Posted: 19 April, 2023

Year 11 Historians visit Berlin

News, Senior School, Trips

King Charles III was in Berlin but we were far too busy to meet him for tea! We dumped our bags and headed straight to Alexanderplatz to prepare for the Underground tour and a visit to the Berlin Wall Memorial and Documentation Centre. By the time we got back to our accommodation, we were all very tired and needed to prepare for our visit to Sachsenhausen which was a Nazi Concentration camp from 1936-1945.

This was a challenging and emotional experience but recognising those who suffered is still so important. We could not leave Berlin without visiting the Brandenburg Gate and taking a quick photo. There was plenty of walking, talking, laughter and historical discussion as we moved around Berlin navigating our way.

Kellie Brown. Teacher of History

"We visited 'The Memorial to the Murdered Jews', built by architect Peter Eisenmann in 2005. This was designed in order to provoke thought and discussion about the Holocaust and, in true Putney fashion, many different ideas were shared. Imi W described how, upon first look, it seems as if the blocks are all similar heights, but they quickly differentiate and become “overwhelming”. The lack of names or inscription also created a feeling of anonymity, emphasising the large scale nature of the genocide."

Isabella
Student

"There were many highlights of this trip, but a few stood out as particularly important. The predominant triumph is that our guide Trevor announced that Putney High was “the best group he has taken to Berlin”, which was a massive win for all. He was much beloved by all the Putney Historians and his help navigating the city was crucial to the success of the trip."

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