Overview Daily Itinerary. Day 4, Thu, Jun 23. Day 3, Wed, Jun 22. Day 7, Sun, Jun 26

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1 Austria and the Czech Republic Holocaust Study Tour Vienna Mauthausen Hartheim Linz Pribram Prague Thereseienstadt Dates: June 20-27, 2016 Custom extensions are available Overview Daily Itinerary Day 1, Mon, Jun 20 Day 2, Tue, Jun 21 Day 3, Wed, Jun 22 Day 4, Thu, Jun 23 Day 5, Fri, Jun 24 Day 6, Sat, Jun 25 Day 7, Sun, Jun 26 Day 8, Mon, Jun 27 Arrive Vienna Vienna Vienna Vienna Mauthausen Hartheim Linz Linz Pribram Prague Prague day trip to Terezin Prague Depart Prague Holocaust Center for Humanity

2 There will be a significant amount of walking on this trip. Descriptive Daily Itinerary Day 1, Mon, Jun 20 Arrive Vienna Individual arrivals in Vienna. Upon arrival, travelers make their own way to the city center hotel independently. In the evening enjoy a festive welcome dinner to mark the beginning of the trip. Meals: D Four-star: Hotel Stefanie Only a short walk away from St. Stephen s Cathedral in downtown Vienna, Hotel Stefanie is located within walking distance of most major attractions. The in house restaurant features Viennese specialties, and the rooms overlook a charming inner courtyard. Amenities include air conditioning, cable/satellite TV, hairdryer, in-room safe, mini bar, and telephone. Day 2, Tue, Jun 21 Vienna After breakfast, set out on an all-day guided tour of Vienna. Begin with a drive along Ringstrasse, or Ring Road, which replaced the medieval city walls, torn down in 1857 by the decree of Emperor Franz Joseph I. The large and opulent buildings constructed around the perimeter have their own architectural term: they were built in the Ringstrasse style. Around Ringstrasse, admire the many beautiful buildings including the State Opera House, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Natural History Museum, the Hofburg, the Parliament, the City Hall, and the Burgtheater. Beyond the Ringstrasse is the heart of Old Town Vienna including its main religious edifice, St. Stephen s cathedral. Construction on the cathedral began in 1147 and renovations have been ongoing up to the present day. After lunch, visit Judenplatz, the site of the moving memorial to the 65,000 Austrian Jews murdered in the Holocaust. Take an expert-led tour of the Judenplatz Jewish Museum. Opened in 2000, this sister branch of the Dorotheergasse Museum is located on the site of a destroyed synagogue that once stood in the heart of the Judenplatz, Vienna s medieval Jewish quarter. The Viennese Jewish community was one of the largest and most influential in medieval Europe, but was heavily persecuted and nearly eradicated during 1420 and The museum s exhibits illustrate the everyday life of Jewish citizens during the Middle Ages and allow guests to view the underground remains of the old synagogue. The rest of the day, explore Vienna s long and rich Jewish history. Despite facing periods of prosperity and persecution, the community thrived and had a significant impact on the city s cultural and economic development. A number of influential Jewish artists, writers, musicians and scientists lived here, including author Joseph Roth, composer Gustav Mahler and Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis. 2

3 Stop at the Monument Against War and Fascism, designed by artist Alfred Hrdlicka. Illustrating one of the darkest times in Austrian history, the memorial is dedicated to all those who perished during World War II and reminds viewers of the consequences of war, violence and persecution. Among the sculptures is a bronze figure of a Jewish man on his knees, forced to scrub anti-semitic graffiti off the street a poignant reminder of the degradation felt by the Jewish community during that time. Stroll around the Second District, Leopoldstadt, Vienna s historically Jewish neighborhood. Before World War II, about a third of the city s Jewish population lived here, and the large number of synagogues, schools and shops they built gave rise to the district s nickname, Matzo Island. Most of these sites were destroyed during World War II, but new synagogues and other institutions are being rebuilt and the neighborhood is seeing a revival of Jewish residents. Stop at the Stadttempel, the only synagogue to survive the destruction of World War II. Constructed between 1824 and 1826, the synagogue was originally hidden in plain sight between a block of houses at the time it was built, only Catholic places of worship were allowed direct access from the city streets. Because it was attached to the surrounding buildings, Nazis chose not to raze the synagogue for fear that the rest of the block would burn down, though it did suffer damages during the war. The Stadttempel has since been renovated, and today serves as the main temple for the Viennese Jewish community. Vienna has a number of fascinating and beautifully designed cemeteries worth exploring, including Zentralfriedhof and the Rossau Cemetery. Near the Rossau Cemetery is the Sigmund Freud Museum, where Freud lived and worked until he fled the Nazis in While walking around the city, be sure to notice the Stolpersteine, memorial plaques set in the streets and sidewalks to take the place of cobblestones. Translated as stumbling stones, these plaques bear the names, birth dates and deaths of those that died during the Holocaust, and are set outside the place where each person lived before their deportation. After completion of the day s activities, return to hotel for a free evening. Dinner tonight is independent. Day 3, Wed, Jun 22 Vienna Today visit one of Austria s finest baroque ensembles, the Belvedere Palace complex, consisting of the magnificent Upper Belvedere palace, the more compact Lower Belvedere, and the formal gardens in between. Designed by acclaimed baroque architect Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt, the resplendent palaces are adorned in sculpted stucco, statuary, and frescoes. The Upper Belvedere now holds the Austrian Gallery, the most important collection of Austrian art from the Middle Ages to the present, as well as international works of art. Among the highlights of the permanent exhibition is the world s largest collection of paintings by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt. Klimt was one of the most influential artists of the Symbolist period, known for his female subjects, detailed patterns inspired by Byzantine and Japanese iconography and lavish use of gold leaf. The Belvedere houses some of his most famous works, 3

4 including The Kiss and Judith I. During our visit to Belvedere, meet with one of the museum s senior scientific staff and attend a specially arranged lecture. Following lunch, pay a visit to Centropa Jewish Institute, a nonprofit institute that uses the power of digital media to bring Jewish history to life. From , the institute interviewed over 1,200 Holocaust survivors living in Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans. Their touching photographs and stories of the world they grew up in have since been used to develop educational films, e-books and publications, which Centropa has made available online, free of charge. During the visit, meet with the Institute s representatives and learn about their work. Take in a musical performance in the city schedules for June 2016 will be confirmed later before returning to the hotel for a free evening and an independent dinner. Day 4, Thu, Jun 23 Vienna Mauthausen Hartheim Linz Following breakfast, depart Vienna and travel to Mauthausen, one of the largest concentration camps in German-controlled Central Europe, located about 12 miles east of the city of Linz. Mauthausen and was in operation from 1938 to The site of the camp is near a stone quarry. During the Holocaust, the SS and their collaborators used the camp to provide labor in the quarry. Prisoners at Mauthausen included convicted criminals, political opponents, homosexuals, Jehovah s Witnesses, Jews, non-jewish Poles, Soviets civilians, and nationals from almost every German-occupied country in WWII. An estimated 197,464 prisoners passed through the Mauthausen camp system between August 1938 and May At least 95,000 died there. More than 14,000 were Jewish. The main camp is now a museum, and other areas have been turned into memorials commemorating those who were murdered there. Continue to Linz for lunch before visiting the Hartheim Euthanasia Center in the afternoon. Located about nine miles west of Linz, it was one the largest sites for the Nazi euthanasia program. From 1940 to 1944, an estimated 30,000 people were gassed or given lethal injection at Hartheim, many of them physically or mentally disabled and deemed useless by the Nazi regime. Today, the center has been transformed into a museum and memorial site. Check in to hotel in Linz for a one-night stay and enjoy dinner at a nearby restaurant., D Hotel Marriott Courtyard or similar Located in the heart of Linz close to the Musiktheater, the historic Old Town and the Danube River, the fourstar Courtyard by Marriott Hotel Linz features a fitness center, spa, an elegant lounge and a restaurant serving Austrian and international cuisine. The spacious rooms include air conditioning, in-room safe, flatscreen TV and complimentary WiFi. Day 5, Fri, Jun 24 Linz Pribram Prague Following breakfast, set off on the approximately three-hour drive to the town of Pribram in Czech Republic, about 40 miles southwest of Prague, for the meeting with the town s municipality. The Holocaust Center for Humanity in Seattle maintains a Torah in its archival collection that originated from the town of Pribram. During the Holocaust, the community rescued the Torah. With virtually no Jewish community left 4

5 after the war, the warehouse where it and other Torahs were saved, was abandoned. A British art collector brought the collection to England in the 1960 s. Packed lunch will be provided on the bus during the drive. After completion of activities in Pribram, continue to Prague, arriving in the evening. Check in to the city center hotel for a three-night stay. Enjoy the opportunity to explore Prague on your own during the free evening. Dinner tonight is independent. Four-star: Clarion Hotel Old Town The four-star Clarion Hotel Old Town offers comfortable accommodations in the center of Prague. All rooms include air conditioning, satellite TV and minibar. The hotel also offers a restaurant, lobby bar, several conference rooms, a business center and laundry services. Day 6, Sat, Jun 25 Prague day trip to Terezin Today make a day trip to Terezin, approximately 40 miles north of Prague, the site of Theresienstadt concentration camp. Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II originally founded the fortress at Terezin in 1780, naming it after his mother, Maria Theresa. The Small Fortress and the Large Fortress were built, but never actually used for protection. Instead, during World War II, the Nazis outfitted them as prison camps. The Small Fortress held the Gestapo s political prisoners, and the Large Fortress and the town itself were transformed into a concentration camp and ghetto. Jews from all over Eastern Europe were transported and imprisoned here, and held in deplorable conditions. Many were deported to Auschwitz. The Ghetto Museum at Terezin, established in 1991, shows what daily life was like for the thousands of Jews interned there. In an elaborate plot to fool the Red Cross, cultural and artistic activities were encouraged among the Jewish prisoners, but the main purpose of the huge camp was to hold prisoners until they could be transported to ghettos for slave labor or to death camps. The Small Fortress at Terezin was where the Gestapo imprisoned Czech communists and resistance fighters. About 30,000 men and women were sent here for interrogation. Some 2,400 graves represent the prisoners who died during their imprisonment, mostly non-jews. Returning to Prague, enjoy a free evening to explore Prague s Old Town independently. Day 7, Sun, Jun 26 Prague Called the Hundred-Spired City, Prague s beautifullypreserved Gothic, baroque and neoclassical churches and palaces make it one of the great cities of Europe. Czech king Charles IV, crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 1355, began work on many of the most renowned monuments, including St. Vitus Cathedral on the castle grounds, the Charles Bridge, the New Town (Nove Mesto) and Charles University, the first in Central Europe. Prague s old section is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its rich architectural and cultural history. This morning take a tour of Prague s Jewish historical 5

6 sites. The city s seven synagogues are the remnants of the old Jewish settlement. With monuments commemorating the life and work of the Jewish community of Prague through the centuries, historic Josefov, the Jewish Quarter, is no less famous than the Prague Castle. The most impressive sights are the Old Jewish Cemetery, with 12 layers of graves and over 12,000 gravestones, and the so-called Old-New Synagogue, built around 1270 and the oldest working synagogue in Europe. Today the community consists of about 6,000 people, compared with 50,000 before the World War II. Visit the Jewish Museum, which began its work in 1906, gathering artifacts from synagogues and homes that had been demolished during the renovation of Josefov a few years earlier, and meet with the leaders of Prague s Jewish community. Continue sightseeing in the afternoon with a visit to Prague Castle, the largest ancient castle in the world, built on the steeply sloping hill above the river. It began in the 9th century as a walled hill-fort, and grew as each successive ruler added to it in a different architectural style. A place of coronation and residence of kings and emperors, the castle is the symbol of Prague. The huge complex includes St. Vitus Cathedral, its St. Wenceslaus Chapel decorated in precious stones, the baroque Matthias Gate and the Renaissance Garden planted in the 16th century. Gather tonight for the farewell dinner marking the conclusion of the trip., D Day 8, Mon, Jun 27 Depart Prague Travelers make independent arrangements for transfers to the airport for international departures. Breakfast at the hotel this morning is included. Hotel check-out time is 12:00 noon. For those wishing to spend more time in Prague, post-tour extra nights at the group hotel are available on request. Meals: B, in flight 6

7 Costs Vienna Mauthausen Hartheim Linz Pribram Prague Theresienstadt $3740 per person single room $3190 per person double room Partial scholarships are available for teachers. For more information, Ilana Cone Kennedy Costs are based on a group size of 15 and include: trip manager/special guide, entry fees, local guides, 4 and 5 star hotels, daily breakfasts, additional meals, and land travel. Airfare and recommended travel insurance not included. $500 deposit required by January 11, Full payment required by May 6, *Prices subject to change depending on group size. We have tried to be as accurate as possible at time of writing. Land Tour Package Includes: All accommodation based on double occupancy per itinerary with breakfast daily, local service charge and tax (standard hotel check-in/out times apply unless otherwise noted): Vienna (3 nights); Linz (1 night); Prague (3 nights) Land transportation per itinerary by a private air-conditioned coach All sightseeing and excursions including entrance fees per itinerary Local English speaking guides throughout itinerary Services of a professional MIR Tour Manager throughout the program Specially arranged meetings, lectures, and cultural features as stated in itinerary Meals as listed in itinerary: hotel breakfast daily, 6 lunches and 3 dinners Beverages with included meals: water, tea, coffee Welcome and farewell dinners including local beer and wine Bottled/purified water on buses during transfers and tours daily Baggage handling at hotels Price does not include: International airfare between the U.S. and the tour start and end cities; pre- or post-tour services; arrival and departure airport transfers in Vienna and Prague; baggage handling at airports; gratuities to local guides, drivers, and tour manager; visa or passport fees (presently no visas are required for U.S. passport holders to visit Austria and Czech Republic); medical and trip cancellation/interruption insurance; evacuation costs; food or beverages not included in group meals; items of a personal nature such as laundry, alcohol, telephone expense, excess baggage fees, photo/video expenses inside museums (where allowed); other items not expressly listed as included. 7