Networking and meeting new people is an essential part of the CGYPP. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions, participants of the previous and ongoing program year could not meet in person during the last couple of months. Therefore, we decided to prepare a replacement seminar for enhancing the personal experience and informal exchange. After lifting travel restrictions, both on the Czech and German side, both groups were able to meet! From 2020 and 2021 program years, at least half of the participants accepted the invitation. Organisers prepared a weekend activity in a place connected to Czech-German history. The city of Jáchymov was famous in the middle ages for its silver mines. Unfortunately, in the 20th century, its history was connected with forced labour camps and uranium mining.
We started the program with informal meeting and group reflection of 2020 and 2021 program year topics. On Saturday morning, together with participants, we explored the traumatic past of Jáchymov while visiting educational train Jáchymov Hell, together with historian Michal Louč from the Association Political Prisoners.eu. The trail leads through the forests and nature of the Ore Mountains, covering sites of closed mines and spots where labour camps used to be. Unfortunately, today very little is left of this traumatic history, and historians are still trying to uncover more facts. On Sunday, a group of participants visited significant sights such as Adit no. 1 and The Red Tower of Death in Jáchymov surroundings.
The program is initiated and financed by the Czech-German Fund for the Future.
