I am having a mildly surreal summer holiday. With venues largely chosen by my sons it feels a bit like a GCSE history tour.
We've been to Ypres and Paschendale. And we stood in awed silence in the Tyne Cot war cemetery and then turned and looked down the peaceful hill where so many buried there would have died. And we reflected hard upon it.
And then we drove to Munich. So we discussed the Beer Hall Putsch and had a supper of fantastic Bavarian sausages and sauerkraut in a place just off the Marienplatz, which seemed especially poignant. Whilst doing so we discussed social stress, the desire for change, the legitimate ways to achieve it, the risk of parliamentary failure and the need to speak out.
We did seek to put this in modern contexts, so Turkey, Poland, Hungary, the US and (yes) the UK were all discussed. I suspect I could and should have gone further afield but we did not need to do so to explore the themes they are as much interested in as I am.
Then we went to the Alps. The theme? Statehood, the Anschluss and national identity, something we also discussed whilst dipping into Luxembourg en route.
A visit to Dachau was hard. My sons realised that some of the people who went there were a bit like their father. The right to think was discussed. I introduced them to the ideas of Viktor Frankl.
On the way back to where we are staying my elder son asked if Hitler was a capitalist. So we talked about fascism as the corporate state.
Then because it rained yesterday we went to the BMW Museum and looked at how they addressed the issue of WWII (as well as bikes, which both are into, unfortunately). We were all surprised that even in English translation the term Nazi was not used by BMW: NSDAP was. It was correct, but we discussed if it was true. And we reflected on the fact that in 1945 half the company's work force were slaves but the focus of the whole exhibition was how the company valued its employees. So we discussed the ability of people to adapt to prevailing norms.
And today? It was the Neuschwanstein Castle of, as far as my sons are aware, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang fame. But then I explained what the child catcher was all about, and my youngest son thinks I have stolen a little part of his childhood. But it also gave the chance to talk about folly, conspicuous consumption, Thorsten Veblen and so much more.
Through all this other issues arise. Like the threats they perceive in the world in which they live, from Donald Trump onwards.
And I should add, we've had quite a lot of laughs too. I like these guys.
NB: This was published with both son's consent
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you have helped them to think for themselves and see there are different narratives. That is education. I wish there was more of it.
It’s been a lot of fun
There are few silences at meals or in the car
You should be proud of your sons; my 11 year old shows little interest in history or politics.
Dachau is very sobering – I visited it many years ago (1977) and was very moved. I’ve never been to Neuschwanstein Castle but there was a good program about Mad King Ludwig (the Moon King) on BBC 4 well worth watching if you get the chance.
Given the uncertainty of these times and the whiff of the 1930’s such an educational holiday is of more than normal importance. Pity my father Kevin is not around( would be 103 this year); he was a horrified observer at a few Hitler rallies, I would be very interesting to hear his assessment of his similarity to Trump’s rhetorical style.
I have a feeling this may be a very strong memory for the whole family
Fantastic road trip Richard.
‘Might try that myself with my brood.
My kids are at that age where they are becoming aware (11 and 13 respectively) and now watch the news with us voluntarily – they’re showing an interest and forming their opinions but not just from us – they are both online now and seem attracted to the counter-culture that is emerging there, particularly about the increased sources of tensions around the world.
I hope that their reluctance to become part of the right wing cannon fodder doesn’t make life too hard for them.
At 13 and 15 mine are developing real awareness
It’s fun
Good luck
Hi Richard
I note your comments on your travels with your sons…lovely to read your comments and their observations.
I am currently in Northern France, near Etaples…having passed the Commonwealth Graves Cemetery…Tyne Cot I know is vast…but to see the final resting place of 12,000 souls in what was the largest British military base in the world in its time during WW1 is truly daunting..the peace pervading the place is overwhelming.I cannot imagine how you would explain to your sons…one only prays that it can never happen again…
I did not as such explain
They read the facts as I did
I then let them react and discuss how they felt about that
But I admit I made clear that the graves of teenagers hurt me most – young men so close to them in age