On Friday, May 9th, 2025, classes 10E2 and 10E3 went on an excursion to FluxBau in Berlin. The focus was on the topic of the Berlin Wall, combined with a commemoration of Çetin Mert – one of many children who lost their lives because of Berlin's division.

Çetin Mert was a five-year-old boy who fell into the River Spree while playing in 1975 – right next to a section that belonged to East Berlin at the time. Although Western rescue teams witnessed the accident, they were not allowed to intervene due to border regulations. No immediate help came from the GDR side either. Çetin drowned – a tragic example of how the Wall claimed lives even in peaceful moments.
After this introduction, the two classes were divided into two groups. The first group took part in a photo rally. Equipped with iPads, we were shown historical photos from the time of the GDR and the FRG. Our task was to locate the places shown in the photos and take current pictures of them. This allowed us to directly compare how Berlin has changed.
The second group took part in a contemporary witness talk with a former firefighter from West Germany. He spoke about his everyday life during the division, about escape attempts, and about the sense of helplessness when people on the other side were in danger. What made it especially exciting was that we were allowed to ask him open questions.

At the end, we created messages for Çetin Mert, which we attached to balloons and released into the sky together. Everyone was invited to share their own thoughts, wishes, or drawings – a beautiful way to conclude the day.
Overall, the excursion was very engaging and not only deepened our historical knowledge but also showed us how strongly personal fates are tied to political decisions.