ASF Volunteer Program: Working with Memory
Interview with Marina and Aleksandr, volunteers at the Arolsen Archives
Since 2017, the Arolsen Archives have been welcoming young people – often from Russia and Ukraine – who complete a one- or two-year volunteer placement at the archive through Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste (Action Reconciliation Service for Peace / ASF). Aleksandr finished his placement in August 2025 and has stayed on as a student trainee. Marina began volunteering in September 2025 and is considering extending her time with us. We spoke with them about what motivates them to engage in remembrance work and what it means to confront the past in the present – particularly in light of recent developments in their home country, Russia.
What was your educational and professional background before you started your ASF service?
Marina:
I studied history in Russia and completed a five-year bachelor’s program in 2024. After that, I moved to Vienna for an intensive one-year master’s program and graduated last year. Originally, I had planned to apply for PhD programs, but after six years of continuous studying, I felt exhausted and wanted to take a break from academia. I was keen to do something practical and useful. That’s why I decided to apply for the ASF Voluntary Service. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made.
Aleksandr:
I began studying history in Moscow, but I did not complete my bachelor’s degree. In 2022, I decided to change my academic path and leave my country at the same time. I had already applied to ASF back in December 2021, but because of the political situation, I was only able to start my placement in September 2023. The voluntary service gave me the opportunity to continue working on historical topics while also gaining experience abroad. I’m now studying cultural studies in Frankfurt (Oder). It’s great that I can continue to work here even after going back to university.
How did you learn about the ASF Voluntary Service and the Arolsen Archives?
Marina:
I learned about ASF through a friend who volunteered at the Buchenwald Memorial. During the application process, I had to rank different placements, and for me the Arolsen Archives were the first choice. I had already heard about them during my bachelor’s studies, but I didn’t know that it was possible to get involved in this kind of work as a volunteer. I was interested in working directly with archival material.
Aleksandr:
My cousin did an ASF placement about thirteen years ago, also at Buchenwald. When I was thinking about leaving Russia and taking a year out from my studies, she told me about her experience, and it sounded very meaningful. I knew about the Arolsen Archives from my history studies and the #StolenMemory exhibition in Moscow in 2021. I chose the Arolsen Archives because I had some previous archival experience and because I thought it would be interesting to work with documents from post-Soviet countries – that means looking at your own history from a different perspective.
Do you have a personal connection to the history of the Second World War or the Holocaust?
Marina:
For me, it’s less about a family connection and more about engaging with 20th-century memory culture – even though I know I couldn’t dedicate my whole life to these topics. They are emotionally very heavy. During my studies, Stalinism was one of the most painful subjects for me. But I am interested in drawing parallels between Russian and German memory cultures and in understanding how Germany deals with its past. Germany’s approach to remembrance feels much more developed. In today’s Russia, remembrance is often discouraged. But I believe it is essential if we don’t want history to repeat itself.
Aleksandr:
As in many Russian families, my heritage includes relatives who were affected by the Second World War. But my main interest, like Marina’s, also lies in how societies engage with history today. I wanted to understand how a European archival institution operates and how historical memory can be shaped, preserved, or misused in contemporary politics. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, this became especially relevant. In Russia, there is currently a lack of critical engagement with the past, which makes this work feel even more important. Especially if we are thinking about what a livable future there might look like.
What are your typical tasks at the Arolsen Archives?
Marina:
My tasks have changed a lot already. At the beginning, I worked on compensation files, preparing documents for preservation by removing metal clips, for instance. It was quite monotonous, but at the same time I was able to learn about the biographies of many people from the former Soviet Union, which made the work feel very personal. Later, I helped a colleague who works with Ukrainian archives to write archival descriptions of letters that forced laborers from Ukraine had sent to their families. One of my favorite tasks was researching Soviet documents that had been classified for fifty years, such as death registers that were copied after the end of the Soviet Union. It was fascinating to learn about archives that were completely unknown back home.
Aleksandr:
I started with similar introductory tasks, working with incarceration certificates. It’s a good way to get used to archival work and to handling original documents. Later, I worked mainly with Russian-language materials, for example questionnaires from repatriates who returned from Germany to the Soviet Union. My favorite project was building a new #everynamecounts workflow based on the letters from Ukrainian forced laborers. It was a long and sometimes frustrating process, but also very rewarding. I liked that it produced something concrete and accessible, and that it allowed me to engage closely with the stories behind the documents.
What stands out to you about the Arolsen Archives as a workplace?
Marina:
The working environment is very supportive. My colleagues are kind, calm, and understanding, especially when it comes to language barriers. Everyone makes an effort to help you feel comfortable, and I’m very grateful for that.
Aleksandr:
I feel the same. Changing countries is already stressful, and having a supportive workplace makes a big difference. Beyond that, the work itself feels meaningful. Even though your contribution might be small, you know that it can help people remember the past and learn from it.
What do you see as the most important mission of the Arolsen Archives?
Marina:
Preserving memory and helping people access it. The work of helping families learn about the fate of their relatives during Nazi persecution is incredibly important.
Aleksandr:
I agree. It’s not only about storing information, but about making it accessible and actively engaging with it. As we move further away from the Second World War, people tend to forget its lessons. That’s why the work of all the departments here – from archiving to tracing and public relations – is equally important.
Was it difficult to move from Russia to Germany and continue working on historical topics here?
Marina:
Many people close to me left Russia after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Migration was something I thought about, but I wasn’t ready to take that step immediately.
The first year abroad is usually the hardest – you miss home and you question your decisions. Over time, you realize that the place you left has changed so much that you can’t really return to it. In a way, you lose the sense of having a home. It’s really not easy: I know that I won’t go back, but my status here is also uncertain. I have to review the question of residency over and over again. But I am working on my B2 level in German now, and I can imagine working here at the archive in the long term, too.
Aleksandr:
I feel more settled in Germany now. I study at a German university, work at the archive, and feel comfortable here. Visiting my parents in Russia only confirms that this is not the place I want to be right now. Like Marina said – the place you left behind no longer exists in the same way.