Experiencing History | ijgd 74130 | 2024-08-17 - 2024-08-31 | MANU,ARCH,CULT | Age: 18 - 26

The ijgd has been organising volunteer service programmes since 1949. We are an independent, non-profit association for international youth work, a recognised independent youth welfare organisation, and one of the largest and oldest workcamp organisations in Germany. Each year, we assist around 5,000 young people into volunteer work in Germany and abroad. We give them the opportunity to be creative, act in solidarity, take responsibility for themselves, and discover their own true potential and strengths. Our principles Ecological learning, voluntary contribution, self-organisation, social development, intercultural learning, gender equality, anti-racism/anti-discrimination and political education. Follow us on Instagram ijgd_workcamps Facebook @ijgd.workcamps

Work: For some years now, volunteer workcamps have been helping with excavation work on site in cooperation with archaeologists. Remains of buildings, roads and paths as well as everyday objects and building and barrier material have already been recovered. We are now planning to build a modern educational trail on the site, which visitors can use to learn about the history of the camp. This requires further important archaeological work, e.g. uncovering parts of the former camp road and the site of a camp kitchen, as well as clearing and cutting free overgrown building sites and paths. The work will be carried out under the expert guidance of at least one archaeologist. The Ehrenhain Zeithain memorial commemorates the at least 25,000 people who were victims of malnutrition and catastrophic conditions in the Wehrmacht prisoner of war camp from 1941 to 1945. As part of the German war of extermination against the Soviet Union, a prisoner of war camp was set up in Zeithain in 1941. Initially, only Soviet soldiers from the Red Army were detained in the camp. At the time, Ukrainian and Russian soldiers fought together in the Red Army. Up to 30,000 of them died due to inhumane living conditions. From February 1943, the camp served as a central military hospital for prisoners of war. During this period, prisoners from other nations also arrived. Italian soldiers represented a large group. The majority of them also died due to insufficient food and poor medical care. The dead were buried in five cemeteries in the municipality of Zeithain. The memorial is located in one of the cemeteries. There is an exhibition and name plaques commemorating the victims of the camp. The area of the POW camp was completely cleared after 1945. The huge 66-hectare site is now part of the Gohrischheide nature reserve and is an uncultivated natural landscape. The aim of this workcamp is to give young people the opportunity to become familiar with archaeological challenges by researching historical heritage, but also to acquire knowledge about forms of remembrance work.

Accomodation and food: You cook together. Money for the food shopping is provided to you. Vegetarian or vegan meals are possible. Please indicate any allergies when registering. You are accommodated in a clubhouse (usage only for the workcamp group) with several bedrooms and kitchen

Location: ZeithainSachsen

Location and Leisure: The camp area and the municipality of Zeithain are located in a rural landscape surrounded by the river Elbe and the meadows. Zeithain is very centrally located in the triangle between the major cities of Berlin, Leipzig and Dresden. All cities can be reached by public transport in around one hour. The nearest town is Riesa, 15 km away. There is also a swimming lake in the immediate vicinity. In Riesa you can go shopping, eat ice cream or sit in the beer garden by the Elbe. You will have many opportunities to organise your free time in a positive and varied way and get to know the surrounding area.

Airport: BER

Train/Bus station: BER / Halle-Leipzig Airport, nearest trainstation: Riesa We would like to invite you to travel as environmentally friendly as possible. If you have the option to go by train, bus, carshare or bicycle that can be a great first step for you to become a climate steward.

Requirements: The distance from the accommodation to the camp is 5 km. Bicycles and a vehicle are available for this purpose. You can explore the area by bike, e.g. along the Elbe cycle path. We will provide bicycles for you.

Participants will be picked up from Riesa train station at different times on the day of arrival, at 1 pm, 3 pm or later, by arrangement. Your accommodation is located in Zeithain. You will meet there in the afternoon of the day of arrival. More Information about train and bus connections: www.bahn.com or https://www.bvg.de/en

Language: eng

Extra Fee: 0

Please note: There is a special Teenage Fee of 150€ for international volunteers who applied under 18 in this camp. You will receive more detailed information with the specific information sheet for your camp after your enrolment has been confirmed. As the camp can only take place with enough participants we aks you to wait with making any travel arrangement till 15th of May.