Each spring I take Asbury University students to Berlin and Krakow to study aspects of the Holocaust. We learn about the euthanasia efforts in Nazi-Germany as well as the concentration and extermination camp system. Among other events, students are led through guided tours of Sachsenhausen, Ravensbruck, and Auschwitz. Accounts of the victims, perpetrators, bystanders, and rescuers, are each confronted and considered by the students as they attempt to wade into the perplexing waters of the what, how, and whys of these horrible events. Furthermore, the holocaust narrative is used as a portal into a raw and unvarnished examination of the darkness that besets the human condition. To learn more about these trips (non-AU students are welcome to apply), visit the Asbury University website.
2026 Holocaust Studies Tour, Day 5: Bonhoeffer House, Olympic Stadium, Platform 17, and more
Today we pivoted away from a visit to Sachsenhausen and instead were welcomed by Albrecht Winterhager into the family house of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He shared
2026 Holocaust Studies Tour, Day 4: Brandenburg an der Havel
Today we spent in Brandenburg, touring through this mid-sized city and learning about the euthanasia program the National Socialists started there just a couple months
2026 Holocaust Studies Tour, Day 3: Memory Culture and Hospitality
Today we started off by looking for evidence of a culture of memory in the Hackescher Market section of Berlin. Here we found several Stolpersteine
2026 Holocaust Studies Tour, Day 2: Walking Tour Through Heart of Berlin
Today we focused on the culture of memory that can be found within walking distance of our hotel – i.e., the heart of Berlin. We
2026 Holocaust Studies Tour, Day 1: Welcome to Berlin!
Well, the gang is all here! All-in-all, gathering them up from the airport and train stations was rather uneventful. Just one flight hiccup and one
2026 Holocaust Studies Tour, Day 0
Well, I made it to Berlin around mid-day and had a pretty productive afternoon and evening. Namely, I re-familiarized myself with the surroundings – there
Holocaust Studies Tour, 2026 – Pre-trip Post
This year I’ll be taking 12 wonderful Asbury students as well as Asbury Student Life Resident Director, Liz Louden, to Germany and Poland. Much of
Post 2025 Tour – Day 3: The Warsaw Ghetto
Life, Suffering, and Faith in the Ghetto I was able to spend the last day of my visit to Germany and Poland touring the Warsaw