Skip to main content

History & Holocaust in Berlin and Krakow

Overview

The story of the persecution of the Jews of Europe in the 1930s through to the tragic events of the Holocaust is brought vividly to life during this tour.

Start the tour in Berlin, once home to one of the biggest and largely integrated Jewish communities in Germany.  Visible reminders of the Nazis’ crimes are everywhere you go in Berlin, from commemorative paving stones beneath your feet to one of Germany’s most thought-provoking Holocaust memorials, right in the heart of the city. The Jewish Museum offers an introduction to Jewish-German identity through history and today.

Then travel on to Krakow, visits to the deeply affecting Holocaust memorials (including the most poignant of all, the Auschwitz concentration camp), sensitively restored synagogues, as well as meeting Holocaust survivors, are essential to understanding 20th century history.

Our Suggested Itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Morning flight to Berlin.

    Arrive and settle into your accommodation.

    Then make your way over to the Reichstag Buidling - Germany's historic Parliament - to climb up to the famous dome and rooftop terrace.

    Stop for a quick photo opportunity at the Brandenburg Gate before heading over to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.  This extraordinary memorial, made up of 2711 concrete blocks, commemorates the Jewish victims of the Holocaust.

  2. Day 2

    Start your day with the Third Reich Berlin guided walking tour.  Your students will learn about Hitler’s rise and subsequent consolidation of power, and the terrible impact of the Nazi reign of terror. 

    Then spend some time exploring Alexanderplatz, one of the most famous squares in Berlin and certainly the largest!

    In the afternoon, visit to the Topography of Terror - a permanent exhibition contained within the former cellars of the Gestapo HQ, illustrating the terrors and crimes of the Nazi era. 

    Optional Evening Activity: take in panoramic views of the city from the top of the Berlin TV Tower.

  3. Day 3

    After breakfast, spend the day travelling to Krakow by coach.

    Arrive in Krakow in the evening, have dinner and settle into your accommodation.

  4. Day 4

    In the morning, visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum.  A guided tour will take your students through both parts of the former concentration camp.  It includes the ruins of the gas chambers, a visit to selected national exhibitions and a visit to the prisoner barracks.

    Later in the evening, spend some time unwinding in Krakow Old Town.

  5. Day 5

    Begin the day with a visit to the Galicia Jewish Museum.  Your students will take part in a guided tour of the Traces of Memory exhibition. The exhibition pieces together a picture of Jewish culture in Poland, and explores the ways in which the tragic events of the Holocaust are remembered.

    Afterwards, there will be a 90 minute question and answer session with a Holocaust survivor or relative during which your group can hear about this dark period of history from those most closely affected by it.

    Evening flight home from Krakow.

School Trip Accommodation

Accommodation

We use safe and secure accommodation especially suited to schools. In Berlin, our schools usually stay at either Hotel Citylight or one of the A&O Hostels.  In Krakow, most of our schools tend to stay at the Hotel Royal or the Premium Hostel and Atlantis Hostel. All accommodation we use is audited, and our auditing regime is verified by independent experts.