By Steve Esser
YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — Study abroad is one of many incredible programs available for Young Harris College students, and this summer YHC students and staff were able to visit Germany, Poland, and Czechia.
Participants in the “From Hitler to Bonhoffer” class traveled to the three countries in May, seeing everything from the beautiful countryside to the horrors of Auschwitz.
“It was an incredible trip. We saw a lot of beauty – churches, towns and people,” said Rev. Adam Daniels, YHC chaplain. Daniels and Kathy Pachman, assistant to the vice president of Student Development and Athletics, led the trip. “But at the same time, it was a tough trip realizing how evil people can be. I’m still processing the trip, to be honest.”
In addition to traveling the countryside and museums throughout the countries throughout their 11-day trip, the group made a point to visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Oswiecim, Poland. The museum is on the site of the Auschwitz concentration camp operated by Nazi Germany.
“There is no substitute for the experience of history where it happened,” Pachman said. “Visiting Germany, Poland, and Czechia gave our students a deeper understanding of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the Holocaust, and the importance of moral courage. My hope is that they have returned with a renewed commitment to learning from the past and making a positive difference in the future.”
The students shared the impact of the journey.
“I learned so much about different cultures, myself and what we were studying during the semester,” said Sophia Twitty, a junior majoring in education. “We did a deep dive on Bonhoeffer and Hitler’s theologies. Growing up, I’ve heard and learned about the Holocaust, but being in Germany and Poland, it became real and helped me grasp how traumatic this event was.”
The experience left an impact on Twitty she will never forget.
“Stepping on the grounds, seeing bullet holes in old buildings, and walking through Jewish cemeteries, I felt the heaviness. Having this time to go abroad was truly a blessing and a trip I will never forget. 10% of people were active members of the Nazi party and less than 1% spoke out; my goal for now and ever is to always have the boldness to speak out on the wrongs in the world.”
The group from YHC included Adam Daniels, Kathy Pachman, Chris Tidwell, Serena Tidwell, Morgan Tidwell, Brady Paire, Hadley McCroskey, Jefferson Lewis, John Hadley, Kaleb Bodman, and Sophia Twitty.
“I have been learning about the Holocaust since I was in middle and high school,” Twitty added. “And there are movies, pictures, books, and so much more evidence, but until you see it with your eyes, you walk on the places and bear witness to what happened, I don’t think you’ll be able to grasp how tragic this event was. For me, this trip was super impactful as I want to eventually be a high school history teacher and I’m excited to bring this information I have learned into my classroom and to teach my students more than just what is the standard.”
While the Holocaust was a major point of study in the course, Daniels points out that there were many aspects to the trip.
“We were able to visit three very different cultures, meet different types of people, try different types of food,” Daniels said. “There was a lot of beauty there, too. We saw so many churches and synagogues. I don’t want to diminish from that.”
John Hadley, a junior majoring in history, agreed: “Despite the sadness and discomfort brought on by the experience, I am more than thankful for it. It was a pilgrimage of grief, a place where I can see the consequences of hatred and still find a way to hope for humanity regardless of it all. This will take time to process.
“I’ll always remember the sight of that railway stretching into the gap in the woods, and from there to infinity. It brought people from all places imaginable, in cattle cars to their deaths via ignoble and barbaric deeds. I’m not sure how long I will be sitting with this mix of hope and despair weighing on my chest. Perhaps I will never really come to the end of that road, and I am sure I am not the only visitor to the death camps who feels the same way.”
According to Daniels, the trip, with its profound impact, provided an incredible opportunity.
“We saw so much beauty and culture – in the different countries. We really tried to pack in as much as we could,” Daniels said. “And this journey, the opportunity to heighten learning, was a great experience for the students … and for the adults as well.”
About Young Harris College
Young Harris College is a private baccalaureate and master’s degree-granting institution located in the beautiful mountains of Northeast Georgia. Founded in 1886 and historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church, Young Harris College educates, inspires, and empowers students through an education that purposefully integrates the liberal arts and professional studies. The College offers 34 majors and 24 minors housed under twelve academic departments. Approximately 1,500 students are enrolled in its residential, master’s degree, and Early College programs.The College is an active member of the NCAA Division II and remains a fierce competitor in the Conference Carolinas.
