In early September, Elena Borodina and Justin Warland began their voluntary service at the Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial. During the next 12 months, Elena from Russia and Justin from Australia will support the memorial in its various departments.

Hi, my name is Justin Warland, I am 18 years old and come from Perth, Australia. After graduating high school, I didn’t know what I wanted to study. I had wanted to do a Voluntary Social Year (FSJ) for a long time. My mother is German, and I was raised bilingual. She told me about the FSJ program and that I could also volunteer in cultural institutions (known as an FSJ Kultur). As I am really interested in Political Sciences and History (particularly during the National Socialist era), I decided to apply online to do an FSJ Kultur at the Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial. So here I am! I am really excited to work in this important place of remembrance. I would like to learn more about the history of what occurred here at Neuengamme, as I believe it is important that, especially in Europe’s current political climate, this history is not forgotten and is kept alive in the collective memory. I am sure that I will learn a lot in my FSJ Kultur. I hope to gain valuable practical experience working in a variety of areas in the concentration camp memorial, but will also gain valuable life experience and personal growth.

My name is Elena Borodina. I am from Moscow. In Russia, I studied German and Journalism. I am a volunteer from the Action Reconciliation Service for Peace (ASF), working at the Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial. What interests me most about the Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial is the way Germany is dealing with its past. I would like to get a better understanding of how the culture of remembrance has been developing in memorial sites. I hope that I will be able to contribute to it. At the same time, I would like to use and improve my knowledge of German and English. Volunteering at the Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial offers a great chance for me to try my hand in different areas such as in public relations and social media as well as educational, exhibition and archive work. I am already looking forward to it.