Young Eichsfelder and Poland set strong signs against forgetting!

Young Eichsfelder and Poland set strong signs against forgetting!

A group of 35 young people from Eichsfeld and Chelmek in Poland gathered as part of a German-Polish youth exchange in Heiligenstadt to learn intensively on the topics of Holocaust and National Socialism for a week. Accompanied by Markus Rilli from Villa Lampe, the participants immersed in the moving story of Lily Jakob, an Auschwitz survivor. During this time they visited impressive memorial sites, including the Mittelbau-Dora memorial and the cemetery in Nordhausen, where they felled flowers and thought of the victims.

The students designed creative memorabilia and developed a moving song that expresses their reflection on the Holocaust and its meaning for the present. At the end of the week, the Polish young people planned to put memorial stones in Auschwitz, while the Eichsfelder placed their stones in central building dora to symbolize the common memory. Despite the serious topic, carefree activities such as a city rally and joint excursions also provided a positive mood. The emotional ties that arose during the week give hope for many future friendships. More detailed information on this exchange project can be found in a report at www.thueringer-allgemeine.de .