A Volunteer Year at the Memorial

Since 1995, our education department has been working with volunteers from different countries. Five young adults from Germany and other countries are given the opportunity to assist the memorial staff in a range of areas.

The core activities of the memorial include research and collection on the history of the site (1937–1945 Buchenwald Concentration Camp; 1945–1950 Soviet Special Camp No. 2; history of the memorial), assisting former inmates, and the presentation of the memorial through educational programmes, such as tours, one-day events, and multi-day seminars.

Another important aspect of the memorial's work is maintaining its international network through contacts with national and international organizations, exchange with other memorials, associations of former inmates, and international visitor groups.

The work of a volunteer may include:

• preparing one's own concept for a tour of the site
• and then guiding a group through the memorial
• observing study and training sessions and/or multi-day seminars and (if interested) conducting such programmes
• support in helping visitors at the information desk
• communication with schools, universities, institutions dedicated to civic education, and memorials  
• helping develop specific programmes for diverse audience groups
• assisting in the organization and realization of events at the memorial (for example, the liberation anniversary celebration)
• archive: research groups of inmates; confirming internment (responding to document requests)
• library: cataloguing new publications, assisting visitors
• Press and communications: press reviews from the daily German and international press; assisting in the organization and preparation of events; producing editorial content for the memorial website
• working in the restoration workshop and in the art and museum collections