Here’s a quick reminder of Christmas, for all of you who are probably already fed up with the squally January weather, and it is a Christmas in Berlin, as experienced by some of the senior students at both Monmouth School and HMSG:

‘This impressive city has been described as loud, tolerant, multicultural, historical, modern,  creative, political, trendy, lively….  during the first week  of the Christmas holidays a small group of Year 11, 12 and 13  Monmouth School and HMSG students of German set out to explore the history and culture of Germany’s capital city.

The action-packed four day visit began with a four-hour walking tour of the main attractions:  remnants of the Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate, Potsdamer Platz, The Museum Island, the Reichstag and the Humboldt University, to name but a few!

A tour of Potsdam was a particular highlight.  We crossed the famous Glienecke Bridge where spies were exchanged during the Cold War and even managed to see the film, Bridge of Spies, which was showing in the city.

East Berlin, prior to the collapse of the Wall in 1989, is still a fascination for many people and a visit to the Headquarters of  the East German State Police, followed by a tour of the East German prison at Hohenschönhausen gave us an insight into the extent to which people’s lives were monitored prior to the Fall of the Wall.

With Christmas in the air, a visit to the Christmas market stalls, especially at night, was a must.  We could admire the beautiful lights, ice-skate and buy gifts to remind us of a thoroughly memorable and enjoyable experience.’