Students Take Powerful Trip to Berlin

A group of Public Services students recently enjoyed a moving and powerful four days in Berlin accompanied by Head of the Professional and Leisure Studies department Nikki Chestnutt, Public Services lecturer James Simpkin and Enrichment Officer Victoria Alderson.

Students visited Sachsenhausen concentration camp, a Stasi prison, a museum called Topography of Terror recording the crimes of the Berlin Wall and Gestapo headquarters, as well as spending time at the Berlin Holocaust memorial.

The goal of the visit for Public Service students was to warn where discrimination and the abuses of power by public services can lead, since it was the arms of the state – the police, armed forces, and secret services – that rounded people up for persecution.

Students also had time to decompress with visits to see the views over Berlin at the Reichstag Dome, the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin Wall graffiti art, and enjoyed games of pool and some free time to explore the city themselves.

Jay Hawthornthwaite, Level 3 Public Services student said, “I massively enjoyed the learning experience on the Berlin trip. Mainly learning about Sachsenhausen and the Stasi Prison, showing that regimes such as those did commit such cruelty and that history does take a full circle. They were both saddening to learn about but highly interesting. Overall, the Berlin trip was an incredible experience, and I’d love to visit again.”

Olivia Williamson, Level 3 Public Services student added, “I really enjoyed exploring berlin and seeing the famous buildings such as the Brandenburg gate, the TV tower and the Reichstag.”

Victoria Alderson, Enrichment Officer said, “The most powerful and impactful experience for me was the Holocaust Memorial. I found it deeply profound and incredibly moving. It powerfully represents Berlin’s painful past while showing a clear sense of responsibility and respect in acknowledging it. The memorial stands as a solemn tribute to those who were murdered and reflects a commitment to remembering them and honouring their memory for future generations.”

A truly memorable time was had by all.

Find out more about Public Services at Craven College.