Blog 7

 Cooper Robards 

Blog 7

    A couple weeks ago my program did an excursion to Dresden. It was my first time traveling within Germany while I was abroad and something I am defiantly grateful to experience.  Going into the trip I knew very little about Dresden or its history. I was shocked by the events that took place there during World Word Two.  You could still see and feel the impact that moment had on the city. What was also interesting was the controversial nature behind the attack as it had little to no military advantages for the Allies.  Although I'm not confident on all of the history surrounding the event and what followed, my professor did mention more controversy involving responses to the attack. For instance, while under communist control, as it was in East Germany, people in Dresden used the attack to point to the west as the bad guys during the Cold War for their necessary bombing (I'm not articulating the story/point he was making well, but it was very interesting).  Despite the shocking destruction Dresden still has much of its old neoclassical and baroque architecture, although much of it had to be renovated or reconstructed entirely like the Frauenkirche.  It has a very different feel to it than Berlin. This is obviously from the many differences such as size, population, and more, but the atmosphere is very different as well. This is something I assume is common throughout Germany, like it is in the States.  Different regions with tangible but also atmospheric differences in their cities and towns.