In Munich, we’ll study the origins of Nazism while uncovering layers of Jewish life—both past and present. We’ll also explore how Germany commemorates its complex history, from sites of Nazi leadership to powerful memorials that engage with questions of guilt, memory, and responsibility including the Memorial to the White Rose at Ludwig Maximilian University. The group will take a day trip to Nuremberg, the site of the infamous Nazi Party rally grounds and NS Documentation Center, and to Dachau Concentration Camp, on the outskirts of Munich.
In Prague, once a major hub of Jewish intellectual, cultural, and religious life, we’ll visit synagogues, cemeteries, and cultural centers that survived centuries of turmoil. We will also take day trips to the Theresienstadt Memorial at the site of the former ghetto and camp, to Lety u Písku, the Memorial to the Holocaust of the Roma and Sinti in Bohemia, as well as to Lidice. In Prague, we’ll examine how Jewish heritage is preserved and presented today, alongside the haunting legacy of occupation and deportation.
Our journey concludes in Kraków, where we’ll study the vibrant prewar Jewish community and confront the horrors of the Holocaust through visits to Auschwitz-Birkenau. We’ll also explore the former Krakow Ghetto, the Square of Ghetto Heroes, and the Kazimierz District to better understand the geography of Jewish life, persecution, and resistance.
Throughout, we will consider how the Holocaust is remembered and taught today—by local communities, national governments, and resurgent Jewish populations—and how memory shapes identity and reconciliation.It is a journey that moves between profound beauty and unspeakable atrocity, tracing the vibrancy of Jewish culture, the devastation of the Holocaust, and the ongoing efforts to remember, rebuild, and reflect. We believe the experience is both incomparable and unforgettable, and we look forward to learning with you every step of the way.
Instructors: Chad Gibbs and Ashley Walters
Those interested should contact Professor Chad Gibbs at [email protected]