By Anna Vander (Gr. 12DM)
Following a substantial improvement of the COVID situation in Germany, grade twelve had the opportunity to undertake a three-night Theory of Knowledge trip to the city of Nuremberg, which encouraged us to apply the concepts and academic thinking skills acquired in class to a variety of real-life situations.
Upon arrival at our accommodation in Nuremberg, we had the chance to immerse ourselves in the history of the city and discover its plentiful attractions, as part of a guided two-hour tour. It was particularly interesting to discover the fact that, following an approximately 90 per cent destruction of the city during the Second World War, Nuremberg was rebuilt in an attempt to partly restore its prewar appearance. This idea in itself possesses considerable links to the study of Theory of Knowledge, as it provokes the question of whether historical knowledge can be restored along with infrastructure or whether it is inevitably lost throughout the process of reconstruction. Over the course of the city tour, we visited various places of historical significance, including the St. Lorenz Church, St. Sebald Church, Beautiful Fountain and the grounds of the Imperial Castle of Nuremberg, encountering fascinating architecture throughout.
We commenced our first full day in Nuremberg by visiting the Nazi Party Rally Grounds and gathering impressions of the history of the site. Even today, the remains of the extensive grounds and structures continue to bear witness to how the Nazi Party Rallies were staged from 1933 to 1938, which raised several ethical knowledge questions for us to consider. Under which circumstances, if any, is it possible to consider an object as a separate entity of its meaning? How does this impact, or possibly impair, our understanding of the objective truth? As we established a comprehensive picture of the historical significance of the Nazi Party Rally Grounds by visiting, amongst others, the interior courtyard of the Congress Hall, Great Dutzendteich Lake, Great Avenue and the Zeppelin Field, we reflected on the idea of whether it is ethical to maintain such structures in our society today.
In the afternoon, we headed back towards the city centre to explore the vast exhibitions of the Germanisches National Museum, which range from prehistoric times through to the present day. The expansive scope of items exhibited in the museum allowed us to expand our understanding of several historic time periods, particularly the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque, furthermore presenting a great opportunity to apply the concepts of knowledge acquisition in the arts to a specific real-life context. Whilst navigating the different exhibition halls of the museum, we were encouraged to reflect upon the manner in which perspective and values shape our interpretation of knowledge through artwork, which enriched our impressions of German cultural history.
Visiting the Nuremberg Palace of Justice and Nuremberg Trials Memorial the following day, elucidated to us the vital precedent set by the Nuremberg Trials for the development of an international jurisprudence. Whilst surveying the facades of the extensive building complex and reflecting on the intricacies of the military tribunals, the implications of the fact that the Nuremberg Trials marked the first ever prosecution for crimes against humanity stood out most significantly. The Nuremberg Trials Memorial, located just above Courtroom 600, allowed us to acquire a deeper understanding of the events leading up to the military tribunals, as well as the dynamics of the legal proceedings themselves. In the afternoon, we took advantage of the opportunity to explore the city centre of Nuremberg in small groups, by trying some local delicacies and visiting prominent historical features, such as the Hangman’s Bridge, before returning back to Leipzig on Thursday.