Berlin in a Weekend

Over the exeat in November, a small group of Sixth Form History and German students spent an action-packed long weekend in Berlin, to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Visits included a walking tour of 'new Berlin', taking in the newly-installed Holocaust Memorial, the site of Hitler's bunker and the now accessible area around the Brandenburg Gate. The East Side Gallery impressed everyone: the longest remaining stretch of wall, its 1.3km now displays a stunning collection of murals by international artists. The group also visited the new museum of life in the GDR, the German history museum and the new addition to the top of the Reichstag - a glass dome with spectacular views across the city. A morning at Sachsenhausen concentration camp was an emotional experience for them all, rounding off a few thought-provoking days focusing on the history of one of Europe's most exciting cities.