From a Nazi camp to Freud's home: What a Class 11 student learnt on her Europe trip

A Class 11 student's summer trip across Germany, Austria and Croatia became more than sightseeing as visits to Dachau (a historic town in southern Germany), the Sigmund Freud Museum (in Austria), and Plitvice Lakes (in Croatia) connected her lessons in psychology, sociology and biology with real-world experiences. The journey changed how she viewed history, the human mind, nature and learning beyond school.

In Short

• At Dachau in Germany, a Class 11 student saw how history feels different when you stand where it happened
• At the Freud Museum in Austria, school psychology became a closer look at the man behind the theories
• At Plitvice Lakes in roatia, a Biology lesson came alive through waterfalls, forests, trees and leaves

Article by Vania Tiwari

A trip can take you to a new country. Sometimes, it can also change the way you look at the world.

My trip to Germany, Austria, and Croatia this summer was one such journey. It was far more than a sightseeing experience. Every city I visited had its own charm, but three places in particular made me pause and think about human history, the mind, and nature.

What made these places special was that they connected directly to the subjects I learned in school. Psychology, Sociology, and Biology transitioned from just being subjects to experiences that I could see, feel, and think about outside the classroom.

WALKING THROUGH HISTORY AT DACHAU

Walking through Dachau, the first concentration camp established by Nazi Germany, broadened the way I viewed history. I realised that there is a huge difference between knowing that something happened and actually standing in the place where it happened. It made me realise that behind every historic event, there are individuals with their own lives and experiences.

As I walked through the roll-call area, where thousands of prisoners were forced to stand for hours in harsh weather, I couldn't help but imagine what they must have endured. Entering the reconstructed barracks, seeing where prisoners slept in cramped conditions, and walking through the washrooms and other facilities made everything feel painfully real.

Every step carried feelings of grief for the lives lost, disbelief that such atrocities took place, and helplessness, knowing that there was nothing I could do to change what had happened.

The personal accounts, letters, and stories displayed throughout the memorial were what affected me the most. Reading about the prisoners' experiences while standing in the very places where those events happened made me feel as though I was witnessing bits and pieces of their lives.

For a moment, I imagined what it would have been like to be one of them, denied freedom, dignity, and hope. It was an incredibly emotional experience that reminded me that history is not just a collection of dates and events. It is the story of real people who lived through unimaginable suffering.

As part of my school library reading, I had read The Diary of a Young Girl and watched movies like The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, and both had an impact on me. However, visiting Dachau made the scenes and words come alive in front of me.

Dachau also taught me the importance of preserving such places, not to relive the horrors but to ensure that future generations never allow such acts to take place again.

MEETING SIGMUND FREUD

Another unforgettable experience was visiting the Sigmund Freud Museum in Vienna. As a psychology student, this visit felt especially meaningful.

Until then, Freud had been a name associated with psychoanalysis and theories that I had encountered in textbooks. But walking through the museum allowed me to see the person behind those theories. I was able to get a glimpse of him as an individual whose life was shaped by the social and political events of his time.

The museum explored not only Freud's groundbreaking work but also his personal life, his journey as a physician, the challenges he faced, and the environment in which his ideas developed. It helped me understand how psychology evolved during a time when the human mind was still largely unexplored and mental illness was poorly treated.

One aspect I found particularly fascinating was how controversial many of Freud's theories were, and still are today. However, he has to be appreciated for having the courage to explore subjects that others avoided, which is one of the reasons his work continues to be discussed today.

His ideas have been criticised, debated, and revised over the years, with many psychologists questioning several of his conclusions. Despite these controversies, it is impossible to ignore his influence and his ability to think outside the box.

Walking around the museum, I realised that the courage to ask uncomfortable questions that may challenge individuals and society isn’t easy, but it is required if we want to attempt something meaningful and original.

Even today, when people hear the word psychology, Sigmund Freud is often one of the first people who comes to mind. Whether someone agrees with his theories or not, it cannot be denied that his work had a major influence on the development of psychoanalysis and inspired generations of psychologists to expand our understanding of human behaviour.

The cherry on the cake was the bookshop downstairs, which has a collection of amazing books and card games linked to Freud’s work. It’s worth spending some time going through the world of psychological ideas.

EXPERIENCING NATURE’S BEAUTY

Visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park is a delight for anyone who is fascinated by nature’s ability to create an awe-inspiring living portrait of flora and fauna.

The numerous waterfalls that emerge from different corners of the forest leave one spellbound. The variety of trees, flowers, and leaves makes every spot a beautiful experience for nature lovers.

While I was enjoying the long walk, I felt the responsibility that we all have to ensure that such places on Earth, and especially in our country, are protected and preserved for future generations.

As an interdisciplinary student studying in Class XI who has taken Biology as one of my subjects, I couldn’t stop admiring the huge leaves of different trees. The trail was exhausting in the summer season, yet around every corner there was a beautiful surprise that motivated me to push myself to finish the trail.

WHAT THE JOURNEY LEFT ME WITH

As I returned home, I found myself wondering about the ability that allows humans to commit the most horrific deeds, enables someone to dive deep into the depths of the human mind, and creates places of such beauty that they can soothe or inspire people across nationalities and cultures.

Travel definitely is a great teacher.

- Ends