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Experiencing History(s)
50 Years of Action Reconciliation Service for Peace in the UK asf_england_druck_1 22.07.11 10:01 Seite 2
Published by: Action Reconciliation Service for Peace St Margaret's House, 21 Old Ford Road, London E2 9PL United Kingdom Telephone: (44)-0-20-8880 7526 Fax: (44)-0-20-8981 9944 E-Mail: [email protected]
Website: www.asf-ev.de/uk
Editors: Magda Schmukalla, Heike Kleffner, Andrea Koch Special thanks to Daniel Lewis for proof-reading, Al Gilens for his contributions and Karl Grünberg for photo editing. Photo credits: ASF-Archives p. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 23, 26, 29, 34, 36, 37, 38, 40; International Youth Center in Dachau p. 30; Immanuel Bartz p. 14; Agnieszka Bieniek p. 4; Al Gilens p. 17, 22; Maria Kozlowska p. 28; Manuel Holtmann p. 25; Lena Mangold p. 41; Roy Scriver p. 33; Saskia Spahn p. 20 Title: ARSP volunteer Lena Mangold and Marie Simmonds; Lena Mangold Graphics and Design: Anna-Maria Roch Printed by: Westkreuz Druckerei Ahrens, Berlin 500 copies, London 2011
Donations: If you would like to make a donation, you can do so by cheque (payable to UK Friends of ARSP) or by credit card. UK Friends of ARSP is a registered charity, number 1118078. Donations account: UK Friends of ARSP: Sort Code: 08 92 99 Account No: 65222386 Thank you very much!
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Table of Contents
Introduction 4 by Dr. Elisabeth Raiser
Working Beyond Ethnic and Cultural Differences 6 Voices of Project Partners Five Decades of ARSP in the UK: Turbulent Times 8 by Andrea Koch Reflecting History 12 by Dr. Christian Staffa and Daniel Lewis Imagine, Remember, Reflect, React 14 by Lilian Levy It’s very different from Poland 17 A Portrait of ARSP volunteer Anna Sąkol by Al Gilens »It’s a life business« 20 A Portrait of ARSP volunteer Saskia Spahn by Al Gilens Intergenerational Friendships 22 A Portrait of ARSP volunteer Jan Botsch by Al Gilens ARSP Volunteers today: Ambassadors of German-Polish good-will 25 by Manuel Holtmann Listening to each other 28 by Maria Kozlowska Instead of an office job at a big company … being a British volunteer in Germany 30 by Daniel Lewis What does this history have to do with me ? 33 by Roy Scriver
Closing thoughts 36 by Magda Schmukalla Appendix: 38 Chronology of ARSP in the UK Our current project partners in the UK List of former and current project partners of ARSP in the UK (1961 – 2011)
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ARSP volunteer Agnieszka Bieniek at work at the »Happy Faces Nursery« in Peckham, South London. The project works with children from socially disadvantaged families. Introduction
50 years ago, back in 1961, the United King- we ask for reconciliation. However, we could dom (UK) together with Israel and France give a sign with our hands by participating in was one of three countries where the first construction work projects and hoping that volunteers of Action Reconciliation Service this would create new trust. There was no for Peace (ARSP) carried out voluntary work. better place to start this project than in Following the devastation of Europe during Coventry where German bombs had the Second World War by Nazi Germany this destroyed, amongst others, the wonderful was a great opportunity for us: that we were cathedral. Therefore our first volunteers par- able to send such a signal, that the host ticipated in the reconstruction of the cathe- countries welcomed our volunteers and did dral and got involved in building an interna- not reject our intentions. Providing a sign of tional centre for reconciliation in a time atonement was the only option for ARSP when there still were lots of reservations and founder Lothar Kreyssig, for the first volun- bitterness between our peoples. Three years teers to participate as ordinary citizens who later several British volunteers came to Dres- assumed responsibility for German history, den and participated in the reconstruction of in a pro ject of reconciliation. Action Recon- a hospital. Through their work these young ciliation meant to become active directly – people, the Germans in Coventry, and the without touching on the issue of reparations, British in Dresden, gave a sign that spoke whilst launching an initiative, which was louder than many words about forgiveness both beside and below higher politics. and reconciliation! Obviously we were neither able to recover At a civil society level the volunteers the losses of the British people and its Ger- breathed life into the framework set by high man-Jewish immigrant population nor could politics in the late 1950s and early 1960s
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Introduction
when the first visions of a pan-European into the present through personal experi- project were developed. Reconciliation is ence and friendships. Remembrance will between people, trust between nations can never be redundant and promotes the only grow if the citizens take part in the understanding of present commitments. process of building confidence. With this in This is illustrated by the touching reports of mind the actions of ARSP volunteers within this must be considered highly brochure, as well as by the political even if many of impressive presentation the volunteers merely per- of Lilian Levy, a Holocaust ceive themselves as survivor and a long-term activists in the social sec- supporter and friend of tor. But social issues are ARSP, on the theme political issues! This is par- »Imagine, remember, ticularly evident in trilat- reflect, react«. The volun- eral programmes that teers may be able to make ARSP, together with its small but valuable contri- British project partners ini- butions to break the tiated in 2001, and in silence that has paralysed which German volunteers survivors and their sur- live and work together roundings even in the UK with Polish volunteers in the UK. The report for far too long. of the German volunteer Manuel Holtmann The commitment of ARSP in the UK went illustrates how he discovered English reality through a serious crisis, we were close to and Polish history simultaneously, thus con- ending our activities due to a lack of temporaneously developing a European iden- resources. We are very grateful that this did tity beyond the conventional western way of not happen and that we have actually been thinking. able to benefit from this crisis by developing In the UK, as in all countries in which a new and innovative model of trilateral ARSP volunteers are active, our activities cooperation between UK, Poland and Ger- have shifted from reconstruction to the many. May it continue to bear fruit! socio-political sector. Accompanying Holo- caust survivors is an important aspect of our Dr. Elisabeth Raiser, Chairwoman social work that continues to bring the past Action Reconciliation Service for Peace
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ARSP volunteers arriving in the UK and getting to know each other on their first seminar in Kent. Working Beyond Ethnic and Cultural Differences Voices of Project Partners
Three of eleven current ARSP project partners in the UK discuss their experi- ences with young German and Polish volunteers, describing the ways in which this collaboration has influenced their work and the reasons why they cooperate with a Berlin-based organization and its UK programme director, Magda Schmukalla, who is based in a small office in London.
Michael Newman, Director, Association of Jewish Refugees, London »By dint of the fact that our current ARSP volunteer Jan Botsch is the youngest person here, we throw all the technical problems at him, computers, using programmes that per- haps some of us haven’t used before. We’ve been able to either tick off things that we have wanted to do or to get going on things that we thought to do. For example, it’s allowed our volunteer coordinator to start a volunteer programme in the north of England. So it’s getting to that long list of things that are on the desired list and having the extra pair of
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Project Partners
hands in the department – I think specifically it’s allowed us to develop links with universities and to re-start the volunteers’ newsletter, which informs our volunteers about the services that we offer at AJR.«
Ruth Musgrave, former Project Coordinator at Conflict and Change, Newham »It is extremely important for us to work together beyond ethnic and cultural differences. That is why it is of great importance of us to host ARSP volunteers. Because we now have Polish ARSP volunteers at Conflict & Change, we have been able to establish contacts with the East- ern European community. At a time when a number of Polish migrants have settled in Newham it has been very helpful to have a Polish volunteer here who helped us to understand what the Polish people needed and who broadened our knowledge about Poland.«
Gabriela Smolinska, Health Volunteer Coordinator, Roma Support Group, London »It would not be an exaggeration to say that the input of ARSP volunteers has trans- formed the work of Roma Support Group. It is a huge bonus for the project workers to have a dedicated volunteer who can communicate effectively with our clients and take part in our different programmes. It is also a great way for Polish volunteers to experience Roma culture in a way sadly few do in Poland.«
ARSP volunteer exploring London. asf_england_druck_1 22.07.11 10:01 Seite 8
ARSP volunteers at the orientation workshop in Cudham, Kent, getting to know the country and the projects before they start their volunteer service. Five Decades ARSP in the UK: Turbulent Times
The first ARSP volunteers came to the UK in our office, Ekkehart Lother with his wife, 1961. Over the following five decades the whom he met and fell in love with during work and the volunteers, as well as the pro- his six month service in Coventry. They also gramme underwent a number of changes – brought lots of interesting historical mate- and turbulences. Today a dozen ARSP volun- rial: photographs, newspaper articles and teers are working in German-Polish teams something very precious – the group diary – in the UK. with the daily accounts dating from Septem- ber 29th 1961 until April 8th 1962. What A couple of weeks ago my phone rang and perfect timing I thought, such rich back- one of the sixteen members of the first ground information. ARSP group to work in the UK in 1961/1962 was on the line. Ekkehart Lother was won- Life changing-times dering whether we had all the recent These meetings and the diary of the first addresses of the surviving group members volunteer group enabled me to start the usual (five have since passed away) in order to reflection process one falls into while pon- invite them all to the upcoming 50th dering 50 years, composing the following anniversary celebration in Coventry. Klaus questions: How did it all start? How does that Haager, a second member of this group, compare to where we are today? What happened was there with him and also came onto the along the way to get us from that starting point to line. The following week they both came to our current location?
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Five Decades
This is the same »three step« approach that Differences and Similarities I found in the last entry of the 1961 group The group in Coventry in 1961 stayed and diary: just before returning to Germany, there worked together for the whole six months, is a section reminiscing about the arrival by whereas the current volunteers frequently boat and the first impressions of England and work or live in Polish-German tandems. In later more specifically of Coventry. The con- 1961 they were greeted at the train station by trast to the first entries is that the text is writ- the Provost of Coventry and many newspaper ten reflecting the knowledge and experience journalists – in fact they were overwhelmed of the past six months. I imagine it is the very and surprised by all the publicity they »three step« approach that most ARSP volun- received during their stay. The current volun- teers still go through today at the end of their teers are greeted by our project partners – the 12 months of service, trying to get a grip on journalists have moved on to other issues... what happened in this very dense, very stimu- The original group was there to construct lating and life-changing time. and enlarge the »International Centre« below Reading this almost 50 year old diary, I the ruins of the old Coventry Cathedral – they wondered what has stayed the same and were, amongst others, masons, carpenters, what has changed, which experiences of the electricians. Our current volunteers are active volunteers in 1961 are comparable or strik- in educational and social projects, most of ingly different from those of today’s genera- them come directly from having finished sec- tion. The first impression of the »new« coun- ondary school or college. try is still a group experience, even though In 1961 the group was frequently called the volunteers now arrive by airplane and fly »The Germans« or »Our German Boys«, they in from their preparatory seminar in Poland. were invited to all sorts of local events (e.g. The current group is half Polish, half Ger- to play in a soccer game) and a seemingly man. The group 50 years ago was made up of unending number of private homes with very 14 men and two women – the latter had been amiable and generous hosts. The generosity assigned the task of cooking and sewing! – just like the publicity – was so unexpected
The first ARSP volunteer group in the ruins of the Coventry Cathedral in 1961. asf_england_druck_1 22.07.11 10:01 Seite 10
Celebrating the first step at the construction site of the reconciliation center in the ruins of the Coventry Cathedral: ARSP volunteers in 1961.
in its extent, especially so shortly after the war, that the original idea of acting in a very quiet and modest way was soon turned on its head. In a similar, yet opposite way, some current volunteers come with ideals of changing the world for the better or working for reconciliation and the enhancement of human rights and find themselves updating the homepage of their host organization or standing in front of a copy machine. Today invitations to private homes are far less com- mon and much sought after. One of the most important pieces of lug- gage of the 1961 group was their record player and radio. Music was and is still to this day a focal point of entertainment, »eating up« the host cultures – in 1961 as well as and moving on from there to individual vol- today. For most of the volunteers – regardless untary services within the social sector and of whether they are Polish or German – the with religious and political groups also striv- vast variety of international cultures that ing for reconciliation and peace. make the UK their home is fascinating and a 1985 brought a big rupture in the UK pro- new experience. The life »besides« the work gramme, with a drastic reduction of volun- in the project was, and is still today, as teers, from over 20 to a total of 2 per year. For important and influential as the actual volun- five years the two volunteers working at the tary service. Coventry Cathedral were all that was left of a very productive volunteer programme covering A deep crisis a geographical area that included England, So now to »step 3«: What has happened Scotland and Northern Ireland. No other between 1961 and 2011? Compared to all the ARSP project country had to recover from such other countries where ARSP began activities a long lasting and detrimental decision. The in the first years of its existence (the Nether- reasons leading to it were on the surface finan- lands, Norway, Israel, France, UK, Belgium) cial reasons. Many project partners suffered none has had such a tumultuous develop- financial draw backs and ARSP in Germany ment as the programme in the UK. There went through a financial crisis of its own. By hasn’t been that much written on the first 1990 Thorsten Schramm, then the UK pro- two decades, but it seems that the UK Pro- gramme director in Berlin, found generous gramme evolved along the same lines as the funding in the UK (thanks to the Barrow and other West European programmes: starting Geraldine S. Cadbury Trust), free office space with a decade or so of construction projects, kindly bestowed by Coventry Cathedral and with groups similar to the first one in 1961 someone willing to coordinate the work in the
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Five Decades
UK for a very humble salary, Hardy Kluge. He volunteers but also Polish volunteers to the stayed on for ten years to again build up a sta- UK. ble and lively foundation for ARSP in the UK. This programme has turned out to be so Nevertheless the impact of this cut can still successful that we have recently started a sec- be felt today. Some of it is sad or painful: e.g. ond trilateral programme in Poland (with vol- the various connections to former early proj- unteers from the Ukraine and Germany). Also ect partners in Scotland, Northern Ireland in the last decade we have been able to send and even England that are still not mended; volunteers from the UK to join in our interna- every year many more people want to volun- tional voluntary programme in Germany. teer with us in the UK than we have place- We are still trying to come to terms with the ments. Yet some of this negative impact has discontinuities in the UK programme. One big also turned out to have had a positive and step will hopefully be the celebration of the hopeful side: ARSP learned from its mistake 50th anniversary in Coventry. We have done and decided on a different route during the some »detective work« in order to invite as next financial crisis in the early 1990s – it many of our former project partners from the reduced the number of volunteers in all past as possible. We hope that stories from all countries, instead of just in one. five decades will come alive at the event and find a place to be shared with each other. Trilateral Programme: New and successful In 2001, due to the relatively small number Andrea Koch, is programme director of of volunteers (12-14 men and women per volunteer work (in the UK, the Netherlands year), we were able to start with a totally and the USA) at ARSP's main office in Berlin. new approach within ARSP – our trilateral She has been the responsible staff person for programme, sending not only German the UK programme since 1994.
Ozane Dogan (EVS volunteer) and ARSP volunteer Julia Umansky at a trilateral workshop in Wales. asf_england_druck_1 22.07.11 10:01 Seite 12
ARSP director Dr. Christian Staffa talking to volunteers and staff at the annual ARSP conference. Reflecting History
In his sermon addressing the visitors of The service was comprised of two cen- ARSP’s 50th anniversary service at the tral themes; the inauguration of the 50th Christuskirche in London, ARSP’s director year anniversary celebrations and the Dr. Christian Staffa talked about ARSP’s remembrance and commemoration of the founder Lothar Kreyssig, a prominent Holocaust Memorial Day, which had taken German Protestant and former judge. place three days previously on January 27th 2011. On January 30th 2011 ARSP inaugurated the 50th anniversary celebrations of its work in Trilateral Service the UK with a service at the Christuskirche – The service was delivered in German and Lutheran Church in Knightsbridge, London. English and was trilateral in character, The service marked the first in a series of reflecting ARSP’s current Trilateral Pro- events throughout the year that will reflect gramme in the UK. This was demonstrated on the history of ARSP in the UK and cele- by German and Polish ARSP volunteers brate ARSP’s 50 year collaboration with speaking and singing in the church choir numerous projects, organizations, partners during the service, as well as by the English, and individuals. These events will trace the German and Polish members of the congre- impact and influence ARSP has had on gation. The service was attended not only by Christian-Jewish and German-British rela- all current ARSP volunteers in the UK, but tions in the 50 year period since the first also by a diverse range of individuals associ- ARSP volunteers came to the UK in 1961 to ated with ARSP. These included the German help rebuild Coventry Cathedral following Ambassador Georg Boomgaarden, Canon its destruction by the Luftwaffe during the David Porter of Coventry Cathedral and ARSP Blitz. project partners.
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Reflecting History
Contributions by Pastor Wolfgang Kruse and He went further than most of his fellow Magda Schmukalla, director of the ARSP UK judges and most Germans but he didn't go programme, were complemented by the main as far as to say: »Your people shall be my sermon, which was delivered by ARSP Director people, and your G´d, my G´d. Where you Dr. Christian Staffa, who spoke at length about die, I will die.« We are not going to judge ARSP’s founder, former dean of the German him from today’s perspective. We are not Protestant Church, Lothar Kreyssig (1898 – even going to consider rationally or emotion- 1986) who had been a judge in Nazi Germany ally whether he could have done otherwise, and had protested in this capacity against the whether it would have been responsible at all so called NS »euthanasia« programme, in to go with the siblings. What we are doing is which at least 260,000 people with mental and to listen to his own testimony. A testimony physical disabilities were killed. that the victims who survived would have needed so much to hear from beneficiaries »I am guilty« and so called followers of the Nazis: I am »Once G`d gave me the opportunity to be guilty.« obedient and I let it pass. I could have gone In 1958 Lothar Kreyssig and a few, mostly until the very end with two Jewish siblings younger activists from the Protestant Church but I didn't do so.« decided to act on their conscience and to So said Lothar Kreyssig, a German jurist confront the church and German society with and the founder of Aktion Sühnezeichen, their collaboration during the National who was described as the only fair judge dur- Socialist regime and their responsibility for ing the Nazi period by the deputy Chief Pros- crimes against humanity. They founded ecutor of the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribu- »Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste« / nal. This man disobeyed god? He who hid Action Reconciliation Service for Peace as a Jews, he who had the courage to accuse the possibility both for individuals to participate murderers of disabled people at an early in this process of atonement and reconcilia- stage, who lost his job and continued to work tion and to start a grass roots dialogue. for the Confessing Church. He, the righteous Thousands of young men and women have among German judges, felt guilty because he followed the call of 1958 »to do something didn't accompany as a brother the Jewish sib- good with our hearts and hands« and have lings to the very end. Two Jews stood on his committed themselves as volunteers of ARSP doorstep and required entrance to his house, to small acts of reconciliation and peace. which was under surveillance of the Gestapo. In order to protect himself and the two Jew- Excerpt taken from Dr. Christian Staffa's (ARSP ish women he was hiding he sent the two Executive Director) sermon, given at the Christus - men away thus delivering them to death. He kirche, January 30th 2011 felt responsible for these deaths. Few of his German fellow Christians shared, wished to Daniel Lewis, former ARSP volunteer and share or even knew about the darkest depths current office assistant at the ARSP office in of what human choices could mean. London.
More on ARSP’s history: www.asf-ev.de/uk
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Lilian and Herbert Levy visiting former ARSP volunteer, Immanuel Bartz, in the western German town Trier. Imagine, Remember, Reflect, React
In her speech on Holocaust Memorial Day »imagine« only too well in what circum- former concentration camp survivor and stances and in what conditions our families long-term supporter and friend of ARSP perished and so it takes little imagination for Lilian Levy reflects on commemorating the us to conjure to our minds the horrors of Shoah in current times. Rwanda, Darfur and the other massacres around the world. Across the United Kingdom there will be commemorative meetings, attended by peo- Reflecting ple who, for the most part, have no direct When we »Reflect« on what happened to us, connection to the Holocaust. Their inten- we realise how much was violently taken tions are good, they will undoubtedly wish from us: our families, our homes, our cen- for »Never Again« whilst, at the same time, turies of history and above all, our child- realising how often since 1945 there have hoods. Those of you here who arrived in been other murderous tyrants and other Britain prior to 1939 had spent early years genocides. These well-intentioned people worrying about things with which no child need to IMAGINE, REMEMBER, REFLECT should ever have to be burdened – ostracism, AND REACT. terror and fleeing from Nazism. Those of you But I should like to examine these four who, like me, arrived here post-war, had words in the light of how we, the members of experienced things that no-one – adult or AJR, should think about these ideas at this child – should ever have to witness. And, even very special gathering. »Imagining« for us, after we all arrived here there was no oppor- here, is a very painful procedure. We can tunity to live the normal life of a youngster.
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Imagine...
So I believe that we were robbed – not only of whom he had been unable to save. Who our childhood years but that decades later, amongst you remembers Dr.Eisner? She was we were still not able to be carefree. We were a lady who had obtained two PhDs in Ger- serious beyond our young years. There was many in the 1920s but by the end of the 1940s then – and there is now – sadness in the very she was wandering' round North West Lon- depths of our souls. don for 14 hours per day, carrying at least a dozen carrier bags containing screwed up Rebuilding our lives newspapers. If one spoke to her she would And yet we, who were young, have been able look vacant but would reply charmingly, with to rebuild outwardly useful and good lives. words that made no sense: another indirect Some of those survivors who were older than victim of the Holocaust. us, found it impossible to regain meaningful lives. I think, for instance, of a lady I knew, How to react? born in about 1900. She escaped Austria on a And finally, how should we »React«? Should domestic permit, though she had never done we tell the next generation our experiences, any heavy housework before she came to as a warning to be ever vigilant. Well – yes – England. All week she worked hard at her but for some of us it is just too difficult to unaccustomed duties and on the one half-day speak of these most painful memories. And, per week, which she got off, she sat on a what about the reactions of others? For bench in Hyde Park and wept in her misery. instance, what about the reactions when we One Sunday afternoon a man joined her on first arrived in this country? I work on the the bench; he too was a refugee, without fam- archive of the Jewish Refugees Committee, ily, and they struck up a friendship, born out the organisation you probably knew as of their mutual loss. They decided to marry »Bloomsbury House«. When reading the files but waited until after the war, in the hope that I am often shocked by the attitudes of that some members of their families might escape era and by the ignorance of what had befallen the abyss and join them in London. No one us. The few social workers employed at came, so they married alone. They were by Bloomsbury House were good-natured but then too old to have children and the sadness totally overwhelmed by their caseloads. And in the depths of their soul overtook them: He the modern concept of »trauma counselling« died in the latter part of the 1940s and she was unheard of then. Some files were critical survived him by only a few years. of behaviour that today would be recognised I wonder how many of you knew that as being the response to a horrific, hidden charming, middle-aged couple, Mr. and Mrs. past. Reactions today are different. Some of Moses. We knew that they had married in the young generation are trying to react in a England after the war and were also too old positive fashion. to have children. Yet on their sideboard stood I'm thinking, for instance, of those young a photo of an attractive young woman and Germans, Austrians and Poles who refuse to two lovely children. Whenever Mr. Moses do military service and instead join Aktion saw us looking at the picture he would say Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste (ARSP). They work sadly »Weren't they beautiful? All gone. All with people and organisations directly gone«. They were his first wife and his son affected by the Holocaust; you will find them and his daughter – victims of the Holocaust, at the Wiener Library, at the Holocaust Edu-
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cation Trust, in the Jewish Old Age homes, at Remembering our loved ones the Anne Frank Trust. My husband Herbert, That I survived the war can only be attributed for many years the Principal Guide with the to random luck and to the fact that I probably Anne Frank travelling exhibition, worked have a strong constitution. I was the only closely with several young Germans and Aus- member of my family to come out of the con- trians and we both met many nice young centration camp, and after the war I was friends this way. Almost without exception adopted into a Jewish family who had come they react with a collective guilt to the crimes to London from Berlin in 1933. They had a perpetrated by their grandparents (or, now, daughter of their own so I now had a ready- even their great-grandparents). Many have made sister, 20 years older than myself. I also told us that their otherwise talkative elders had new aunts, uncles and cousins. I came became strangely silent when asked about into the family in 1946 and no mention of my wartime experiences or activities. One young past history was ever made to me. It was not German volunteer told us that his grandpar- until 1995 (49 years later) that one of the ents owned cinemas and that after the war family broached the subject with me and the Allies obliged them to show films of the when I asked »Why now? Why have you never liberation of Belsen. When his grandmother asked me before today?« the reply was »I saw the films she said it was all lies, just didn't want to remind you of things that propaganda and trick photography – none of would upset you«. The intention was good, it true. She continued to maintain this until but had anyone ever thought that such a the end of her days. question would »remind us« of something So there were Holocaust deniers then and we might otherwise not think about? We can we still have them today. I consider it scan- never forget what was done to us all and of dalous that two of those deniers should be what we were so cruelly robbed. So, let the invited to the Oxford Union to debate the world at large IMAGINE, REMEMBER, subject of »free speech« – that same free REFLECT and REACT. I believe our only duty speech that was so disastrously denied to our is to REMEMBER and to remember especially relatives in the 1930s. And how did Britons our families – our parents, grandparents and react after the war? For the most part they siblings. Is there a day that passes when we didn't react at all. A silence descended for do not think of them and grieve for them? almost 40 years. The subject was virtually And because we REMEMBER, their breath of taboo. Hardly anyone asked any questions or life lives on through us, and through our offered much support – and we ourselves descendants, to all perpetuity. also did not talk about it to the outside world. We worked hard to rebuild our lives, Lilian Levy, is a survivor of Bergen-Belsen to create new families and to support our- concentration camp. She immigrated to the selves. Then, approximately 20 years ago, a UK in 1946. new generation began belatedly to ask those Her text is a reprint of her commemorative questions and there was a sudden explosion speech for the Holocaust Day Memorial of interest, a rush to obtain as much testi- Service at the Belsize Square Synagogue of mony as possible from those who had experi- the Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR) in enced the Holocaust, before our generation London on January 23rd, 2008 that was first died out. published in »AJR Journal March 2008«.
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Anna’s Story
ARSP volunteer Anna Sąkol (right) with her mentor Lucy Hawthorne at the offices of »Conflict and Change« in East London. It’s very different from Poland A Portrait of ARSP volunteer Anna Sąkol
Anna Sąkol worked as an ARSP volunteer at inter-cultural studies; Conflict and Change »Conflict and Change«, an East London seemed to be the right fit – it turned out that based community organization. In the sum- way. mer of 2010 she spoke with US American Conflict and Change (C & C) is a commu- author and photographer Al Gilens about nity conflict resolution and bridge building her experiences. organization that was set up in the mid 1980’s by local volunteers, as a response to »This is perhaps the most multi-cultural bor- social tensions arising from economic ough in the whole UK – I like it. I live in a change and population shift in East London. house with seven other people, almost every- It brings people who are from very differ- one is from a different place; a student, a ent backgrounds and cultures together in doctor, an English teacher, a landscaper, an several ways; through innovative community IT worker, the owners of the house … but I development and training programmes, by like it – that’s what I enjoy the most,« says working with young people, and by provid- Anna Sąkol, who has been a volunteer with ing skilled mediation between neighbours in ARSP since September 2009. the Newham borough of London. Recent Born in 1985 in Sosnowicz, Poland, Anna immigrants from Lithuania and Poland mix wanted to spend a year doing social work with earlier arrivals from Pakistan, North after obtaining her degree in Management Africa, and the Caribbean, often leading to and Marketing at Krakow’s 600 year old tensions and misunderstandings. C & C Jagiellonian University. She found ARSP teams comprise many volunteers who are while looking for a programme that would experienced mediators and facilitators; Anna combine her interests of social work and is the tenth person from ARSP to work with
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them and during her early days as a team moment couldn’t make it to a meeting, then member a lot of her time was spent in train- disappeared from the neighbourhood. »These ing – skills that will be useful for the rest of people migrate all the time, so it’s difficult to her life. stay in touch with them,« Anna said, »they’re »Anna is definitely the right character not local any more, they go back to their because what comes out to me is that she’s countries. The Polish used to come to the UK got a genuine interest in people, and the cul- for work but due to the present economic sit- tures, and understanding; she just seems to uation in the UK, the crisis, some of them go be in there and fascinated.« Ros Southern, the back to Poland because Poland didn’t suffer Coordinator of the Community Conversations as much economically as the UK.« project at Conflict and Change, was excited Anna met with moderate success when she about how well the association with ARSP was created a spring block party. »I was trying to going. »We are absolutely delighted to have an organize my own event which was celebrating ARSP volunteer on our team. She’s quite a the First Day of Spring with my housemates, quiet person but she’s already bringing peo- and especially my land-lord, who is Polish. ple in quickly and I can tell that she’s enjoying Cleaning the streets – every person who lives working with the other volunteers.« on the street should clean a little bit, and Anna didn’t know what to expect from her plant some flowers. And then we should cele- year at Conflict and Change, so everything is a brate the first day of spring. I went to every surprise – the biggest surprise being the lack house on our street, about fifty of them and I of hierarchy; »Everybody is treated equally, no spoke with most of the people telling them of boss telling you do this or do that. It’s very the idea. Because finally I got to know who different from Poland, which is ›boss‹ ori- lives there; it feels more like home now – peo- ented«. In addition to her team training, her ple know me, they know my name, they say responsibilities include administrative work, hello to me. They were very, very positive answering the phone one day a week, and about the event, and some of them actually maintaining the data base. »That’s interesting did the cleaning and planted some flowers. because you can see the whole case, see what However, they didn’t come to us to cele- happened and the outcome. It’s kind of like brate and have some cake – but all the people watching a soap opera, actually.« in the house came; that’s eight people, and some friends, so we had some people and we Eastern European immigrants could celebrate. The outcome wasn’t so great The most recent immigrant groups coming – we didn’t have 100 people coming to the into the borough are from Lithuania and house – but the house isn’t big enough! But Poland. Ros was hopeful that Anna would be we had a nice time. It was very nice to see able to bring Roma/Polish residents into the that some of the people went out of their Centre so that conversation could be started houses to do the cleaning. and integration amongst the neighbours There’s a Polish house on the street and might be facilitated. Unfortunately these they were making fun of me when I told efforts fell victim to migration. Anna was able them that they have to clean, but finally when to get one Polish Roma family slightly I told them that we were doing it they did it involved and had hopes for one person who as well. I was very surprised! It’s good that had volunteered to participate but at the last some of the gardens are cleaner.«
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Anna’s Story
Learning for Life going to admit that they’re wrong. The From mediation case studies, block parties, British woman, she was complaining about and mediation training to actually mediating them, the children being loud and disturbing a neighbourhood conflict brought a full cir- her and the Indian family was complaining cle to Anna’s year. Regarding the mediation about the old woman having a very dirty effort, »It was quite interesting. It was a case house and all the vermin. It’s another les- of a problem that was impossible to solve; it son – what they tell us, it doesn’t have to be was another lesson. You go to visit the people the truth and it’s hard to say … we’re not and it was all nice. I went there with a person there to be Sherlock Holmes, and say, ›Oh, who was very experienced, I was very lucky. you’re not telling the truth‹. So we can listen It was about two neighbours who weren’t to them and see what they offer to us. But it getting along very well; it was a conflict seems to be that they were two people living between a white British elderly woman who in neighbouring houses but the stories that lives with her son, and an Indian family, a they told us were completely different. couple with four or five children – definitely Sometimes it’s helpful to have people just different life styles. Neither of them are listen to them. But none of them are going to admit that they’re doing something wrong, and they weren’t saying that it’s not true, what the other person is accusing them Reconciling Lives about. They weren’t saying that mediation isn’t the right solution for them; they might Anna Sąkol’s story has a story. Every ARSP come back for other social services or maybe volunteer has two stories – how the volunteer a solicitor and take it to court or whatever. For now that case is over; if they feel that they has changed during the year of service, and need any other support they might come to how the year of service has affected the people us again. They said that they don’t want to with whom the volunteer worked. And every meet each other in person; there was no story has another story. chance for a face-to-face meeting.« Anna reflected on how her volunteer year Al Gilens, US American author and photo - with ARSP, working with »Conflict and grapher, has been collecting stories of ARSP Change«, will affect her future – »I’ve learned volunteers for the past two years. In »Reconcil- a new way of working – all the participation ing Lives« – to be published in 2012 – he tells and trying to involve people, local people. That’s not very popular yet in Poland; we the stories about the lives of a small group of tried to do it but we don’t know how, yet, to ą volunteers – among them Anna S kol, Saskia do it. That’s why I hope and I think that this Spahn and Jan Botsch - who spent a year in kind of experience can be helpful. I’m ho - the UK, the USA, Israel, or the Czech Republic, ping to find this kind of work in Poland so I will feel that I’m working and earning and the people they touched. On the following money, but it will also benefit other people.« pages you can find excerpts from three of these stories. Al Gilens
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ARSP volunteer Saskia Spahn at one of her favourite places in London. Saskia Spahn’s Story »It’s a life business«
Saskia Spahn worked as an ARSP volunteer and many Orthodox Jews and for me that was at the Leo Baeck Institute in London. In the completely new to see them. Yesterday was the summer of 2010 she spoke with US Ameri- first time I had seen anti-Semitism in all its can author and photographer Al Gilens light.« about her experiences. Saskia chose to spend a year as a volunteer with ARSP, working in London. She said that »In Germany you talk about anti-Semitism she wanted to do this work in order to learn but it’s not that you can really see it in the more about the history of the Second World streets, it’s just a word. I can’t imagine that War, and the Shoah. »I want to help in coun- it’s that strong, Jewish society isn’t that big,« tries that were attacked by Germans, by said Saskia Spahn, ARSP volunteer in Lon- Nazis, to think about it while I am working don. »Yeah,« responded Saskia’s London flat and have a reason to do that and not just go mate, »but there is anti-Semitism when there out, go abroad, to learn the language. I chose are no Jews.« the Leo Baeck Institute and so I can work »But here yesterday,« Saskia continued, »I with the material of the past; I made a choice was sitting on the bus and there were teenagers to go with this group of people (ARSP) who who were really talking in an anti-Semitic way are interested in doing this kind of work.« and it was the first time for me to see it really, »The Leo Baeck Institute definitely fulfilled people talking and looking out of the bus and my expectations. It was really interesting to saying ‘look, there is a Jew’ and laughing and work with this (Jewish) content especially – they had their stereotypes and prejudices and I’m not an expert on Jewish history so I for me that was really a shocking moment learned a lot about this part myself. Also how because in Golders Green there are many Jews such institutes work. It’s a big label, it’s a big
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Saskia’s Story
name; behind this, in London, we’re just ish woman who had come from Germany in three people! her youth. Because I work in a Jewish Institute I’m Through the Association of Jewish really connected. I really see the mission of Refugees, Saskia was connected with Mrs. ARSP every day in my work. I help the insti- Baum and visited her once a week, taking her tute to inform people about what is happen- for a walk in her wheelchair, shopping for ing … in an academic way, purely academic, her, sharing a meal and – most importantly – but it’s quite interesting. talking. »We talked about everything. She What really shocked me was the whole aca- always wanted to know about my family, and demic world, which never meant anything to she told me a lot about her family, and once me before, and the hierarchy and how impor- she actually gave me a book in which she had tant it is who you are and where you came written down her life story, before she came from. It shocked me a bit and I’m still think- to England, and fifteen years after that.« ing about it, in a critical way. I don’t want to »She went through hell, and lost so many go so deep into that world …« parts of her family, and still she’s so tolerant Dr. Daniel Wildmann, Deputy Director of the and open-minded … at the age of 89 now, Leo Baeck Institute (LBI), London office, enjoys she’s not of a fixed opinion … I’m impressed having a new ARSP volunteer arriving each so much, she’s still listening after all the year, even though training becomes an annual things she went through – amazing! We don’t task. »Each new person brings different quali- have the same opinion on things and it’s ties. They do mostly the same tasks but they do interesting to discuss those things with her.« them differently, according to their own abili- In the 1930s, when she was 15, Mrs. Baum ties.« He says that the volunteer's work is very and her sister moved to England from important to the LBI. They help the Institute to Mannheim, Germany, her parents and brother organise the LBI's broad range of activities. following later. Married to a rabbi who died Their work and effort is instrumental for the about ten years ago, she spent her life working LBI's outreach activities. »They are helpful with handicapped children and taught others because they are bilingual and emotionally how to work in that field. »One of her daugh- connected with what the institute does.« ters now lives in Israel and she likes to tell her Saskia admitted that not all of the time spent story – she’s a bus driver, after her Cambridge at the LBI was interesting. It can frequently be education. She lives in a kibbutz, with nine boring – copying, editing a report and organ- children.« She used to visit them at least once izing lectures are not very exciting tasks. How- a year but now she’s too frail to travel. ever, learning how to use on-line libraries for »Mrs. Baum, she needs help and it’s giving finding information, organizing computers to her something back. Her whole life she did save time, and researching biographies will be something for other people; now other peo- helpful for her university studies. ple are doing something for her.« For Saskia, her volunteer service for ARSP Visiting Survivors was more than office work and Jewish cul- While most of Saskia’s time was spent in aca- ture and caring for an elderly new friend, demic pursuits, at least one day a week was »It’s a life business, not just for one year.« always interesting and frequently emotional, when she spent the day with an elderly Jew- Al Gilens
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ARSP volunteer Jan Botsch and Jewish war refugees Mr. and Mrs. Werner in London. Intergenerational Friendships A Portrait of ARSP volunteer Jan Botsch
Jan Botsch worked as an ARSP volunteer at tional if you get first-hand information than the Association of Jewish Refugees in Lon- if you read a book about a certain subject. On don. In the summer of 2010 he spoke with this emotional level I was confronted with US American author and photographer Al the Holocaust and German nearly every day Gilens about his experiences. and it changed my views on politics, human beings, and society.« »I must admit that I didn’t really know what Jan was the first full-time intern to be to expect when I read the project descrip- placed by Action Reconciliation Service for tion in April 2009. It was a new project and Peace at the Association of Jewish Refugees there had been no reports from former vol- in London, starting his work in September, unteers … the few expectations I had were 2009. When AJR Director Michael Newman excelled by far!« said ARSP volunteer Jan was asked just two months after Jan arrived Botsch. what impact he was expected to have on the »I had conversations with refugees, sur- organization, Michael replied, »I would use a vivors, and with former children from the slightly different tense; I would describe it as Kindertransports. I heard life stories from things having already changed.« German, Austrian, Polish, and Hungarian »By dint of the fact that he is the youngest Jews and I learned a lot about the different person here, we throw all the technical prob- situations they were confronted with. I don’t lems at him, computers, using programmes need to mention that it is much more emo- that perhaps some of us haven’t used before.
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Jan’s Story
We’ve been able to either tick off things that discontinued because no-one on the staff we have wanted to do or to get going on had time to produce it. »He’s been a very things that we thought to do. For example, good person to have around in the office, and it’s allowed our volunteer coordinator to start in the Day Center. He’s established the role: a volunteer programme in the north of Eng- whoever comes in there, it’ll be much eas- land. So it has getting to that long list of ier.« things that are on the desired list and having The connection between AJR and ARSP »Is the extra pair of hands in the department – I very important, a very important link,« Carol think specifically it has allowed us to develop said. About three or four years ago ARSP links with universities and to re-start the vol- contacted AJR »and asked us to take an unteers’ newsletter, which informs our volun- intern,« she continued, »and we didn’t want teers about the services that we offer at AJR.« to take an intern. I was nervous about the responsibility that was involved, and I wasn’t Volunteers make a difference sure about the clients. And we said we didn’t Six months later Jan’s supervisor, Carol Hart, want to take anybody … We agreed that we commented on Jan’s now well-established would have somebody to come in just to do presence, »Its allowed us to develop the the befriending, four or five students just do department which we wouldn’t be able to do the befriending, and I was happy with how if he wasn’t here. He’s made a difference, a that was working. Two or three years in, one big difference.« With Jan taking over some of of the students who was doing that said to the things that Carol had been doing, AJR me that he would really much rather be an has been able to expand their volunteer serv- intern with us for a year, and that we should ices. Amongst his other activities, this young re-consider having somebody full time and it man, who was insecure about his English made me think about it. At the time I was when he started the year, has been able to re- looking to develop the department and that create a quarterly newsletter for the 200 vol- seemed like a good way; to allow me to have unteers of AJR, something which had been somebody else on board.«
ARSP volunteers in front of the offices of the community-organization »Tools for Self-Reliance«. asf_england_druck_1 22.07.11 10:01 Seite 24
A new Project front of her house in a small village near One of the ways that Jan has helped develop Nijmegen and asked her mother for a pot of the department is by establishing a unique fresh water for tea for my crew. That was dur- programme that is referred to as the Comput- ing the war, in ’45.« His wife Antonia added, erhelp Project, in which local students help »When I came home from my work as a AJR members to become familiar with com- nurse at the hospital, I found him having a puters. Jan meets with students and clients to drink of gin with my father.« research their respective abilities and needs Recently Antonia was asked by AJR how and then puts them together. Far more clients they could be helpful to the couple; she have requested assistance than can be accom- responded, »If you could find us somebody modated, but the services are being expanded. who could come and play games with us, and On one particular day the AJR Day Centre talk, and so on … and that’s how we got to hosted six students from the Jewish Free know Jan and he comes every fortnight. If he School and provided three laptop computers. could come more often … it’s very nice – we The students showed about sixteen members have a little drink and we play games and I’m of AJR how to use the computers and the very pleased about it because it keeps my internet. »The project seems to work out bet- husband more alert and active.« ter and better and I think there will be a good opportunity for the next volunteer to expand Living Memory it,« said Jan. Jan’s year in London not only improved his English and brought new and treasured New Friends experiences. »I learned about facts which I There is another part to this equation – the could never have imagined and about the refugees and survivors who are the benefici- influences this ›living memory‹ still has on aries of Jan’s emotions, thoughts, and acts. many parts of modern society. I noticed how One of the people whom Jan »befriended« important it is to fight racism, anti-Semi- was 98 year old Frank Warner, who arrived in tism, and extremism and to nip these inhu- England as 26 year old Fritz Weinberg on a man attitudes in the bud. And I became more Kindertransport in 1938. aware of the importance of values like Frank served as a tank commander in responsibility and tolerance.« »Churchill’s German Army«, part of the »A wonderful but paradoxical experience British Armed Forces in WWII. His com- was that many people, who experienced manding officer told him that he wouldn’t hostility and persecution in a most terrible take someone with a German name because way, have taught their children to be tolerant they would be killed immediately if they were and non-judgmental! If they are not role- captured by Germans – Fritz became Frank. models for future generations then who else is?« And Frank got married … Speaking about how he met his Dutch »war Al Gilens bride« Frank said, »I pulled my tank up in
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ARSP Volunteers
Manuel Holtmann (on the right) at work in his project. ARSP Volunteers today: Ambassadors of German-Polish good-will
Manuel Holtmann is an ARSP volunteer at due to the trilateral ARSP-programme I am Warwickshire Youth Clubs in Rugby work- participating in. This programme gives Pol- ing with children from disadvantaged fami- ish and German volunteers the opportunity lies. He reflects on the effects of being a vol- to spend their voluntary service together in unteer in a trilateral German-Polish England. Over the course of several seminars volunteer programme. in Poland, England and Wales the volunteers get to know each other and discuss and learn During my very first seminar for ARSP, which about each other’s history and culture, whilst took place in Germany, I was asked to select exploring a new country together. Through my favorite projects and the countries I would exchanging opinions and impressions on the most like to spend a year in whilst doing my history of the two countries I got to know peace service with ARSP. In the end, I chose Polish culture a lot better and became aware the UK and France, two European countries, of my general lack of knowledge about east- both west of Germany. By now I have spent ern European countries. In Germany the almost nine months in the UK where I am media, family holidays and the school curric- currently working with socially disadvantaged ula all seem to be very strongly focused on children at Warwickshire Youth Clubs in »The West«. Rugby. This clearly influenced my way of thinking as I grew up in Germany, negatively affecting Looking East my interest in Poland, a neighbouring coun- Despite having had an interesting and very try, with whom Germany shares an extraordi- exciting time so far, I am now able to criti- narily interesting history of over a 1000 years. cally reflect on my decision. This is mainly A slightly trivial but surprisingly poignant 25 asf_england_druck_1 22.07.11 10:01 Seite 26
quotation by the German historian Peter became the main setting for the German Bender, exemplifies this imbalance in inter- genocide of more than 6 millions Jews. Hun- est: »If a German pronounces the French city dreds of thousands of Polish people were Bordeaux incorrectly he gets laughed at; if he forced into slave labour or had to relocate pronounces the Polish city Łód´z correctly, no outside of the German-occupied zones. one will understand him«. Reading this quo- These cruelties marked a turning point in tation and not being sure of the correct pro- Polish-German relations, the repercussions nunciation myself made me feel slightly of which can still be felt today. For more than embarrassed. 20 years there were no official state relations between Germany and Poland. When the for- Understanding History mer German chancellor Willy Brandt went My experiences at these trilateral seminars, down on his knees in front of the memorial inspired me to read more about Polish his- for the heroes of the Warsaw Uprising in the tory, as I concerned myself with the signifi- Warsaw Ghetto in December 1970 he cance of our trilateral programme against expressed the political will for reconcilia- the background of former and contemporary tion, whilst indirectly offering reparations Polish-German relations. Poland suffered for the damage Poland and the Polish Jews immensely from the terror of German had suffered. A divided Germany, the Cold National-Socialism. In September 1939 the War and especially the recognition of the Second World War began when Germany current Polish borders ensured it was attacked Poland. Following the »Molotov- another 20 years before an official harmo- Ribbentrop Pact«, which was later broken by nization between the two countries could be Germany, Hitler and Stalin divided Poland initiated. Due to German support for the Pol- and the German reign of terror began in for- ish opposition labour union movement Soli- mer western Poland. Almost immediately the darno´s´c and the welcoming of many political Nazis started murdering thousands of Polish refugees from communist Poland, personal intellectuals and clericals. Poland also interactions between Polish and German
First impressions of London. asf_england_druck_1 22.07.11 10:01 Seite 27
ARSP Volunteers
citizens became more common. The collapse The trilateral seminars we have had so far of the Warsaw Pact, German reunification have been my absolute highlight of this and Polish democratization facilitated new year. The opportunity to discuss and and stronger negotiation positions. Politi- exchange opinions about political and his- cally and symbolically important was the rat- torical topics from differing cultural angles ification of »The Polish-German Treaty of is invaluable. In school I had lots of discus- Good Neighbourship and Friendly Coopera- sions and conversations with young people tion« in June 1991. This was supplemented of different political opinions. It is only now by the »German-Polish Border Treaty« and in that I realize, as a member of the Trilateral the following decade economic, cultural and Programme, how much we were all influ- military cooperation was extended intensely. enced by a similar education, analogies in Both countries also started to actively pro- our family histories or the way in which we mote cultural exchange, particularly were brought up. By contrast, I now experi- amongst young people. Germany became ence many situations from the perspective the biggest supporter of Polish ambitions to of two countries, whilst learning about Eng- join both the European Union and NATO. lish and Polish culture at the same time. In Polish-German relations have since then addition to this historical and political con- improved slowly, but continuously. There are text, it is also a lot of fun just to spend time more and more school and student with volunteers from another country and it exchanges, trips to the visit the other country is also nice that not every conversation nec- and various cultural cooperations, especially essarily focuses on Hitler or National in the border regions. Nevertheless, political Socialism. debates on topics such as »The German Cen- The free time we share in this international tre against Expulsions« or the »OPAL« (nat- atmosphere displays many cultural similari- ural gas pipeline between Germany and Rus- ties. We play games, watch films in the sia) have been affected by old stereotypes evening or go to the local pub together. We rooted in the history of the German occupa- play sports and cook, preparing typical tion of Poland. As a result continuous national dishes. To conclude I would like to exchange and intercultural dialogue become dismantle some foolish prejudices: in the all the more essential. pub it would have been far more likely that the German volunteers were having a drink Reducing Predjudices and if anyone was to try and find stereotypi- In my eyes bringing Polish and German vol- cal »German orderliness« in our rooms, they unteers together within ARSP’s trilateral pro- would have been far better off looking in gramme is another step in the right direc- Janusz’s or Lukasz’s (the Polish guys) than tion. As young people and volunteers we will mine. not influence German-Polish state relations, but every dialogue, every exchange and every Manuel Holtmann, born 1990, from friendly gesture makes us goodwill ambassa- Hamburg has been a volunteer at Warwick- dors. Reducing prejudices and building shire Youth Clubs in Rugby. A report of friendships, enables us to make a contribu- his work with Warwickshire Youth Clubs tion to the normalization of German-Polish is available online in German: relations. www.asf-ev.de/nc/de/einblicke
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ARSP volunteer Maria Kozlowska enjoying her freetime. Listening to each other
ARSP volunteer Maria Kozlowska has been makes them also very special young men and working at the Southwark Day Centre for women. I spent a year studying in Germany Asylum Seekers in London. Here she before my voluntary service with ARSP and responds to Manuel Holtmann’s reflections have met many Germans. But because of a on participating in a trilateral volunteer pro- lack of opportunity and fear that one can gramme. offend other people’s feelings, in most of my encounters historical topics were generally While reading Manuel’s text my main not mentioned. This strangely contrasts with response was to smile at all the warm words the fact that National Socialism and Second he has written about Poland and simply World War are strongly present in German about us, a bunch of Polish volunteers. I feel media and education. the same about our encounters over the past One of my German friends told me: months. »National Socialist History already domi- nates our media. Does it have to dominate Interpersonal dialogue our private conversations, too?« It should not ARSP is very special. It has to be said that our and it does not – we do not only want to dis- seminars offer us very specific opportunities cuss »National Socialism or Hitler«, as of inter-personal exchanges – and in that way Manuel has written. The problem is, how- they very much differ from any other interna- ever, that real reconciliation happens tional exchange. Why? Because they offer real between human beings and not between a space for a real inter-personal dialogue. Not newspaper and a human being, in which case everyone is willing to have a dialogue. The the latter cannot express his or her feelings, fact that German ARSP volunteers have opinions and concerns as nobody listens to decided to openly talk with Polish people them.
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Listening to...
Asking and answering inconvenient discourse«. I do not feel that anyone has a questions duty to know more about my country – it is In Krakow (Poland), Cudham (England) and natural for me that a lot of people do not have Blwch (Wales), where we had our three ARSP this knowledge just as I do not have knowl- seminars in 2010 and 2011, I had the oppor- edge about so many other countries. It is, tunity, for the first time, to talk to Germans however, a real pleasure to meet somebody about difficult and maybe inconvenient mat- who through their own will decides to learn ters. Nobody was offended and I could ask more about my culture. It makes one feel lis- questions I always wanted to ask, like: How tened to, accepted and respected. And it do they cope with the presence of the means that we Poles also want to be open and National Socialist past in their own families? be friends with the Germans regardless of And I met with understanding and knowl- how big enemies our grandfathers and great edge which impressed me. Manuel is hum- grandfathers were forced – or chose – to be. ble, because actually German ARSP volun- teers know a lot about Poland. Maria Kozlowska, born in 1985, from As Manuel mentioned, it’s a matter of fact Krakow (Poland), did her ARSP voluntary that Eastern European countries are not in service at the Southwark Day Centre for Asy- the centre of the »European historical lum Seekers in London.
Polish and German teamwork during an ARSP seminar in the UK. asf_england_druck_1 22.07.11 10:01 Seite 30
Young visitors at the International Youth Center in Dachau (Bavaria). Instead of an office job at a big company … being a British volunteer in Germany
Daniel Lewis from Sheffield worked as an they immediately sprang to mind again when ARSP volunteer at the memorial site of the deciding how to spend my year abroad. former Dachau concentration camp in When I received an offer to work as a vol- Southern Germany. unteer in the international German ARSP programme in the memorial site for the for- When I applied to work as a volunteer in Ger- mer concentration camp in Dachau many for a year with ARSP I had little expec- (Bavaria) I was at first very skeptical. I had tation that I would be offered a position thought that ARSP would, if anything, offer within the organization. I had missed the me an office job as I had missed the dead- application deadline but applied anyway, line for memorial site related projects, more in hope than expectation. I was which are central to ARSP’s international required to spend a year in Germany as part German programme. I was also unsure of my university course and could choose whether, as the grandson of a Holocaust between finding a job, studying and working survivor, I would be able to cope with work- as a foreign language assistant. I had spent ing in a concentration camp memorial site two weeks of my summer holiday in 2005 everyday and was convinced that the nature taking part in a summer camp at the memo- of the work would dramatically affect my rial site of the former concentration camp in mood on a daily basis. Stutthof, in north Poland, so I was already I had already visited a number of memo- aware of the aims and interests of ARSP and rial sites and despite working in Stutthof for
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Instead of...
two weeks I couldn’t imagine spending a debate questions regarding history and poli- whole year occupying myself with the tics is an experience that few other jobs can themes connected with working at a memo- offer and something that excited me, rial site. I thoroughly read and re-read the because, despite having gone to a very multi- materials I had been sent and considered cultural and ethnically diverse school, I had whether I should abandon my initial never met people before from, for example, approach of wanting to find work that countries such as Russia and Israel. Conse- would allow me to have a productive and quently throughout the seminar a wide vari- enjoyable year and just apply for an office ety of contrasting and sometimes controver- job at a big company as many of my contem- sial opinions were elicited, perhaps due to poraries had done. the contentious nature of some of the topics we discussed. For me this was a very interest- New Friends from all over Europe ing experience as some of the views put for- My first ARSP seminar provides one example ward were completely new to me and I of why I don’t regret my decision to work wouldn’t have had the opportunity to dis- with ARSP. The opportunity to spend ten cover them elsewhere. Apart from this, the days getting to know young people from seminar allowed me to make many new seven different countries and discuss and friends and get to know more about the cul- tures, identities and backgrounds of people with whom I subsequently enjoyed four simi- lar seminars over the year and still remain in ARPS’s international Germany contact. My ARSP seminars were comple- mented by EVS (European Voluntary Service) Programme seminars, which presented similar opportu- nities and whilst the activities were perhaps Every year ARSP offers about 15 to 20 place- not as fascinating the seminars also offered ments for international volunteers in Ger- the chance to get to exchange ideas and opin- many. The young men and women from all ions and establish contact with people from a wide variety of countries. I am certain that I over Europe, the USA and Israel work there for would not have been able to enjoy such expe- a year i.e. in memorial sites, at the Gay riences had I rejected the offer of voluntary Museum in Berlin, with elderly members of service with ARSP. This is because ARSP con- the Jewish communities in Berlin and Ham- sistently provides unique and enriching opportunities to young people, not just burg and with children from migrant families through participation in the international in Berlin. Germany programme, but in all the different Application deadline is January 31st of aspects of its work. each year. Challenges and Rewards For more information and applications: This was also evident during the work I did in Dachau, which was both extremely chal- www.asf-ev.de/en/volunteer-service/volunteer- lenging and rewarding, as well as constantly service.html interesting. The guided tours I gave on a
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regular basis epitomized this. At first I was Over the course of my year with ARSP I very nervous as initially I wasn’t the most worked on a variety of fascinating projects confident public speaker and the tours were relating to the history of Dachau and the lega- in German, lasting roughly two and a half cies of the National Socialist past. This gave hours each time. However, I quickly began to me the opportunity to meet a diverse range of enjoy giving tours because showing mainly people, whilst immersing myself in the Ger- school groups around the memorial site was man culture, language and lifestyle. Since a huge responsibility, as I was able to 1995 around 20 volunteers every year from develop my own concept for how I delivered the UK, USA, Eastern Europe and Israel, my tours. I focussed not only on historical amongst others, have spent a year doing a events but also how some themes which voluntary peace service in Germany at the were prevalent during the tour are still rele- invitation of ARSP’s partner organizations. vant today, for example the danger of exclud- Volunteers usually work at the memorial sites ing groups of people from society because of former concentration camps, as well as in they don’t conform to a particular ideology Jewish communities, with older and disabled or the threat posed by right wing extremism. people and on stimulating social and political This often lead to discussions and questions projects, including anti-racism initiatives. within the group, which was often rewarding These intercultural experiences and as I saw my role as tour guide as not only exchanges are unique and invaluable, aiding describing what happened in Dachau but personal development and potentially future also to provoke and stimulate thoughts, employability, leading me to recommend ideas and questions in and from the group ARSP’s international Germany Programme to members, so that after the tour they didn’t every young person interested in history, poli- immediately forget everything they had been tics and spending a year in another country. told or the topics they had been discussed together. This clearly demonstrated to me Daniel Lewis, born in 1986, worked as an the contemporary relevance of ARSP’s work, ARSP volunteer at the memorial site of the as lines are drawn between the past and the former Dachau concentration camp (Ger- present, which in turn hopefully helps to cre- many). He currently lives in London and ate a better future. works as an office assistant for ARSP.
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What does...?
At the memorial for the victims of the Death Marches in Dachau: ARSP volunteer Roy Scriver giving a speech. What does this history have to do with me ?
ARSP volunteer Roy Scriver from the UK was exhaustion in these days preceding the liber- asked to deliver a speech at the memorial site ation of Dachau and Germany’s uncondi- of the former Dachau concentration camp on tional surrender. Among those prisoners April 30th, 2011 to commemorate the victims were fathers and sons. of the death marches at the end of April 1945, when the SS forced thousands of con- A gap in learning from history centration camp prisoners from Dachau to After eight months as a volunteer for ARSP, I march South. still feel a gap between that which occurred in Dachau and my own cultural experience and Having been a volunteer at the Dachau Con- knowledge as a Briton. Of course at school we centration Camp Memorial Site for almost learned about the horrors of the Holocaust, eight months now, it still doesn’t fail to saw the film Schindler’s List and read Anne shock me just how many people actively Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl, but everything engage with the extremely difficult themes, appeared black and white. So many black and as well as how painful the past remains. Our white photos of families in sun-lit gardens, own past. on the beach, in photo studios, but despite In 1945, shortly before the end of the war, this we had the impression that this was more over 7,000 prisoners were forced to march the history of the »Europeans« and not that of »in the direction of the Alps«, and a similar the UK. This mentality had implications out- number of prisoners were forced to walk side of the classroom as well. from the Kaufering Subsidiary Camp to In schools in the UK it is commonly Dachau. Thousands of prisoners died from believed that it is possible to study History
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from Year Eight onwards and learn about just this horrific period, indeed I was not so one topic: »Hitler and the Third Reich«. I naive, though this rather comical image of remember the documentaries from my own the Wehrmacht and SS was a hindrance to childhood; black and white images of Nazi learning about this history. The history of the Rallies and Swastikas, Goebbels and Hitler Concentration Camp had no place in this addressing the crowds, almost screaming at image of the Third Reich and the Second them. Then from 1939 onwards we learned World War. only our own history, focusing on the evacua- tion of Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain, D-Day A different perspective and finally the German surrender. We spent For my colleague Irina Grinkevich, a volun- perhaps a couple of hours teaching time on teer from the Republic of Belarus also work- the topic »Stalingrad and the Holocaust«. ing in Dachau for a year, history is very differ- That was the history of »the East«, not our ent. Over a third of the population of Belarus history. was wiped out though direct and indirect This begs the question: What does this his- consequence of the war, and the post-War era tory have to do with me? was, as you can well imagine, far more com- I came to Germany, and to Dachau, bearing plicated than that of the UK. Now and again I the experience and ideas of my childhood, annoy her when I talk about »Russia« when I through visits to war museums and those am actually talking about »the former Soviet war films I had watched on television. Before Union«. I begun to learn German at school I thought During my childhood, and I was born that all Germans preferred to speak English eleven months before the fall of the Berlin with each other, just like they do in the Wall, I used a map of Europe on which all movies! The first German words I learned countries in Eastern Europe, from the former were Blitzkrieg, Achtung! (Warning!) and Hände GDR onwards, was colored in red. I was hoch! (Hand’s up!). I knew the truth about twelve years old when I used this map. Mil-
»Sweet Action …« the group of ARSP volunteers 2010/2011 being creative: ( from top left: Maria Kozlowska (PL), Lena Mangold (FRG), Tabea Hübner (FRG), Lukasz Choragwicki (FRG), Sarah Peters (FRG), Paula Heinke (FRG), Janusz Kolakowski (PL), Iryna Vartsaba (PL); From left below: Manuel Holtmann (FRG), Anna Jarosz (PL), Franka Asselborn (FRG), Agata Stanecka (PL). asf_england_druck_1 22.07.11 10:01 Seite 35
What does...?
lions of people indiscriminately labeled with mind, to see for themselves the remains of one colour – Red – and with one political ide- this history. ology. In many ways they remain to us total And yet this history really does affect me. strangers. Right now I am in the process of planning Since 2001 many people from Poland and the itinerary of our international travelling the former communist nations have come to exhibition »Names Instead of Numbers« to the UK to work. »The Polish Plumber« was a North America. During the preparations I common nickname for these guest-workers was very surprised to discover just how many at this time. A common refrain heard on TV, Holocaust museums and survivor organiza- radio and in social circles was »they take away tions there are in the USA. Many relatives till our British jobs. They take our money and they live in Texas and New York, Florida and Cali- send it back to the East«. East. Red. The lan- fornia, in Toronto and Vancouver. For me it is guage of the so-called »stranger« still lives particularly moving, and rather shocking, to on. realize just how many survivors live so close to my hometown in the UK and yet I know so Changing the prejudices and preconceptions little of their lives and how they survived the My work with ARSP has forced me to con- Concentration Camps. They live close to me, sider and change the prejudices and precon- in Stanmore and Edgware, in Finchley and ceptions I have over the former »East«. I still Golders Green. know so little about my central and eastern We cannot allow ourselves to forget how European neighbours. The broad ranging this shame of humanity affected us. culture of so many people from central and Although I have no »personal« or familial eastern Europe, who also suffered greatly relationship with the persecution of minori- from the Death March, is still somewhat for- ties in Europe, everyone is impacted by the eign to me. Yet despite this personal gap in consequences. The ways in which one group my experience I have slowly begun to dis- of people can categorise another as sub- cover the ways in which this history has human should shock us to the core and force affected me personally as a Briton. Every day us to once again pose the question, »How I come across visitors from English speaking could this happen?« After eight months in nations and they react differently to the Dachau working on a daily basis with this images they see. What those from the USA history, I am still unable to answer this ques- know of Dachau for example is often marked tion. We must pose this question again and by images of soldiers staring in disbelief at again, for only then can we honestly and in piles of dead bodies in the Crematorium good conscience say that we have really area. This is still the English speaking mem- attempted to engage with this history. ory of the war, as witnesses to the aftermath. After the liberation came politicians, journal- Roy Scriver, born in 1989, is from St Albans, ists and writers all with the same intention: UK and worked as a volunteer with the they wanted to see the horror of Dachau with Church of Reconciliation at the Dachau Con- their own eyes. Today visitors from English centration Camp Memorial Site between speaking countries come with this idea in August 2010 and August 2011.
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ARSP UK Programme Director Magda Schmukalla near her office. Closing thoughts
When talking to people about the ideas of ations to critically reflect on history, in a ARSP and explaining its aims one is often society which is very different from that of confronted with the question of whether or 70 years ago. not the Holocaust has already been discussed enough and whether there are more impor- The role of international volunteer work tant issues in society that we should focus on Another central aspect of ARSP’s work is the instead. The work of ARSP actually raises confrontation with contemporary symbolism various political and social issues, not all of and the role of international volunteer work. which are directly connected to the Holo- The first symbolic gestures of atonement in caust. However, it is clear that an organisa- the 1960s represented rare attempts to estab- tion that was founded with such a concrete lish mutual dialogues between former ene- historical reference point must reflect self- mies and were therefore met with a critical critically on its meaning and influence on counter-reaction by mainstream society. contemporary society. Today international voluntary services have become an inherent and important part of Engaging young generations civil society, but an ARSP voluntary service Today the history of the Holcaust seems to should be more than just an individual learn- veer away from interpersonal discussions of ing experience and ARSP has to find contem- politics and society, a major difference in porary ways of of tackling the repressed and comparison to 50 years ago, as few survivors sensitive themes of society. and eye-witnesses remain to directly remind us of this barbaric period of Western civiliza- A link to the historical roots tion. The key challenge ARSP faces here is to Within this field ARSP is searching for its find ways to engage young and future gener- own path and this brochure attempts to
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Closing...
contribute to this ongoing development. on the past, but also tries to maintain a link In this sense, the volunteers’ reflections on to its own historical roots, which even after the Trilateral Programme, their references 50 years frames the connection to contempo- to the emotionally charged and contro- rary society and the needs of the younger versial discussions that take place during generation. ARSP seminars, as well as the variety of I would like to thank all those who have social and political projects ARSP co-oper- supported and shaped ARSP's work during ates with, constitute features of a modern the last 50 years and hope that as many peo- volunteer organisation, which nevertheless ple as possible are part of its future develop- remains conscious of the reasons of its ment, which will hopefully inspire people to foundation. »Imagine, Remember, Reflect and React« (quote Lilian Levy). Being part of the future It can be said that ARSP not only seeks to Magda Schmukalla, ARSP UK Programme remind society of its responsibility to reflect Director since 2008.
German choir at the celebratory service to mark UK-ARSP's 50th anniversary, January 30th, 2011, in London. asf_england_druck_1 22.07.11 10:02 Seite 38
The first ARSP volunteer group at work in the ruins of the Coventry Cathedral in 1961. Appendix
Chronology of ARSP in the UK 1970 – mid-1980s Approximately 20 – 25 ARSP volunteers come April 1958 for a period of 18 to 24 months, doing their Lothar Kreyssig reads the founding state- peace service in social or historical projects in ment of ARSP »We Ask for Peace« at the England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. synod of the Protestant Church in Germany; two thirds of those attending the synod sign April 1985 the appeal. The West German ARSP’s general meeting decides to cut back its work in the UK for October 3rd, 1961 financial reasons. In 1985 only two ARSP vol- 16 German volunteers and their »teamer« unteer placements at Coventry Cathedral are come to Coventry and help to construct the offered – in contrast to 30 volunteer place- Coventry International Centre for Reconcilia- ments in previous years. From 1985 until tion in the ruins of Coventry Cathedral, 1990 only a handful of volunteer projects take which had been destroyed by the German Air place in the UK. Force in 1941. 1990 March 1965 Hardy Kluge, the first part-time ARSP UK Young women and men from Coventry help programme director since 1985, starts rebuild the Deaconess Hospital in Dresden rebuilding the ARSP volunteer program in for six months. the UK.
1966 1996 Construction of a home for young people in First ARSP international summer camp with Glasgow, Scotland, by German volunteers. Tools for Self Reliance in Southampton. 38 asf_england_druck_1 22.07.11 10:02 Seite 39
Appendix
2001 the processes of understanding and recon- Start of the first Trilateral Programme with ciliation. volunteers from Germany, Poland and the UK. Conflict and Change – London – is a volun- tary organization supporting and promoting 2004 community-based conflict resolution in the ARSP UK office moves from Coventry to Lon- East London borough of Newham, one of the don most diverse areas of the United Kingdom. Founded 25 years ago, Conflict and Change 2007 was the UK’s first community mediation The charity UK Friends of ARSP is founded. Its service, adopting a holistic approach to con- aim is to support the work of ARSP in the flict resolution through using a core set of UK. communication skills. ARSP volunteers uti- lize these skills during their work on a num- 2011 ber of educational and community develop- 50th anniversary of ARSP in the UK. Celebra- ment based projects, which bring people tions in Coventry and bilateral (German-Pol- together and foster social cohesion. ish) reception at the German embassy in London. Coventry Cathedral – Coventry – provides practical support for local, national and international communities through the Min- Our current project partners in the UK istry of Reconciliation. Coventry Cathedral was destroyed during the Blitz in November ARSP currently works with eleven project 1940. As a result it has become one of the partners across Britain. The next few pages world’s oldest religious – based centres for describe their goals and the volunteers' main reconciliation and forgiveness and regards area of work. itself as having a special responsibility to take this message of reconciliation across the Association of Jewish Refugees – London – world. ARSP volunteers therefore work in an is an organization assisting and represent- environment where reconciliation is vital in ing Jewish victims of National Socialist per- every aspect of their work, corresponding secution. The AJR was founded in 1941 by directly to the central aims of ARSP. central European Jewish refugees and has extensive experience of attending to the Coventry Mind and Warwickshire Mind – needs of Holocaust refugees and survivors Coventry – local branch of the national men- who came to the UK before, during and after tal health charity, working with all ages – the Second World War. Today, membership from children to the elderly – from drop-in is extended to all Jewish victims of Nazi per- centres to supported housing. Coventry and secution and the AJR counts as its members Warwickshire Mind aims to increase aware- former refugees from all Nazi-occupied ness and understanding of mental health countries. ARSP volunteers support these issues within local communities, whilst also individuals on a daily basis, contributing to providing a range of services appropriate to
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the needs of people experiencing mental dis- tress, aiming to enhance their self-worth as valued citizens. ARSP volunteers work with young people as well as with adults, provid- ing support for individuals who are often dis- criminated against and excluded from society on account of their disabilities.
L'Arche Lambeth – London – is an interna- tional federation of over 130 communities for people with and without learning disabilities. In L'Arche Lambeth there are about 25 peo- ple with disabilities in a community of about 100 people. ARSP volunteers at L'Arche give people with disabilities the opportunity to explore who they are, as well as what they can do, enabling them to reach their full potential and lead fulfilling and rewarding lives.
Leo Baeck Institute – London – is a research volunteers work with these children, helping institute founded in 1955 and named after them to develop a sense of identity, self- Leo Baeck, the last public representative of respect and confidence, whilst also acquir- the Jewish community in Nazi Germany. The ing social and behavioral skills, which institute has centres in London, New York improve their chances of integrating fully and Jerusalem and is the leading research into society. institute in the field of German-Jewish his- tory and culture. ARSP volunteers work on Roma Support Group – London – works with research and educational projects, helping to over 850 Roma families in London, offering a preserve the history and culture of the Ger- variety of services and aiming to improve man-speaking Jewry. their quality of life, whilst raising awareness in society of the discrimination and prob- Log Cabin – London – is an adventure play- lems faced by Roma people. The Roma Sup- ground for children with special needs, port Group seeks to mobilize the Roma com- especially autism, in West London. Log munity through using volunteer programmes Cabin aims to make a positive difference to and promoting an understanding of Roma the lives of children who have disabilities or culture in the UK. ARSP volunteers con- special needs by providing exciting and tribute to these programmes and assist stimulating play opportunities in a safe, car- migrants by helping them to overcome preju- ing and fun environment. This is vital to the dices, social isolation and vulnerability, development of all children, aiding physical, which in turn ensures that they are less emotional and spiritual growth, as well as socially marginalized and able to effectively creative and educational development. ARSP adapt to their surroundings.
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Appendix
Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers – shops, games, computer courses, sport Lonond – is a non-profit organisation which activities or issue based workshops for works towards the relief of poverty and dis- instance on drugs, smoking, sex and love tress, promotion of health, wellbeing, per- relationships. ARSP volunteers participate in sistence of education and welfare for Asylum these activities, helping to prepare young Seekers and Refugees. people for the adult world, giving them the Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers opportunity to integrate and fulfill their runs three day centres in Southwark (Lon- potential. don) offering a wide range of free service and advice on asylum, health, housing and bene- Wiener Library – London – the internation- fit issues as well as providing a social forum, ally renowned Wiener Library was founded in various leisure and educational activities. The 1933 and holds the largest Holocaust archive ARSP volunteer at the Southwark Day Centre in the UK. The Library has a unique collec- for Asylum Seekers helps with the overall tion of over one million items including pub- running of the organization on different lished and unpublished works, press cut- levels, from producing the newsletter and tings, photographs and eyewitness helping at the office to preparing food par- testimony. As a result the Library provides a cels for clients in need. resource to oppose anti-Semitism and other forms of prejudice and intolerance, corre- Warwickshire Youth Clubs – Rugby – is an sponding to some of the central goals of Association of 29 Youth Clubs in Warwick- ARSP. Volunteers work in the archive, carry shire, providing a range of activities, training out research and occasionally contribute to and workshops for young people aged educational activities and to the production between 10 and 19, such as cooking work- of scholarly publications.
Spending time together: ARSP volunteer Lena Mangold and visitors of the AJR Day Centre in West London. asf_england_druck_1 22.07.11 10:02 Seite 42
List of former and current project partners of Great Georges Project ARSP in the UK (1961 – 2011) Halesowen Unemployment Group Happy Faces Nursery 870 House Youth Unit Highfield Hall Adams House Holbrooks Information Centre Anne Frank Trust UK Holocaust Educational Trust Area Centre Priesthill Glasgow Holy Trinity House Association of Jewish Refugees Hothorpe Hall Birch Croft/ Richmond Fellowship Indepedent Living Alternatives Birmingham Settlement International Centre for Reconciliation at Black Church Coventry Cathedral Braendam House International Seamensmission Bridge Art’s Education Centre Inverclyde Community Development Trust Broad Heath School J.F. Kennedy House Cambus Farm Jeely Piece Club Camphill Milton Keynes Communities Jewish Blind Society Cathall and Avenue Women’s Project Jubilee Crescent Community Centre Cedarwood Trust Kerelaw School Centre for Active Citizenship Killingworth Pastoral Centre Centre for German- Jewish Studies L'Arche Lambeth Cheylesmore Community Ladywood Family Centre Circles Network Warwickshire Leo Baeck Institute Community Center Hall Log Cabin Community Transport Matfen Hall Conflict and Change Meadow School Copleston Centre Mearns Centre Coventry Cathedral Methodist City Mission Coventry Industrial Mission Moorpark Community House Coventry Mind NCH: Ladywood Family Centre Coventry Young Homeless Accommodation New Horizon Ltd. Project Newham Community Renewal Cut Boat Folks Ltd. North West Community Education Jubilee Derry Womens Aid Center Crescent Dr. Barnado’s Kirkwood Centre Notthing Hill Methodist Church Dr. Barnado’s Playground Belle Vale Residen- Nutley Hall tial Unit Oaklands Park Faifly C.E. Centre Otto Schiff Institute London Fairfax House- Sidney Stringer School Paradise House Community Fircroft College of Adult Education Pax Christi Formby Hall Peace Pledge Union Friends of the Earth Pearce Institute Garvald Training Centre Penine Camphill Community
42 Appendix
Peredur Home School White City Estate Project Regoon Midlands Wiener Library Richmond Fellowship Wood End Family Project Roma Support Group Roots Trust Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament Some of the ARSP Programme Directors (CND) in the UK Searchlight Educational Trust Short Stay Young Homless 1977 – 1979 Michael Hertz Southport Jewish Blind Home 1979 – 1983 Lutz Schönherr Southwark Day Centre for Asylum 1983 – 1985 Peter Reik St. Ethelburg's Centre for Reconciliation and 1990 – 2000 Hardy Kluge Peace 2000 – 2005 Anne Katrin Scheffbuch St. Andrews-Church 2005 – 2007 Kate Wilson St. Mark’s Church & Community Centre 2007 – 2008 Simon Poffley St. Thomas-Church 2008 – current Magda Schmukalla St. Vincent Rehab. Unit Stirling List School Sunfield Children’s Home Some of the staff responsible for The Citizen Organising Foundation (TELCO) the UK Programme in the Berlin Central The London Museum of Jewish Life Office of ARSP The Mersey Mission to Seamen Thornley Park School 1977 – 1983 Christoph Heubner Tools for Self Reliance 1983 – 1987 Friedchen Donner Tower Hamlets Friends and Neighbours 1987 – 1993 Torsten Schramm Traveller’s Clinic 1994 – current Andrea Koch Tyneside Cryreanians Victoria Settlement War Resisters International ARSP Programme Director in Poland Warwickshire Youth Clubs responsible for Polish Volunteers in UK Wedge West London Family Service Unit 2001 – current Urszula Sienczak
We would like to thank the following institutions for their support for the anniversary celebrations:
Youth in Action Programme, Coventry Cathedral, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany London, Polish Cultural Institute
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany London
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50 Years of ARSP in the UK
Action Reconciliation Service for Peace (ARSP) was founded in Germany in 1958 in the context of the post-war German society and its refusal to deal with the Nazi past and the consequences for those countries that suffered under German occupation and attacks.
In 1961 the first group of 16 German ARSP volunteers arrived in Coventry to help build an international meeting centre near the Coventry Cathedral – a symbol of Nazi Germany’s destruction during the Second World War in the UK. Since then several hundred ARSP volunteers have worked for the past five decades in the UK in social projects, as well as in projects of historical and political education. Their goal: To help rebuild German-British relations on an inter-personal basis and to deal with the consequences of the German past in a practical way. Since 2001 the UK has hosted the first trilateral ARSP programme with volunteers from Poland and Germany working in bi-national teams.
This publication presents some excerpts from five decades of ARSP in the UK – with volunteer reports, project partner voices and personal reflections. It combines the past with the present and the future.
www.asf-ev.de/uk