Wannsee Conference

Today's adventure was the best one so far, at least in Germany.  We went to the Wannsee Villa/House just on the outskirts of Berlin.  Here's its significance to our trip: Some of the top Nazi, SS, and other group officials congregated here to discuss their plans for the 'Final Solution to the Jewish Question.'  It was chaired by Reinhard Heydrich and Adolf Eichmann, two of the bigwigs in the Nazi party.  As it was important in the fate of the Jews, I had a realization (for lack of a better word) about the Nazis here.  Going to this house, seeing all of its beauty like the outside architecture, the gardens, and the spectacular lake that it sat on, in this moment I first saw the Nazis as human beings.  No, no I don't condone anything that they did or believe them to be less than the murderous monsters that they were, but here it showed that they appreciated the simple beauty of nature.  The house is, of course, beautiful in its own right but it is made amazing due to its surroundings. There is nothing extravagant or exquisite inside.  The peace and relaxation that I felt being there, the feeling of being at home by the water and in the warm but breezy sunshine, made me able to bring the Nazis to a human life form.  That they could enjoy this place could only have been because of the same beauty that I saw in it.  I can't say that it makes me feel really awesome to be able to say that I can relate to the Nazis in some way but I think that if anyone saw what I saw and felt the ease I felt there, they would be the same as me, associating themselves in some part to the Nazis.  It is a creepy thought considering their track record for inflicting terror and brutality on innocent people, but it does show that they weren't totally devoid of being able to appreciate nature and the feeling that it gives you.  Until next time...