Sophie's Europe Adventures!

  Hello! Today we got to go to the Reichstag, which is the German Parliament building. We learned a lot about it from Rob, and our questions we each had to answer, before going inside! This building is where the German parliament meets. German democracy all happens here. Hitler didn’t like German democracy, which is one of the reasons they felt fine moving back into this building. When I first saw this, I thought it was a really unique building! There was a lot of cool architecture, and the dome on top was really interesting to me. I’m glad we got the ability to go up inside! As Rob and MaryAnn told us, the dome is above the legislative room, and represents that the legislature serves the people.  I believe the Reichstag is important both historically and culturally for a few reasons. First, it’s important historically because it has been the seat of the German parliament since 1894, symbolizing Germany’s political progress. As we learned, it witnessed important events like the Weima

For my cities free day blog post, I decided to write about my free day in Amsterdam, when we went to Zaanse Schans! This was one of my favorite days, so I was really excited to get the chance to write about it! Zaanse Schans is a neighborhood in the Netherlands, known for its historic windmills and houses. It serves as an open air museum showcasing Dutch heritage from the 18th and 19th centuries (Wikipedia). There was a lot to do there! We explored the windmills and walking paths, there were different crafts and snacks, and even a few museums. The neighborhood gives visitors a glimpse into the past of the Zaan region, which was a large hub for wind-powered industries (De Zaanse Schans).   I believe Zaanse Schans is important both historically and culturally for a few reasons. First, it preserves and showcases traditional Dutch heritage. It highlights the Netherlands’ rich industrial past, specifically focusing on wind-powered production. This site educates its visitors about traditio

For my monument of choice I decided to write about the Brandenburg Gate! We got the opportunity to go see this gate and learn more about it, and I thought it was super interesting. When I looked at it, I thought it was really unique. There were many pillars, all leading up to the top which was a sculpture of a woman on a carriage with four horses in front of her. As Rob told us, the woman first represented peace, but as years went on, she now represents victory. I learned a lot about this gate from Rob! Like I mentioned, the gate first symbolized peace and unity, and eventually started to symbolize victory as well. The gate stands as a tribute to all of the history Berlin went through. Napoleon's invasion, the Nazi era, as well as the division of Berlin, and then reunification in 1989. I think this gate is very special as it shows that through all the history, Germany stood victorious and managed through it!  I believe the Brandenburg Gate is important both culturally and histori

Today we got the opportunity to learn about Käthe Kollwitz! I knew a little bit about her before coming to Berlin, and I’m so grateful I got to learn more! Rob and MaryAnn taught us a lot before going into her museum, and here’s what I learned. She was an artist, and her dad noticed her artistic talent from a young age. She had a good education for the time, and went to an art school. She didn’t love color, but she loved lithographs and charcoal. She met Karl Kollwitz, but her family didn’t want her to marry him because they thought she wouldn’t be able to do her art because she had to do housework. However, Karl did housework to make sure that didn’t happen. They had 3 sons, and one of them died in WWI. She became depressed after this and started changing the type of art she made. Repeatedly in her work after her son died were mothers with and protecting children, grieving parents, and more pacifist themes. She also believed in the idea that children should not be going off to war bec

For my woman of choice in Berlin, I decided to write about Luise Greger. Today we visited where her house used to be, and where a small “monument” is on the ground to remember her. MaryAnn told us a lot about her, and I learned a ton! She was born in 1862, and when she was six she started taking piano lessons. At age 10, she was good enough that she played for the Tsar of Russia. She even started composing herself at age 12. She got married in her mid 20s to Ludwig Greger. She had three sons and was performing, playing, and teaching to add to family income. She got divorced in 1911 but still was supporting herself through these ways. She eventually got too old and moved into an old folks home because she couldn’t support herself anymore. She was euthanized by the Nazis because she was, as they saw it, not productive and didn’t do anything to society anymore.  I think there are many things that made Luise Greger’s contribution important. All of her achievements had an impact on the wo

Today I got the opportunity to learn about Lise Meitner! To be completely honest, I knew a little about her, but not a ton. So it was super interesting to learn more about her from MaryAnn! Maryann told us she was born in October of 1878 in Vienna. She went to the University of Austria and was the second woman to graduate from there in physics. She came up to Berlin to do experiments and have a lab. She worked with Otto Honn and together they made the discovery of nuclear fission. She was nominated for a Nobel prize 49 times and didn’t win a single one. She was invited many times to come and speak to the group, but never won a prize. Another fact about her is that she was invited to participate in the Manhattan Project. She said she wanted no part in a bomb, and said no because it was unethical. She died in 1968 from a heart attack, and on her grave it says how even though she was a scientist, she never lost her humanity.  I think there are many things that make Lise Meitner’s contri

Today we got the opportunity to go to the Skansen Open Air Museum! This was such a cool experience, and it was so fun. There were food spots, rides and little activities, all different types of animals, crafts, music, the list goes on and on! Rob told us that this was the first open air museum which was super interesting to learn. Once we were in, I went with a little group to get food because we were starving (hahah). We got food at this area that had a bunch of little trucks! We got to see a lot of Skansen and all that it has to offer. I thought this was such a great experience. We got to see the first open air museum, and see how it impacts Stockholm and its culture!  I believe The Skansen Open Air Museum is important both historically and culturally. It preserves and showcases traditional Swedish life, craftsmanship, architecture, and offers a link straight to the past. It features historic buildings from all across Sweden, which allows visitors to experience Swedish culture and

Hello! Today we got a little walking tour from Chip, and I got to learn a lot. One of the woman we talked about was Christina Gyllenstierna, aka Kristina Golden Star. Like Chip said, she was a very respected leader of her time. She would go up and down the lines encouraging the troops. It was her force of will that held together the Swedish resistance against Christian II. Under her power, they drove the Danes out of Sweden. She did so much for the Swedish people that everyone still loves and respects her so much.  I think there are many things that make Christina Gyllenstierna’s contributions important. Her leadership during the Swedish war of liberation was very significant. Like I mentioned before, she effectively led the resistance against Christian II, the Danish King. Her defense of Stockholm inspired Sweden nationalism and also laid a base for eventually establishing the Swedish monarchy. Her actions have changed society by creating a new sense of unity and resistance, which c

For my art piece of choice in Stockholm, I chose to do Hemma/Home, from the modern art museum! I thought this museum was awesome, and I had a handful of pieces that I thought would be super fun to write about, and decided on this one! This piece is a display of a bunch of different plants, books, and a few other things you may find in a home. As the description plaque in the museum says, the artist filled the structure with life, ideas, sounds, and memories. It’s a structure that holds and sustains life, which I really liked! I also enjoyed how many different ways you can see it, depending on what your home looks like, how you see different things, etc. To me,  this piece shows that there are so many things that make a house a home, and that’s different for every person.  I believe that this piece is important both historically and culturally in a few different ways. First, it showcases Sweden’s unique design heritage. It expresses the country’s focus on functional and simple design

Today we got to learn about Greta Thunberg. I have heard and know about her from before this trip, when she was very popular on social media a handful of years ago. I got the opportunity to learn more about her today from Professor Oscarson! Greta’s main concern is climate crisis. As background, Greta’s mom was an opera singer and sacrificed her career for her daughter. Every Friday, Greta would come next to the Parliament building talking about climate change. Being able to express her concern and talk with others was so important to her. Another notable thing Chip told us was that she is diagnosed with aspergers, and she doesn’t really speak. She said she only speaks when it’s something she feels is important, Chip told us. Learning more about her and her background of how she came to be influential was interesting!  I think there are a few things that made Greta’s contribution important, and changed her field as well as society. First, her relentless advocacy. She’s known for not

While in Vienna, we got the opportunity to go to the Natural History Museum! It was a super fun experience, and I got to learn and see a ton. There are many different things at the museum. You have rocks, gems, things about animals, planets, the list goes on and on. My favorite rock I saw was called Baryt. It was a large rock that was brown and white, and had such a pretty crystal glow on it. I’ve seen a couple like this before, and am always blown away by the beauty they show! I thought the bones of the dinosaurs were really cool, and Sayler and I were talking about dinosaurs just before the museum so that was awesome. The Venus Von Willendorf was a unique piece we also got to see! It was super interesting to see such a detailed piece that was from the earth, nothing changed. I really loved this museum because of the diverse selection of things to look at and learn about!  I believe that the Natural History Museum in Vienna is important both historically and culturally for many reas

Hello! Today we got to visit two museums. The Treasury, and the Natural History Museum. I enjoyed both a lot, and am choosing to write my blog on the Treasury! Before we went in, Maryann talked with us about the background of the Treasury, and the importance/significance of these collections. Collections show you have wealth, and wealth equals power. You can get them from taking them, trading, or receiving them as gifts. When there is a monarchy, you can wear them as a way of showing your wealth. When the monarchy fell, keeping it as a part of history and making it available for people to see was so important. When I went inside, I had a great time. I was able to see and learn a lot about different things like the crowns, the cradles, different jewels and other artifacts collected. They were all very shiny and bright, with lots of beautiful gems. The cradles were very large with intricate designs, and they look super heavy!  The Imperial Treasury is both historically and culturally s