As a visitor to Europe, it is impossible to travel any distance across this great continent without seeing or hearing about the crippling events of World War II. We learn at school about Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini and Churchill. We are introduced to the horrors of the Holocaust and the cruelty of the Nazis. But learning of events through textbooks, movies and novels is one thing; visiting the locations that became the stage of these frightful events is quite different.
Walking the streets, visiting the memorials, learning from the museums and immersing yourself in vastly different cultures is an enlightening experience. This conflict that took place from 1939 – 1945 was truly global in nature. It altered the physical, mental and political landscape of Europe.
One way to pay homage to WWII is to visit important historical destinations across Europe. Expat Explore tour leader Steve Martin sat down to discuss WWII history and travel. He touches on the importance of learning about WWII, how history shapes the way he travels and also shares a few historical points of interest that travellers can visit on a tour to Europe.
Take a look at the Q&A with tour leader Steve below:
Q: Where did you begin your journey of learning more about WWII? And where would you tell people who are interested in learning more to begin?
For anyone who is looking to gain a better understanding of WWII, or history in general, I would say focus on what interests you most. Learn as much as you can about it and then spread out from there. You don’t need to do a four-year university degree to gain this knowledge. The information is out there, all you need is the time and dedication to pursue it!
I hated history class when I was at school. I found it hard to relate to these events and my concentration would wander to subjects I was more interested in. After school I enrolled at university and while on a foreign exchange program in Austria, I travelled around central Europe visiting many great historic cities. I was fascinated by the vast difference between countries that found themselves on either side of the old ‘Iron Curtain’. Prague and Vienna are separated by just 300km but after 1945, they were on completely different paths of capitalism vs communism.
I wanted to understand how that happened. As I had no formal education on the subject, I started with Google and slowly learned more by reading books and online articles and watching documentaries and many Hollywood war blockbusters.
Q: How has learning more about WWII history shaped the way you travel and engage with different parts of Europe?
It adds a multitude of layers and vibrancy to travelling. I kind of relate it to watching a movie in black and white and then again in full-colour HD. Take the concentration camps as an example, visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland is a difficult experience. If you just have the knowledge that it was a death camp then it will be a cold, un-personal experience.
However, if you read survivors’ accounts then it will impact you on a deeply personal level. If you are aware of the crimes against humanity that took place you will look at it in a completely different way. Visiting historical locations with the benefit of knowing more of what happened can make history dance before your very eyes.
Q: How has learning more about European WWII history affected the way you present it to first-time visitors?
Instead of just describing the death counts, major battles, victories and defeats I want to present a more well-balanced picture. When I talk to my passengers on tour about WWII I try to tell the story from a German perspective. I find most of my passengers’ knowledge of the war comes from the classroom and this can be very one sided; but there are always many sides to a story. It’s not always as simple as good vs evil. I try to explain which events laid the foundations for the political climate of the time. This whole time period was a hotbed of instability and many Germans of that time became a product of their environment.
I want my passengers to have a more well-rounded understanding of living in Germany at that time. Then when they walk the streets of Berlin, Prague or Budapest they can relate to the events of what transpired there.
World War II Points of interest in Europe:
Concentration camps of Europe
Many of these camps remain today as museums, with local guides educating travellers on the horrors of what transpired. Concentration camps were initially used by the Nazis as forced labour prison camps to deal with supporters of communism. At Auschwitz alone, it is estimated some 1,1 million souls were lost to the gas chambers, firing squads, disease and starvation. Although they are a somber experience, these museums maintain a crucial role in educating visitors on WWII.
Related: Expat Explore tours, including Eastern Highlights and Croatian & Eastern Delights tours, offer guided excursions to some of Europe’s concentration camps and museums.
Anne Frank House, Amsterdam
Anne Frank House in Amsterdam is a museum dedicated to the story of Anne, her family and their time hiding from Nazi persecution during WWII. As a young girl, Anne kept a diary documenting her time spent in hiding. Visitors are able to experience the hidden rooms and explore the permanent exhibitions at the house and the secret annex in Amsterdam which have been transformed into a museum.
Travel tip: Several Expat Explore tours start and end in Amsterdam giving travellers the opportunity to visit this site.
Beaches of Normandy, France
The beaches of Normandy in northern France were the stage for the largest seaborne invasion in history. A force of over 150,000 American, British and Canadian soldiers crossed from southern England landing on five sectors of beach, codenamed Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword in the summer of 1944.
Dozens of museums in this area now attract visitors each year, retelling the savage conditions and terrifying experiences of all who were involved.
Related: The Taste of France tour visits the Normandy Beaches.
Oradour-Sur-Glane, France
It can be difficult to imagine the destruction of war when you walk through modern-day Europe. Cities like Warsaw, Dresden, Berlin and Munich, which were almost completely destroyed in the fighting, have been rebuilt. But there is a small town in France which, under the direction of General (later to become President) Charles De Gaulle, was ordered to remain untouched after the German army raised the town to the ground. This town of Oradour-Sur-Glane can be found in central France and the ruins act as a memorial and museum to the atrocities of the war. Walking around the remnants of this time capsule of a town makes the experience of that time period very palpable.
The Führerbunker, Berlin
As the Allies approached in the early days of 1945, Adolf Hitler and his entourage retreated to a fortified bunker beneath the Chancellery in Berlin. While surrounded by the Russian Red Army, Hitler married his long-time girlfriend Eva Braun inside the bunker. Soon after, on 30 April 1945, he and his wife committed suicide in the bunker. Parts of the bunker still remain to this day although they are not accessible to the public. At ground level, a small information board now stands in an unassuming car park in central Berlin pointing out the location of the Führerbunker.
Travel tip: Visits to the site of the Führerbunker are included on walking tours of Berlin, the capital of Germany.
Nuremberg, Germany
Nuremberg has become synonymous with the rise and fall of the Third Reich. Once considered the unofficial capital of the Holy Roman Empire, Nuremberg was one of Germany’s most beautiful and influential cities. Tens of thousands of party officials and supporters would gather here to listen to Hitler’s speeches in the late 1920s and 30s. When the war was won by the Allied forces, they chose Nuremberg as the city to carry out the war crime trials due to its connection with the Nazis. The Nuremberg trials resulted in the convictions and executions of a number of high-ranking party members. The Palace of Justice in which these events unfolded still stands just outside of the city centre.
Travel tip: A number of Expat Explore tours include a stop and free time in Nuremberg.
Europe is a destination steeped in history. Remembering WWII is about more than learning about the atrocities that took place, it’s about understanding humanity and the triumph of the human spirit.
If you would like to learn more about WWII and visit some of the sites above, take a look at our best European tours, by coach or by rail, and start planning your future trips today!