Day 1: Depart USA
Overnight flight to Europe
Day 2: Arrival
at Berlin International Airport
Half day city tour of Berlin. Visit the Kurfürstendamm boulevard
with plenty of shops and cafés, and the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächt-
niskirche (Memorial Church) which was destroyed during WWII and only
partly reconstructed afterwards. Travel to the eastern part of the
City, along the boulevard Unter den Linden which has some of the
most interesting historic buildings in Berlin, like the Zeughaus,
National Opera, Humboldt University and, of course, the Brandenburg
Gate, constructed in 1791 it came to symbolize the division between
the east and the west. Friedrichstrasse has a mixture of modern
buildings and historic facades. The Gendarmen- markt with its two
cathedrals and the concert building is one of the most picturesque
places in the city. Welcome-dinner. 2 nights accommodation in
Berlin.
Day 3: Berlin
City tour paying special attention to German church history, the
resistance to the Nazis, and the key Bonhoeffer sites. The tour ends
at the Bonhoeffer House, built in 1935 for Dietrich Bonhoeffer's
parents. Hidden here, the manuscript of Bonhoeffer’s analysis of the
German resistance survived the war. On April 5, 1943, Dietrich
Bonhoeffer was arrested in this building, which now houses an
exhibition devoted to his works. After a break, enjoy a very special
tour taking you back to 1963, when John F. Kennedy was in Berlin
during the days of the cold war. This was one of the most
significant events in the history of German-American relations. Walk
in the steps of the 35th President of the U.S., and along the way
visit some of the sights which typify 20th century Berlin:
Checkpoint Charlie, the American - Memorial Library and the
Tempelhof Airport. During the tour, original television and radio
footage from Kennedy’s visit will be played.
Day 4: Berlin - Wrocław (Poland)
Visit the "Topography of Terror" exhibition. Between 1933 and 1945,
the Prince Albrecht Site was the location of the main offices of the
Nazi regime's most important organizations for surveillance and
persecution. The Secret State Police Office, the SS leadership and
the SS security service were all based here. Excavations and panels
provide information about the historical character of the site. An
outdoor exhibition shows the history of the location and the Nazi
institutions which were based here. Next you will see the "Memorial
for the murdered Jews of Europe", also known as the "Holocaust
Memorial" - a huge site between the Brandenburger Tor and Potsdamer
Platz with 2,751 concrete pillars. This afternoon travel on to
Bonhoeffer’s home town of Wrocław (350 km)3 nights accommodation in
Wroclaw.
Day 5: Wrocław
Full day sightseeing tour. Enjoy the medieval beauty of the Rynek
(market square). The square and many of the streets around it were
designed by city planners in 1241. It was then and remains to this
day one of the largest squares of its kind in Europe. Its center is
dominated by the Gothic Town Hall, one of the most precious
historical monuments in Poland, and a variety of buildings that
replaced the original trading stalls. Also visit the famous Aula
Leopoldina, the grand Baroque ceremonial hall at the University. A
walk through the lovely, and peaceful part of town known as Ostrow
Tumski leads you to an area which is the center of religious life.
Visit the Gothic Church of the Blessed Virgin on the Sand and
continue to the Church of the Holy Cross and to the Cathedral of St.
John the Baptist. The elaborate portal of the elegant twin-spired
Gothic church is one of the most valuable medieval artifacts in
Wrocław. The Cathedral suffered massive damage in WWII, with traces
of bullet holes still visible, and has been meticulously rebuilt
since. The guided tour includes a walk through the “District of
Mutual Respect, a symbol of tolerance and multi denomination, which
houses a Protestant, Catholic, and Polish-Orthodox church as well as
a synagogue. Visit the house where Dietrich Bonhoeffer was born.
Today it is a small pension with a garden, where you can have a
coffee. Meet up with a member of the local Bonhoeffer-Society, who
will stay with the group during the afternoon and the following day.
Walk to the Old Town and visit the Bonhoeffer-Memorial near St.
Elizabeth's Church.
Day 6: Krzyżowa - Świdnica
After breakfast visit the Jewish Cemetery. This is a beautiful and
peaceful place where you can learn about a part of Wrocław's history
that has all but disappeared. With over 1,200 gravestones and tombs
it is among the best-preserved Jewish cemeteries in Poland.
Excursion to Krzyzowa (German name is Kreisau) where between 1942/43
the "Kreisau Circle", a group of Germans, based at the Kreisau
estate of Helmuth James Graf von Moltke, tried to envision an
alternative to Nazism. The von Moltke family estate at Kreisau was,
and still is, the symbolic centre for this vision of a new
democratic and tolerant Germany. The estate, initially in eastern
Germany, now Poland, is the headquarters of The Kreisau Foundation,
devoted to the teaching of democratic ideals and tolerance. The
visit is followed by a lecture and discussion with experts. In the
afternoon continue on to Świdnica and visit the Church of Peace
(UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites). It was built in Silesia in
the mid-17th century and bears testimony to the quest for religious
freedom. It is a rare expression of Lutheran ideology in an idiom
generally associated with the Catholic Church. Return to Wrocław.
Day 7: Wrocław - Dresden - Leipzig
Early morning departure for Leipzig. On route visit Dresden, center
of the Baroque movement. Dresden's highlights include the
magnificent palatial buildings around the Theaterplatz and the Brühl
Terraces, and the many art treasures at the state museums. Today,
Dresden offers a unique blend of stunning architecture, world-famous
art collections and great tradition in both music and fine art. Also
enjoy the great natural beauty of the countryside along the Elbe
river, as well as the numerous magnificent castles and villas. 2
nights accommodation in Leipzig.
Day 8: Leipzig - Eisleben
In Leipzig visit St. Nicholas’ Church, the home of the faithful
“Pray for Peace” Christians who were a powerful force in
transforming Germany’s East and West. Another stop is St. Thomas
Church, where Luther preached and introduced the ideas for the
Reformation to the people, and Johann Sebastian Bach performed and
directed the world famous St. Thomas Boys Choir. In the afternoon
travel to Eisleben. Here you will see the house where Luther was
born in 1483 and where he died in 1546. Another stop on the tour is
St. Peter’s Church where Luther was baptized, and St. Andrews Church
where he preached his last four sermons and where his body was laid
in state.
Day 9: Torgau - Wittenberg
The tour continues - off the beaten track - to the small town of
Torgau. During the reformation, the town council closed all of the
cloisters in 1523. After Luther had driven Andreas Karlstadt (Bodenstein)
out of Saxony in 1524, he expelled his followers in 1529. Martin
Luther’s wife, Katharina von Bora, is buried in St. Mary’s Church.
Johann Walter, Luther’s musical advisor and close friend, was the
cantor at this church. He helped put together a new liturgy and
composed the music for many Lutheran hymns. In the afternoon travel
on to Lutherstadt Wittenberg. This UNESCO World Heritage site is
full of the original sites where the great historical events of the
Reformation took place. Luther made Wittenberg the centre of
intellectual and spiritual life in Europe. Visit the inspiring
Castle Church where Luther posted his 95 Theses. Although the
original door was destroyed, you can see the beautiful replica made
out of bronze. The "Stadt Kirche" is also very impressive and
contains the altar with themes from the Reformation painted by Lucas
Cranach. The next stop is the Lutherhalle (Luther’s House). Martin
Luther first lived here with other Augustinian Monks and later he
raised six children here with his wife, Katharina von Bora. Today it
houses the largest collection of Reformation artifacts in the world.
Overnight in Wittenberg.
Day 10: Wittenberg - Potsdam - Berlin
The tour continues to Potsdam, which is more than 1.000 years old.
Palaces and gardens, parks and lakes combine to form a total work of
art, a charming picture of courtly elegance and Baroque playfulness.
Although the former city center and the palace of the Elector
Frederick William were badly damaged during the Second World War,
the newer buildings in Sanssouci Park and in large parts of the city
are still vivid reminders of what used to be. Sanssouci Palace was
Frederick the Greats summer residence. It was built in 1745 as a
pleasure palace overlooking the vineyard. Within the spacious
Sanssouci Park there are other smaller palace buildings such as the
New Chambers, the Orangerie, the Chinese House and Charlottenhof
Palace. After an afternoon arrival in Berlin enjoy some free time
for shopping at the world famous department store KaDeWe or visit
the Pergamon Museum. Farewell dinner. One night accommodation in
Berlin.
Day 11 - Return Home
Transfer to the airport and departure for the U.S.A.
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