In partnership with

The SCI study camp takes place in cooperation with the Documentation Centre for Nazi Forced Labour in Berlin-Schöneweide. The project focuses on working with biographies and interviews of former forced laborers, as well as on the production of a short film. One focus will be on Nazi forced labor and gender/queerness.The Nazi Forced Labour Documentation Centre is located on the grounds of an almost entirely preserved former forced labor camp in Berlin-Schöneweide. The exhibitions, archives, and educational programs focus on a forgotten victim group: the forced laborers from all over Europe who were forced to work for the Nazi regime during the Second World War. A special focus is placed on the approximately 8.4 million civilian forced laborers, who did not have their own memorial site until 2006.

In 2025, to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, seven international volunteer and study camps were held at memorial sites. Here you will find a collection of the results. They capture the spirit of these unforgettable camps and give an impression of what it is like to take part in such a camp: https://padlet.com/tanjamichalczyk27/80-years-after-ww-ii-where-are-we-now-o5u9s244nmjxi5fj

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Description of the Work

In the practical part, participants will learn the basics of theater and performance under the guidance of professional theater educators. You will examine artistic works on the topics of gender/queerness and forced labor and work together to find your own artistic and performative expressions. This will allow you to reflect on and process the topic on an artistic level. You will use the site and the historical sources you have studied for this purpose. Your performative ideas will be developed into a short film.

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Location & Leisure

Berlin offers many tourist opportunities with countless museums, exhibitions, sports facilities, flea markets, parks, but also very beautiful nature on the outskirts. Visiting the numerous sights of Berlin, hiking and swimming is possible. The documentation centre is located in Berlin-Schöneweide, directly on the Spree river, not far from the Wuhlheide park which has a big recreation area with a forest, an outdoor swimming pool and a lake.

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Study themes of the project

Participants will learn about the history of forced labor under National Socialism: Who was forced to work by the Nazis? For what purpose? And how was this justified? There will be guided tours and workshops on site and within the exhibition, complemented by an exploration of personal accounts and interviews with former forced laborers. There is also a particular focus on gender and queerness: What experiences did women in particular have? What role did relationships play in the everyday lives of forced laborers? Were there queer forced laborers, and what role did queerness play in the context of Nazi persecution?

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Requirements

An interest in new perspectives and intercultural encounters, in German remembrance culture, and a desire to try your hand at theatre and performance. English language skills are necessary to understand the study part. Please note that: A motivation letter is required.

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Host Organization