Queer people in Lichtenburg concentration camp – What is remembered? Making knowledge accessible for a diverse society

CODE: DE-SCI 1.29

Description: In the small town Prettin you will find the Gedenkstätte KZ Lichtenburg Prettin, a memorial site with an exhibition about the former concentration camp Lichtenburg. In June 1933, a few months after the takeover of power by the National Socialists, a concentration camp was opened at the former renaissance castle in the middle of Prettin. At first, almost entirely political opponents of the Hitler regime were imprisoned. Later many people were persecuted for other ideological reasons – including many queer people. After its disbanding in August 1937 it served as a concentration camp for female prisoners, from 1941 to 1945 as subcamp of Sachsenhausen concentration camp. More than 10,000 people were imprisoned there. Their daily life was characterised by hunger, mistreatments & forced labour.

Type of Work: The memorial site is a place for learning about the National Socialist crimes that took place here and the conditions under which they could have happened. Almost all of the original fabric of the castle complex has been preserved. The participants are involved in cleaning and maintaining the outdoor area and redesigning the planting of an art installation that young people designed in memory of the prisoners in the women's concentration camp. The focus of the workcamp is on the study part. Participants present their workcamp results and experiences at a public closing event, which they plan and organise themselves.

Study Theme: In varied learning units, we will explore the history of the concentration camps at Lichtenburg Castle, focusing in particular on the persecution of queer people under National Socialism. After a workshop on Wikipedia, participants will work on the Wikipedia article on Lichtenburg concentration camp to make information about the persecution of marginalised groups under National Socialism publicly accessible. There will also be an exchange with young people from the "Queer Spaces" project of the Lambda youth network.

Accommodation: The participants will sleep in two 8-person tents at a campsite called the "Touristenzentrum," located right next to a swimming lake. Camping beds are provided. Please bring a warm sleeping bag, a bed sheet, and a pillow if needed. Those who prefer can bring an air mattress. The campsite has good communal showers, toilets, and Wi-Fi. It is a really nice and safe place. There is a cosy cottage in the Touristenzentrum with kitchen facilities for self-catering, shared meals and as a lounge.

Language: Camp languages are English and German. When meeting the Prettin population, it is ensured that there are people there who can translate if necessary.

Requirements: What is important is enthusiasm for the topic of the memorial site and the question of what knowledge is publicly available. Participants should also bring interest in one another and sensitivity regarding the persecution of queer people under the Nazi regime and the continuity of discrimination to this day. A desire to camp and bringing a warm sleeping bag and bedsheet are essential.

Approximate Location: There is a beautiful landscape around Prettin which can be explored while hiking. Prettin is located on the Elbe cycle route “Elberadweg”, one of the most beautiful cycle paths in Europe, which runs from the Czech Republic to the North Sea. The volunteers can go on group trips by bike here. The campsite offers many leisure activities directly at the accommodation, such as swimming, mini golf and bowling. It is possible to organise a dragon boat trip on the Elbe. A dragon boat is an open boat for up to 20 paddlers. A trip to Lutherstadt Wittenberg is planned, a trip to Leipzig is possible.

Notes: The workcamp is organised by the Lichtenburg Concentration Camp Memorial Site in the context of the Partnership for Democracy in the Wittenberg district and in cooperation with the association Freundeskreis zur Weiterentwicklung der KZ-Gedenkstätte Lichtenburg e.V. and the youth network Lambda Mitteldeutschland e.V. The workcamp is intended to be a safe space for all, but especially for queer people. Interested parties should apply only if they are aware of this and demonstrate a high level of sensitivity toward the other participants and the topic.