6th  Mar´2010

   My visit to the „ Emigration Center Bremerhaven “

On 24th February form 8a and 8b of the Gymnasium Lemwerder went on a trip to the Emigration Center Bremerhaven to learn something about emigrating.

A personal comment from Jacqueline Driesner

In my opinion the „Emigration Center Bremerhaven“ is a nice museum where you can learn very much about emigration.
I liked the third room most: „The Gallery of the 7 Million“ because the room was full of drawers and in each drawer there was something about one person and his life, his reasons for emigrating and so on. I think it´s fascinating to learn something about a person from just one small drawer. I was surprised how much information you could find in such a small space.
I didn´t like that the stuff was rather strict but on the other hand I can understand that they have to be so strict because it´s a valuable exhibition so they have to take care of it.
I liked the architecture of the museum very much because it´s very modern with all the wood and the globe outside so young people will also go there. And when you see the globe you know that the house has something to do with the world and moving around.
I learned that emigration wasn´t as easy as it seems today because in the past you coulnd´t go by plane to another country.
But their hopes, desires and their fear of unemployment hasn´t changed
They also hope for a better life today but anyway you have to work for it.
Your „new life“ isn´t prepared when you emigrate it´s always hard to find new friends, work and a house.
So you have to be sure to begin a „new life“ in an other country.

Jacqueline Driesner

Another personal comment written by Joanne Perkins

On 24th February we went to the Emigration Center in Bremerhaven. I found the trip very interesting because everything was very well presented and it was exiting from the beginning to the end.
When we arrived there everybody was excited. I liked the tour because everything seemed so real and it was interesting to get to know more about the past of the emigrants and Bremerhaven. But all in all I liked the Room of 7 million most because it was comfortable and there was a lot of information about the reasons for emigration in Germany. I think that was the most impressive room. And of course it was nice that you could get information in German or in English. I think that there were so many interesting things that everybody could enjoy the tour.
I didn’t like that we couldn’t took any photos. But I can look at some photos of the rooms on the internet and Mr. Meyer also tool some photos.
The architecture of the museum was great! Outside it was very modern but in the exhibition everything was like in the past. Because of the modern look of the museum I think that many young people are going to visit the Emigration Center as well.
I learned very much about emigration. And now I know that it was harder than most people think because of illnesses etc.
All in all I think it was a nice trip and that we could do something like that again because like that learning is fun.

Joanne Perkins