Holocaust class takes trip to Poland
Kathleen Sulikowski
Issue date: 4/9/09 Section: News
Over spring break, students learned to understand and come to grips with the Holocaust. They traveled to Poland to get the full flavor of it. They took a course on the Holocaust that was provided through St. Ambrose for the first time this year. It included touring Poland, former Jewish ghettos and learning about Polish cultures.
Instructor Arthur Pitz collaborated with a Polish woman who helped organize the trip. They booked activities, transportation and housing throughout. Accompanying Pitz was his wife and nine other students who traveled from Chicago to Warsaw. The trip lasted 10 days, and two of those days were devoted to travel.
Students were brought into two different worlds, the experience of Poland as it is today and the impact of the Holocaust. They traveled to Lublin, Krakow and Warsaw to learn to understand and face Polish traditions and cultures. The students also went to Jewish ghettos and camps such as Auschwitz.
"There is no such thing as getting use to it. If you get use to it, then there is something wrong with you," Pitz said. "What affected me the most was the children's clothing who were murdered."
One of the objectives of the trip was to experience Poland in a way that a virtual tour could not show them. Other objectives included experiencing Poland's culture, history and people. Students were able to see former Jewish ghettos and experience the camps, helping history come alive.
"I believed it accomplished our objectives, but when you're dealing with the holocaust, it is a very difficult thing to want to go see," Pitz said.
The Holocaust was not the only learning objective of the trip. Students also experienced Poland through museums, lectures and theater presentations, helping them to grow closer to the cultural. Another cultural feature students had to learn to deal with was the Polish cuisine. If the students were picky eaters, they would be in trouble with the new experience of food.
The trip was not just for fun, it was also to learn about the Holocaust by studying the history and pain the Polish and Jewish people went through during that time. Pitz taught the course to help people experience the Holocaust without traumatizing them through the tours. He believes he accomplished his goals of helping students understand and gain a deeper appreciation of Poland.
"Studying the Holocaust provokes you to think, and it should," Pitz said. "When you take a trip into history like this, it's a delicate balance and helps you get a different point of view."
Along with learning about the Holocaust, Pitz felt it was important to learn some of the Polish language: basic everyday words like hello and thank you. Pitz feels that if someone goes to a country, they should at least make an effort to learn some of the basic phrases as a courtesy.
"You have to at least make an effort to learn the language. It is appropriate, I believe," Pitz said. "Learning some of the countries language shows respect and appreciation of the country's culture."
For next year's spring break, two other SAU professors may be planning a trip to Poland and Germany. As for Pitz, he does not want to make any promises on whether or not he would be able to go on that trip, but feels that it is a great experience and people should make the most of it.
Instructor Arthur Pitz collaborated with a Polish woman who helped organize the trip. They booked activities, transportation and housing throughout. Accompanying Pitz was his wife and nine other students who traveled from Chicago to Warsaw. The trip lasted 10 days, and two of those days were devoted to travel.
Students were brought into two different worlds, the experience of Poland as it is today and the impact of the Holocaust. They traveled to Lublin, Krakow and Warsaw to learn to understand and face Polish traditions and cultures. The students also went to Jewish ghettos and camps such as Auschwitz.
"There is no such thing as getting use to it. If you get use to it, then there is something wrong with you," Pitz said. "What affected me the most was the children's clothing who were murdered."
One of the objectives of the trip was to experience Poland in a way that a virtual tour could not show them. Other objectives included experiencing Poland's culture, history and people. Students were able to see former Jewish ghettos and experience the camps, helping history come alive.
"I believed it accomplished our objectives, but when you're dealing with the holocaust, it is a very difficult thing to want to go see," Pitz said.
The Holocaust was not the only learning objective of the trip. Students also experienced Poland through museums, lectures and theater presentations, helping them to grow closer to the cultural. Another cultural feature students had to learn to deal with was the Polish cuisine. If the students were picky eaters, they would be in trouble with the new experience of food.
The trip was not just for fun, it was also to learn about the Holocaust by studying the history and pain the Polish and Jewish people went through during that time. Pitz taught the course to help people experience the Holocaust without traumatizing them through the tours. He believes he accomplished his goals of helping students understand and gain a deeper appreciation of Poland.
"Studying the Holocaust provokes you to think, and it should," Pitz said. "When you take a trip into history like this, it's a delicate balance and helps you get a different point of view."
Along with learning about the Holocaust, Pitz felt it was important to learn some of the Polish language: basic everyday words like hello and thank you. Pitz feels that if someone goes to a country, they should at least make an effort to learn some of the basic phrases as a courtesy.
"You have to at least make an effort to learn the language. It is appropriate, I believe," Pitz said. "Learning some of the countries language shows respect and appreciation of the country's culture."
For next year's spring break, two other SAU professors may be planning a trip to Poland and Germany. As for Pitz, he does not want to make any promises on whether or not he would be able to go on that trip, but feels that it is a great experience and people should make the most of it.
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