„Our Memory Workshop: On the Traces of Auschwitz“

Before the trip, we held three workshops in our „Remembrance Workshop“, which not only informed the participants about the historical significance of remembrance, but also actively involved them in shaping the project. In the first workshop, „Why do we remember?“, the young people reflected on the meaning that remembrance holds in their own lives and on the responsibility we all bear to prevent future atrocities. The second workshop, „What do we remember?“, allowed for a deeper engagement with the events of the Nazi era and their impact on society. In the third workshop, „How do we remember?“, the young people learned more about various practices of remembrance and developed their own projects, which they carried out during the trip.

The journey to Kraków and Auschwitz was the central highlight of the project. From 23 to 27 March 2024, the participants took part in an introduction and a guided city tour through the Jewish ghetto of Kraków and prepared themselves for the visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. On site, they deepened their knowledge through a detailed guided tour and reflective conversations in order to process what they had experienced. Throughout the entire journey, the young people had the opportunity to work on their projects in groups and to process their impressions creatively.

The follow-up to the trip took place in a concluding workshop in Witten, where the young people presented their projects and shared their experiences and emotions from the journey. This project not only strengthened the participants' historical awareness, but also fostered a critical engagement with the importance of democracy, tolerance and human rights in today's world. We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the Landschaftsverband Westfalen Lippe (LWL), whose funding made it possible for us to carry out this valuable project.