Author Terry Lee Marzell contemplates teaching the Holocaust during a recent visit to Dachau Concentration Camp in southern Germany.

History teachers, particularly teachers of US History or European History, are usually tasked with leading their students in a study of World War II. Such a study must, inevitably, include a discussion of the Holocaust. For any teacher, a study of the Holocaust would be greatly enhanced by a visit to historical sites commonly mentioned in literature about the period. Recently I was able to visit one of these sites: Dachau Concentration Camp, located just outside the city of Munich in southern Germany.

Dachau was the first concentration camp opened by the Nazis. Established in 1933 for the purpose of housing political prisoners, it also served as the prototype for many of the Nazi death camps that were built after it. Eventually, Dachau was used as a forced labor camp for Jewish and Romani (Gypsy) prisoners and foreign prisoners of war. Over the 12 years the camp was operated by the Nazis, more than 206,000 individuals were incarcerated there, and of these, nearly 32,000 were exterminated. After the war, the facility was used by the Allies to hold Nazi soldiers awaiting trial.

The visitor to Dachau enters by a gate that, like the concentration camps at Auschwitz and Theresienstadt, bears the words “Arbeit Macht Frie,” which translated means “Work will set you free.” The greeting creates a strong sense of irony, since the prisoners became slaves who could not earn their freedom, no matter how hard or how long they worked. Continuing further, the visitor can view the roll-call square, a guard tower, the reconstructed barracks, the crematorium, the Nazis’ offices, and memorials. The Nazis’ offices have been turned into a museum to house exhibits and a movie theater which plays a video providing background information about the camp.

A visit to this place is sobering. The souls of those murdered or incarcerated here call out to the visitor. It is a testament to the German people that sites connected to the Holocaust have been preserved as historical sites and repurposed into learning centers, instead of being bulldozed in an effort to forget what happened here. It is interesting to note that Holocaust denial is a crime in Germany, and it is against the law for German citizens to give the Nazi salute. Furthermore, young German students are required to take a tour of a concentration camp as part of their general education, and during the school year such groups can be seen at Dachau, escorted by their teachers.

The American teacher is, in most instances, unable to take students on a visit to this historic site, but you can share a virtual tour of facility by clicking on this link: Dachau Virtual Tour.

Author Terry Lee Marzell on her recent “field trip” to the Rijksmuseum, the Dutch National Museum, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Almost every educator would agree that physical experiences create opportunities for the most indelible learning. I would assert that a field trip is an excellent way to create a learning experience for students. This was the thought that popped into my head when I encountered several groups of Dutch school children while I was on my own personal “field trip” recently to the famous Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

The Rijksmuseum, also known as the Dutch National Museum, was first established in the Hague in 1800, and was later relocated to Amsterdam. The institution is dedicated to the art and history of the Netherlands, and houses a collection that spans the Middle Ages to the 20th century.

Author Terry Lee Marzell examines the ship model William Rex while on her “field trip” to the Rijksmusem in Amsterdam.

I loved seeing the eager faces of the school children (I think they were about ten years old) as they sat on the polished floor in the massive museum surrounding their teacher, who was detailing the history and significance of the objects they were looking at. The Rijksmuseum owns over one million objects, 8,000 of which are on display to the public. Included are works of art by such Dutch masters as Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals, and Van Ruisdael. The museum’s collection also features sculptures, weapons, armor, ship models, antique furniture pieces, tapestries, fashion items, and a notable collection of Asian art.

I found the ship models absolutely amazing. I was particularly impressed by this large-scale model of the 17th-century Dutch warship Willliam Rex. This specimen was built in 1698 at the Vlissingen shipyard, which also produced real warships. The model is one-twelfth the size of an actual warship and features 74 guns. It was originally set up in the meeting room of the Zeeland Admiralty in Middelburg. I’ll bet many of the Dutch kids in the school groups were just as mesmerized by this model as I was.

The 17th-century doll house belonging to Petronella Oortman found in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

I also particularly enjoyed the 17th-century doll houses, especially the one that belonged to Petronella Oortman, a wealthy citizen of Amsterdam. For her doll house, Petronella ordered miniature porcelain dishes from China, and she commissioned cabinet makers, glassblowers, silversmiths, basket weavers, and other artisans to contribute to the furnishings of her doll house. She was so proud of her creation that she had it portrayed in a painting! I’m sure many of the Dutch kids in the school groups loved the doll houses, too.

As you can tell, I thoroughly enjoyed my “field trip” to the Rijksmuseum, and I feel confident many of the school children did, too. The teachers in Amsterdam are fortunate, as the museum is easily accessible by foot, by bicycle (which nearly every student owns), or by public transportation. Furthermore, the Netherlands supports visitations by students by making admission to the Rijksmuseum free for children under 18. For teachers in the United States who would like to explore this marvelous museum with students here at home, you can tap into the museum’s web page to view their collection at this link: Rijksmuseum Collection. Enjoy!