Submitted by Mark Meloni on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in Leipzig, Germany sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures…
This week, we took an excursion to the historic city of Erfurt, known for its massive churches and for the “Krämerbrücke,” the merchant’s bridge which is lined on both sides with houses and shops. During this excursion, we were given five hours to roam the city at our leisure. Although my friends and I tried to cover the entire historical section, we found ourselves gravitating towards the Krämerbrücke hour after hour. Towards the end of our adventure, three of us visited a cheerful shop on the bridge, where we were greeted by a friendly woman who had lived there for many years. She recognized that we were students from the United States and began a conversation with us about our study abroad and our homes. As we explained we were only in Erfurt for one day, she adeptly gave us her own tour of the town using a map on her desk, and utilizing the view from her balcony (pictured below.) Though we spoke limited German, and she limited English, everyone was eager to convey their respective thoughts. Having lived through many events in East German history, she advised us that we should be pacifists, and to never resort to violence. She told us this because current trends in our country and in hers are worryingly similar to those of the previous century in Germany. At the end, she gave each of us antique postcards as gifts and we took a group photograph.