16.-31.7.: Teilnehmer für Freiwilligencamp im NKWD-Museum Perm gesucht

Die Memorial-Jugend Perm, der Deutsche Bauorden und das Zentrum für Menschenrechte und Demokratie Moskau veranstalten ein Sommercamp im Museum des ehemaligen NKWD-Lagers 2, dem heutigen staatlichen Puppentheater, in Perm im Ural. Für das Freiwilligenlager werden noch ausländische TeilnehmerInnen gesucht.

Das Puppentheater und frühere NKWD-Gefängnis Nr. 2 in Perm

Eingeladen sind außer jungen 8 Freiwilligen aus Russland auch insgesamt 8 aus Deutschland sowie aus osteuropäischen Ländern.

Zum Sommerlager gehört ein thematisches Programm, das sich vor allem mit Fragen der geschichtlichen Aufarbeitung und dem historischen Gedächtnis in der Gesellschaft befasst. In den Abschlusstagen fahren die TeilnehmerInnen zum großen Festival der Zivilgesellschaft "Pilorama".

Arbeitssprache ist Englisch.

Mindestalter: 18 Jahre

Andrej Kalikh,
Zentrum für die Entwicklung von Demokratie und Menschenrechten / Memorial Perm, Email: akalikh(at)yandex.ru

weitere Informationen, Anmeldung und Kontakt:

volunteer59(at)gmail.com

FURTHER INFORMATION IN ENGLISH:

Volunteer work camp

in the Museum ‘NKVD Prison No. 2’,

Perm, RU, 16-31.07.2011

Sender’s address: volunteer59(at)gmail.com.

Subject: Call for Applications for the participation in the international volunteer work camp in the Museum and Public Awareness Center ‘NKVD Prison No. 2’ in Perm, RF, 16-31 July 2011.

Partner organizers:

- Perm Memorial Society / Youth Memorial (Perm, RU);

- Center for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights (Moscow, RU)

- Internationaler Bauorden (DE).

 The Museum and Public Awareness Center ‘The NKVD Prison No. 2’ is a memorial site for the victims of the Soviet Gulag. It is to be set up in a part of the building of the Perm State Puppet Theater. From 1920-s to 1953, the city transit prison No. 2 of the Perm Division of the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (NKVD) was located in this building.

Please find more information on the Museum background in the chapter Historical Note below.

The international volunteer camp in the Museum of the Political Repressions “NKVD Prison No. 2” in Perm will be designed as a meeting point for volunteers from different countries working and discussing together. Discussions and meetings with politicians, state officials, experts, civil society activists, artists as well as trips to sites of memory, and to cultural events in the Perm region will be arranged.

The goals of the camp are to make a contribution to museum renovation and to support intercultural dialogue and international volunteer cooperation.

Types of work

- Renovation, reconstruction, and painting former prison cells and corridor;

- Reconstruction of the former prison yard;

- Planting of trees in the yard;

- Designing of museum elements, etc.

Conditions

Unfortunately, the Perm Memorial is not able to cover participants’ expenses for any travel to and from the camp. The same rule applies for Russian participants.

We provide and cover:

Visa support – with possibility to obtain type “Youth Exchange” or “Charity” visas free of charge;

Meals over the camp;

Accommodation in rooms of a school close to the Museum;

Domestic travel in Perm kray (region), all public transport expences;

Requirements and Conditions

Number of participants: 16 (max. 8 foreign and 8 Russian participants);

Age: 18 +;

Countries: all the countries; priority will be given for applications from Middle and East European countries;

Good command of English is required. Russian language skills will be very welcomed but not required.

Construction, renovation skills, hand-work experience, as well as readiness to not very comfortable conditions expected.

Special needs are to be mentioned in the application.

Please send your short resume in English or Russian no longer than one page until 15 June 2011 to: volunteer59(at)gmail.com. In your resume please indicate:

- full name,

- age,

- citizenship,

- full post address, email, telephone

- your current job / study institution,

- volunteer experience and working skills,

- all language skills,

- special needs (if any),

- motivation to participate,

- need visa / visa support

Historical note

NKVD Prison – Puppet Theatre (68 Sibirskaya str., Perm)

The transit prison building and the block where it is situated date back to the second half of the XIX century. At the time, Perm was an important transit point for convoying prisoners to Siberia to penal servitude settlements. In mid-1860s, due to the shortage of room in the existing town prison, the town authorities decided to build a new separate institution.

The transit prison ‘castle’ was built in 1871 near the Siberian Highway. At the time, this place was the town boundary, which implied a certain independence and protection from any external assault.

The premises included not only the prison itself and household outbuildings (stables, workshops, warehouse, barn, etc.), but also living quarters (the house of the prison governor and apartments for guards and their families). The prison even had its own cemetery and a church in the name of Saint Nicolas.

After the October 1917 coup, the transit prison building retained its penitentiary functions until the 1950-s. In the 1920-s and early 1930-s it was referred to as 'the House of Corrective Labour No.2', or the 'Detention House'. It was part to Perm Province Punitory Department under Perm Communist Party Executive Committee. Initially, it had only 455 places for prisoners. Later, after a thorough repair of the building, this number increased dramatically. According to the data of the State Political Archive, on January 1 1927, the prison had 1182 inmates.

The documents concerning the work of NKVD prison No.2 are scattered in many state and departmental archives (in Moscow and Yekaterinburg). They need special historical research and publication. According to the memoirs of witnesses, during the Great Terror period (1937-1938), the prison was constantly overcrowded, so that instead of 'sitting' in it people had to 'stand'. Many citizens of Perm and Perm region subjected to groundless repression went through this prison.

After the end of Stalin epoch, in 1953, the prison was closed. The main building was cardinally rebuilt. In 1956 it became the Theatre for Young Spectators, and later the Puppet Theatre. But the prison cells, corridors, some gratings remain original.

At present, Block 172, where the group of prison buildings used to be situated, is developed as a residential area. The issue of commemorating the victims of totalitarian regime and creating a museum of NKVD prison No.2 is being discussed at present.

Since 1956, the Perm State Puppet Theatre is located in the building of the former prison. Since that time, the building has undergone many changes.