Berlin by our tour guides, Ian and Henry, whose story telling really bought past events to life. This tour included visits to the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag and Memorial to the Murdered Jews who lost their lives during the Holocaust. In the evening, we enjoyed dinner near Checkpoint Charlie with a chance to buy souvenirs and take photos. 

The second day started with an informative visit to the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp where we learnt about the persecution of minority groups during Hitler’s regime. We saw for ourselves how horrific these places would have been for the inmates and we couldn’t believe the conditions they lived with in the barracks and the Zellenbau. We thought this was the most interesting and insightful part of the trip, and it was somewhat sombre to visit a place with such a horrific history. After this, we visited the 1936 Berlin Olympic stadium, and were astonished to find out it has 74,475 seats! After an excursion to the Cecilienhof, we ended the day with a traditional dinner of Currywurst.

We began the third day with a trip to the Wannsee Conference House, where we learned about how the Final Solution started. Then, we went to the Allied Museum, where we got the chance to see inside the British Hastings aeroplane, which was used in the Berlin Airlift. We enjoyed some free time in a traditional German chocolate shop and the Berlin Mall. The day ended with lecker burgers in an American diner. 

The final day involved experiencing life behind the Berlin Wall, learning about the amazing survival and escape stories that took place throughout its 40-year history. We toured the Stasi Prison, seeing for ourselves how the secret police ensured loyalty and instilled fear throughout the Cold War. Finally, we took a walk down the surviving sections of the Berlin Wall, known for its iconic graffiti and made the most of the photo opportunities in front of the murals.

We had a fantastic time and could not recommend this trip more!  Thank you to all the staff who accompanied us.

By Khushali and Amelia (U5)