The starting point for the educational work at the Volhynian Resettlers Museum is the turbulent history of a German minority that, in the relatively short period from 1860 to 1960, experienced and endured a wide variety of forms of (forced) migration. Even under the most adverse circumstances, these people managed to preserve their customs and traditions. The museum’s educational outreach offers numerous points of connection to central themes in 20th-century European history, such as:

• Deportations of ethnic minorities in Tsarist Russia
• Population and extermination policies during the Nazi era
• Flight and expulsion from the former German eastern territories
• The establishment of “socialist” society in the GDR
• Social change in rural areas under different political systems
• The political transition period in the GDR
• Migration today

Another focus is on learning about their everyday culture, such as:

• Food preparation
• Customs and traditions
• Language
• Crafts and gardening activities

In addition to our traditional museum tours, which are primarily aimed at adults, we offer age-appropriate programs for children and teenagers:

Project Day

• A project day lasts three to five hours. The focus is on the topic of flight and displacement in the 20th and 21st centuries. The materials and methods used are tailored to the composition and interests of the groups.

Seminars lasting several days

• As part of multi-day seminars, we offer students the opportunity to explore the topic of forced migration in greater depth. In addition, field trips to the surrounding area can be organized to incorporate elements of nature and environmental education. Accommodations and meals are available year-round at the Van der Valk Resort in Linstow, which is just a short walk from the museum.

The goal of our educational work is to enable young people and adults to grasp, analyze, and contextualize broader historical contexts by engaging with the recent regional history of Linstow and its surroundings.

When planning and implementing our educational programs, we always take into account the age, interests, and needs of the respective group.

We use participatory methods to encourage independent engagement with historical content. This includes varying methods and work formats to enable participants to grasp complex historical content.

Given the migration history of the Volhynian Germans, education in democracy and the promotion of tolerance toward minorities are central concerns. In addition to conveying historical contexts, we aim to encourage people to reflect on their role and opportunities for action in today’s society.