ActiveHistory Training Day: 22/03/2019, Sheffield UK: BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW!

In 2018 I took history students to Berlin on a residential trip for the first time after they completed this preparatory task based on selected video clips. The following Google maps illustrate the division of Berlin during the Cold War, and the clear outline of the Berlin Wall (with inner/outer walls marked, and the death strip inbetween). Zoom in for details of individual sites and multimedia resources. The trip was run as a joint Humanities project: the Geographers also had a range of specialist experiences lined up which can be explored on Matt Podbury's GeographyPods website.

Video Clips used in the preparatory task (taken from the superb series by Matt Frei)

Walking Tour 1 | student handout: Berlin overview | student workpack

This first walking tour took place on a Sunday afternoon and aims to provide an overview of some of the main sites and events in Berlin's history.

Walking Tour 2 | student workpack

This walking tour took place on Monday morning. We caught a tube to Mohrenstrasse station and then walked to the other sites. We then caught a train to Sachsenhausen concentration camp for a guided tour before returning back to the hotel.

Walking Tour 3 | student workpack

This walking tour took place on Tuesday morning. We explored the open air museum at Bernauer Strasse, then went to The Mall for a lunchtime break (with students having the option to check out other sites in the area at their own pace). We then had a guided tour at the Story of Berlin (we got off the tube near the Gedachtniskirche and walked there).

Miscellaneous other sites to check next time

Next year I will overhaul the itinerary to allow us to check out a range of other sites, most of which are listed here.