Departing in the very early hours of Wednesday 25 June, our group set off on a journey into the heart of Germany, not just geographically, but historically. Over the course of three remarkable days, we explored the layered, often difficult legacy of Munich and Nuremberg, two cities central to the rise of Nazism and its ongoing remembrance.

Our first stop was the bustling Viktualienmarkt, where students enjoyed an array of traditional Bavarian food and snacks, a lively and delicious introduction to the city. We then set off on a walking tour where we visited the former headquarters of the Nazi Party and learned about Hitler’s earliest efforts to gain power. One key stop was the Beer Hall where Hitler gave his first public speech to the German Workers' Party (DAP) in 1920, a lesser-known site, but a crucial turning point in his rise. Though not the location of the more infamous 1923 Beer Hall Putsch, this was where his leadership first took shape. Then nearby, we explored the Feldherrnhalle and the adjacent quiet street where citizens used to take a detour to avoid saluting the Nazi monument. This small act of resistance is now memorialised on the pavement.

On Thursday, we travelled to Nuremberg, where the Nazis held their enormous rallies. At the rally grounds, students learned how these theatrical events projected power and unity, helping to build an exclusive community and fuel antisemitism. We discussed how our image of these rallies today is shaped largely by Nazi propaganda materials, and how architecture, spectacle and mass culture were used to seduce and mobilise. We also explored the site's later history. After the war, the rally grounds became prisons, refugee camps and eventually housing. Some structures still stand, such as the Zeppelin Field, with Hitler’s former speaker’s platform, a grim reminder of the scale and ambition of the Nazi propaganda machine.

In the afternoon, we enjoyed a peaceful walk through Nuremberg’s Old Town, which was completely rebuilt after World War II. The contrast between the city’s dark legacy and its vibrant modern life was striking. That reflection continued at the Nuremberg Trials Museum, where we learned about the historic post-war trials of 24 Nazi leaders. Students engaged with the emergence of international justice, including the new idea of holding individuals accountable for crimes against humanity. The museum’s powerful installations invited reflection on how these ideas still resonate in today’s world.

Friday took us to Dachau, the first Nazi concentration camp. Our tour guide led us through the camp’s chilling infrastructure: the overcrowded barracks, roll call yard and execution sites. Students learned about the brutal routines and near impossible chances of survival. Stepping inside the gas chamber was an emotionally heavy experience. Whether it was ever used remains unclear, due in part to the deliberate silence of those who operated the camp, a silence that continues to obscure the full truth.

Throughout the visit, we were joined by other German school groups, as all German students are required to visit at least one concentration camp during their education. Their presence was a powerful reminder of the national effort to remember and reckon with this past.

In the afternoon, we visited the White Rose Museum, learning about the student led resistance group and the bravery of individuals like Sophie and Hans Scholl, who paid with their lives for distributing anti-Nazi leaflets. The museum highlighted how difficult, even deadly, it was to resist and prompted further reflection on the importance of remembrance today.

We ended the trip with some well-earned rest in the Englischer Garten, one of Europe’s largest urban parks. There, we ate ice cream, paddled in the river and strolled through a cheerful sea of families, musicians, students and people playing games in the sun. It was a beautiful, relaxed contrast to the weight of the week and a moment to reflect quietly on all we had seen and learned.

This journey through Munich and Nuremberg was unforgettable, not just for the history we encountered, but for the thoughtfulness, maturity and empathy our students brought to every experience. They asked brave questions, engaged deeply and carried the weight of this history with remarkable care.