Learning from history — experience of totalitarian regimes of the 20th century

Students began by surveying classmates about their knowledge of the Malchow concentration camp, a sub-camp of Ravensbrück. In order to keep the camp’s memory alive in the town, the students conducted an archaeological dig and compiled information resulting from their studies. In 1997, the project won second prize in the first statewide contest about memorial work in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Project derived from partner website “Lernen aus der Geschichte”.

The point of departure for the search of to students for traces in local history was the “Memorial of the Broken Hearts”, commemorating the so-called detention camp for Polish juveniles, where the SS had imprisoned Polish youths under inhumane conditions. The topic of the competition was “The Most Important Event in the History of My Home Town. Witnesses and Testimonies”. The project presented here was carried out by two secondary school students. They collected reports of contemporary witnesses and carried out research work in the library. The write-up of their work and research findings was handed in as a contribution towards the competition.