In September 2022, the Volhynian Resettlers Museum hosted a three-day media and writing workshop in Linstow. Six young women and one man from Ukraine and Germany worked in small project groups to create videos and texts on the topics of flight and displacement. The fate of the Volhynian Germans, who fled to Linstow from the Red Army at the end of World War II, was contrasted with the stories of young Ukrainian women who fled from Ukraine to various locations in Germany following the Russian army’s invasion.

First, the participants toured the museum and its two exhibitions to familiarize themselves with the history of the Volhynian Germans. They received additional information about the complex history of this German minority and the museum’s origins from museum director Michael Thoß and the chairman of the local heritage association, Johannes Herbst. The research phase was rounded out by conversations with three eyewitnesses who experienced the flight as children.

During an excursion through Linstow, the participants visited places that played an important role for the refugees in the early days, such as the manor house with its changing functions as mass accommodation, a cooperative store, a cultural space, a school, or a community office, as well as the former schnapps distillery, Lake Linstow, the church, and the former school.

After an introduction to the workshop’s historical theme, the participants decided how they would process and present the information they had gathered. They could choose between conducting interviews, writing reports or blog posts, or producing short documentary films. They were guided by journalists Ira Peter and Larissa Mass, who introduced the workshop participants to the various genres and assisted them in creating their pieces.

The resulting works demonstrate a deep and sensitive engagement with the history of the Volhynian Germans. In addition to the intercultural exchange between Ukrainians and Germans, the intergenerational exchange between young adults and eyewitnesses was a particularly meaningful experience for the participants.

The works produced in the workshops were presented to the association members at the end of the media workshop. In addition to the films shown here, a brochure was also created, which can be ordered free of charge from the Volhynian Resettlers Museum.

The media and writing workshop was funded by the Cultural Office for Russian-Germans with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.