I just want to second (or third) the recommendation for the movie "Sophie Scholl: the Final Days."

I agree with Patrick that it might have more appeal for your daughter than some of the others because Sophie was barely older than her when she defied the Nazis. It's an interesting story that most Americans know nothing about.

Agree with Patrick, cheryllj and others. Another vote for the Sophie Scholl film.

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone again.

These suggestions are all so good and very thoughtful as well.

I can't wait to share this thread with my daughter. I did mention today that I had posted here and she wanted to know if I mentioned she was "a history nerd" ;) Anyway, she is in the midst of mid-term exams, SATs, and orchestra concerts so I'm waiting. In the next weeks we will go over this together I know she will be very touched and surprised by how many people want to share their ideas and experiences - and perhaps by how many travelers there are out there willing to help her plan her study and travel. Hopefully she won't become a Fodor's addict, like her mom, though...

In the meantime, I'm going to try to get some of the books and movies suggested here, as she has a 3 week winter break and we can start some planning from our armchairs and perhaps even get to Munich or Berlin. I can already see some patterns emerging from all these very thoughtful posts, and although at first I was worried about how to present this all to a teenager without it being too bleak, I don't feel that way anymore. You have all given me such balanced ideas and I welcome any more thoughts/suggestions you have.

Not long ago, there was a thread on Fodor's about bringing children to concentration camps which I participated in. I know some posters disagreed, but I felt my younger daughter really wasn't emotionally ready for that. I think my older daughter - may be ready for "parts" of these camps and I will respect her decision on what she can handle. I just wanted those who had been, and posted their concerns here, to know that I share those concerns. Thank you for taking the time to guide us about that.

Ira, Gardyloo, Nautiker, Hetismij, Mucky, Lucy, Artstuff, Meo, aeiger, jinx, Patrick and so many others - thanks for such very detailed itineraries and reading/viewing lists.

Michael, Underhill, Travfirst, Sue, Eskrunchy, W9London, Paris, alan thanks for the excellent reading lists!

Cheryl - thanks for remembering "Paradise Road".

Lucy - thanks for so many good ideas.

Patrick, Lucy and Cheryl - I will definitely get the Scholl movie

Thank you very, very much to everyone who wrote for sharing your thoughts and suggestions, travel experiences, books and movies, and for having the patience and taking the time to answer my questions.

gruezi

A few more thank yous...

Bigred, Irish, LJ, Gsteed - thank you for your insights and suggestions on things not already covered here but important perspectives.

Aliska - yes, I know, and good idea...I have researched for an American Jewish friend the exact site in Basel where the state of Israel was "founded"... very interesting as well...but I don't think there is even a memorial to visit, just a room that is "sometimes" open to visitors.

A lot of good suggestions here.

I would add to Anne Frank's Diary,
"Anne Frank Remembered" by Miep Gies and Alison Leslie Gold. This is Miep's story and answers many questions I had when reading the diary.

I would also add
"Bright Candles: A Novel of the Danish Resistance" by Nathaniel Benchley (1974)

It is a good teen book and less graphic for your younger child. A good sense of starting out in pre-war normalcy and having to grow up with the seriousness of hiding other people.

I have not read-- but have meant to read--The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom.

There are some places near Rome that pertained to WWII that sounded very moving. Here is a recent thread on Anzio and Nettuno:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35085684

Gruezi, it happens that yesterday I went to Auschwitz and had a guide take us through the buildings. There were many, many busloads of schoolkids going around which made me glad to see that young people are interested in this history. You can hear about the camps all your life and read about it, but going there is something else to say the least; although in *shock* a little bit I am now in the safe arms of Krakow, and will move on as they have done here.

I was traveling in London last week and in preparation for this visit I saw a new movie that's out, "The Counterfeiters," which told the story of the prisoners who actually made the money for the Third Reich. It was very good and should probably be on your film list.

Hi
I feel I'm adding a poststript but someone had touch on the film "The Final Days". I recently saw a film about the Student organization in Munich. The organization was called the "White Rose" It was young college students who opposed the war and handed out leaflets. They were all caught and executed by the Nazis. It is something your daughter may relate to because of the age similarities.

To better understand the fate of homosexuals under Nazi rule, rent the DVD of "A Love To Hide" ("Un amour à taire") [2005] -- it's available on Netlix. Be forewarned though, it's one of the most intense movies I've ever seen and it haunted me for a long time afterwards (nightmares, etc.). A great film with a solid screenplay and excellent acting, but extremely disturbing, as it should be. More people should see this movie.

Books : The Longest Day

Is Paris Burning

A Bridge Too Far

By all means visit the Normandy Invasion Beaches-American,British,and Canadian. Include St Mere Eglise.

The British War Rooms underground in London,from where Churchill and his staff directed the war is a fascinating visit.

Last month I visited the Normandy Beaches and I would put that area on my list for sure.

If you do make it to the Normandy beach area, then try to visit at least one of the military cemetery's in the area as well. The Colleville sur Mere cememtery is American. There is a German cemetery in the area as well. There are others.

Bayeaux/Normandy does make an excellent destination.

Hi Gruezi,
I notice not much discussion of battlefields and monuments to visit. A previous post recommended Normandy; I concur wholeheartedly. You cannot understand the American experience in WWII without seeing that place. In addition, I recommend a visit to Holland to see the monuments and sites associated with Operation Market-Garden, the 1944 British-American airborne assault. There are lots of cemeteries and memorials, and that area is beautiful to visit. I recommend staying in Nijmegen, which is in easy reach of the other major towns involved in the campaign, Eindhoven and Arnhem. There is a superb British museum in Arnhem, and an American museum outside of Nijmegen.

I also recommend a visit to Nuremberg, to see the Nazi Party rally grounds and the German state history museum there.

Your trip sounds focused on WWII, but if you have the time and interest, you should also see one of the WWI battlefields. If you have to pick just one, I recommend the Somme. Trust me, visit and see it, and you will never forget.

Let me add my recommendations to this extensive list.

Movies:
1) Band of Brothers
2) Battleground with Van Johnson.
Both are about the 101 Army Airborne. Battle ground was made in 1948 and received an Oscar. The story centers around the Battle of the Bulge. It is a realistic look at war & the army life. The soldiers complain, bellyache, & goldbrick, but in the end they are heroic. It seem to be an accurate account.

I can't recommend Saving Private Ryan as a historic film. It is not factual story but loosely based on Private Niland in Easy Company in 101 Army Airborne. The real rescue did not occur. After D Day he showed up & they sent him home

Books
1) Band of Brothers - Ambrose
2) D-Day - Ambrose
3) Curahee & Seven Raods to Hell by Burgett.

Burgett was in A Company of the 101st. After the war he started writing his story & found he had almost total recall. His books are the best WWII books I have read.

Places:
1) Peter & Paul church in London. It list the American & English dead in WWII
2) Normandy - Nuff said
3) Hitler’s Eagles Nest. It was a present to Hitler on his 50th birthday. He was claustrophobic & afraid of heights so he never spent a night there. Get a glimpse of it in the DVD Band of Brothers.

In the Pacific theater The last raid is based on the book “Ghost Soldiers” by Hampton Sides. Tells of the liberation of Americans from a Japanese death camp in the Philippines.

Greg

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to say I am still reading and appreciating all this information. I think the next step is to cut and paste everything here into a list that includes sites by country, books, and DVDs. I hope to do this soon and share it back on Fodors. Plus, I want to get my daughter involved as she has time because she is much better educated on the history than I.


about Normandy beach...

thanks for all those who said to visit and for the specific recommendations... yes, we will have that on our itinerary.

Volgreg and 64driver - thank you for such detailed recommendations - much appreciated.

gruezi

gruezi,
You are very welcome. I am pleased your daughter is showing interest in these heroes, the American solder.

One clarification
The "Last Raid" is a movie based on the book “Ghost Soldiers”, and is now available on DVD. Good movie, but the best part is the trailer which shows vintage movies of freed prisoners as they returned to camp & the USA. It make you want to break down & cry…

SO SORRY!! It is called "The Great Raid".

VolGreg,

As Americans abroad, my kids have taken their share of ribbing about being American. While I want them to be aware that there is more to the world than their own country, I also think it's good sometimes for them to have concrete reasons to be proud of their heritage - especially when everyone around them is putting it down.

I think they will be interested to see how many American soldiers died here on European soil. My youngest watched the recent Sarkozy speech to the US congress and just couldn't believe that any European would be so positive about her country. She was quite touched by it! She was just studying the American Revolution in school here and so knew the whole history of the French involvement. Now she can "see" the World War history as well.

gruezi, if your children are interested in how Americans died on European soil, you may want to expand the scope to include the Great War. The Meuse-Argonne cemetery is the largest resting place of American war dead in Europe. You'll find it between the tiny villages of Cunel and Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, just northwest of Verdun. If they visit, they will never forget.

I was there a few weeks ago, and while I was primarily interested in the French involvement in Verdun, I did learn a lot about the American role. Here's the trip report:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35091624

Anselm

gruezi;
You must be proud of you kids!

You sound like a good parent & a decent thoughtful person.

Good luck in Europe
Greg