2026 TOP Study Tours

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT

For their second stop, TOP 1 traveled to the center of Germany, where the former inner-German border - the so-called Iron Curtain - divided East and West from 1949 until 1989. There they visited the former U.S. Armed Forces observation post “Point Alpha” to learn about the strategic significance of this region, where NATO and the Warsaw Pact stood toe-to-toe throughout the Cold War. During the visit, a retired U.S. service member spoke to the group about the important military partnership between the U.S. and Germany and shared his experiences serving at Point Alpha. The group was also led through the “House on the Border” museum, where they delved into the history of German division and the Cold War, and spoke with a time witness who gave them personal insights into the lives of East Germans during this period.

In the nearby village of Geisa, the group visited the fifth-oldest bakery in Germany, Bäckerei Faber, established in 1553! While enjoying the delightful German tradition of cake and coffee in the afternoon, the group spoke with the owner, who explained how her father managed to maintain private ownership of the bakery during the time of the East German communist regime and shared her experiences as a small-town baker and business owner today.

In another nearby town on the former inner-German border, Vacha, the group visited the Johann-Gottfried-Seume Gymnasium – a secondary school for grades 5-12. Students guided the group around the school and explained how the school works, what they are learning, and what their daily school life is like. Joined by the mayor, students also took the group on a tour of their town and shared insights into the history. They even got to have lunch in the school cafeteria!

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT

TOP 2 had the opportunity to spend part of their tour in Germany's most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), with around 18 million inhabitants. In the state captial of Düsseldorf, the group began with a tour focusing on the city’s environmental sustainability initiatives, including a building which constitutes Europe’s largest green façade. The group was also welcomed to the Humboldt Gymnasium (school, grades 5-12), where students and teachers were eager to share about their school and daily lives. They also met with members of the German American Parliamentarian Group of state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where they discussed the relevance of the transatlantic relationship at the sub-national level. The program also included a meeting with the Düsseldorf Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where the group learned about Germany’s economic environment and international trade relationships.

A short side-trip took TOP 2 to another city in NRW, Essen, where they toured the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to better understand Germany’s industrial history and the structural transformation of the region to green industry and technology. There they also visited Zweitzeugen e.V., and nonprofit which focuses on Holocaust remembrance and educational initiatives that preserve and share survivor testimonies with younger generations.

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT

The TOP 3 study tour group began their trip in Munich, Germany’s third largest city and capitol of the state of Bavaria. The program started with a visit to the Jan-Amos-Comenius-Grundschule (grades 1-4) where they spoke with the director, observed classrooms, and enjoyed a panel discussion with students who talked about their daily lives and their school. The group was also invited to the Sophie-Scholl-Gymnasium (grades 5-12, all-girls school) where they toured the school, visited classes, and then took part in an exchange with teachers and students on a variety of topics, including school government projects, social media and technology in school and private life, and current events. At the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, the group learned about economic developments in Germany as well as the economic ties between Bavaria and the United States.

The group then made their way to Leipzig, in the eastern German state of Saxony. At the Forum of Contemporary History, the group explored the history of Leipzig under the East German communist regime and during a walking tour learned about the pivotal role its citizens played in the Peaceful Revolution of 1989, which ultimately led to German reunification. A visit to the Porsche production facility in Leipzig highlighted sustainable manufacturing practices, as well as Germany’s dual vocational education and training system.