Germany: Kayla Wells (Learning on Excursions)

For one of the excursions from my study abroad program, we visited Potsdam, which is about 45 minutes outside of Berlin by public transportation. We were given a tour of key historical locations of the city, including the palace that belonged to Wilhelm the Great during his rule over Prussia as well as the summer quarters of the descendants of the royal family that became the location of the infamous Potsdam Conference attended by allied power leaders following World War Two.

One of the topics that was covered extensively in one of the courses I took through my study abroad program, which was about the politics of memorialization in Berlin, is the idea of how Berlin is an urban palimpsest. Berlin is a city with many layers of history, as Germany was the center of extensive historical events throughout the twentieth century in particular. While visiting Potsdam, these many layers of history that are sculpted into the landscape of Germany became quite apparent. A beautiful summer quarters that once belonged to the descendants of a royal family in Germany became an essential meeting point for allied leaders following World War Two, but now this property belongs to a restoration organization and is opened to the public for visitation. Similarly, the city of Potsdam as a whole depicts the many layers of history that are carved into the landscape of Germany. As pointed out by our tour guide, Potsdam is the Los Angeles of Germany, as it is a very wealthy suburb of Berlin. However, that was not the case during the DDR era and the Berlin Wall conflict, as Potsdam belonged in the East and its historical significance was not well maintained by the government.

 

Kayla Wells

Hometown: Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

Major: Social Work

Program: IES Berlin Summer Language and Culture

I am excited to improve my German speaking abilities while in Berlin as well as experience life abroad for the first time! I chose to study abroad in Berlin because I have been learning German for 9 years and have always wanted to apply my learning for the language and culture in a real-life setting. I am looking forward to seeing different sites and memorials that represent the rich history and culture of Berlin!