Students visit Berlin

Rochdale Sixth Form College in Germany

Thirty Rochdale Sixth Form College history and philosophy students took to the continent to explore the historical sites of Berlin - the political heart of Germany.

The AS and A-Level students had an action packed few days in the city, visiting many renowned tourist sites.

Students climbed to the top of The Reichstag Dome, and took a trip to Bebelplatz – the location of Goebbel’s historic book burning ceremony. They also visited the Sachsenhausen concentration camp which held around 200,000 people between 1936 and 1945, and Schloss Cecilienhof where the fate of post-WWII Europe was decided at the Potsdam conference.

Students also stopped at other key sites in the historical city, including Berlin Cathedral and The Olympic Stadium. The final day of the trip was dedicated to a guided tour around a nuclear bunker.

History teacher Neil Ryan said: “We had an action packed trip, replete with moments of quiet contemplation at historical areas – notably, the students found the eerie calm at Sachsenhausen Concentration evocative of many of the horrors and atrocities that occurred at the site.”

The students will be able to use their experiences from the trip to help them understand the magnitude and impact of the Second World War in preparation for their upcoming exams.