The journey to Sydney from Hamburg leads via Hövelhof and Hohengüstow

Hamburg behind me, the world ahead: After leaving Hamburg with all my belongings and a final visit to the State Archives of Hamburg, I went to Hövelhof. Who doesn't know it?!

The work at the "Assistance Network for Survivors of Nazi Persecution in Ukraine" in the last 1.5 years is probably one of the most important tasks I have undertaken in my professional life, and I had to do it because of the war after February 24, 2022, like many colleagues. For the first time, we met as active members of the "Assistance Network," and not just anywhere, but at the Stalag 326 (VI K) Senne Memorial in North Rhine-Westphalia. These were extraordinary days, a work meeting, a conference, but also and above all an exchange to strengthen and encourage each other, despite everything.

I have great respect for my colleagues on the ground in Ukraine, who traveled from the war zone. The meeting was emotional, demanding, and also - in all the man-made drama - good and important. It was also my last event as a memorial site employee - and in Europe.

There were moments before when I thought it was "too far" to go to North Rhine-Westphalia, to Hövelhof. And also for me "too much" before I "really" set off - considering that about 25 colleagues from Ukraine had made the journey for several days, these were absurd, partly ridiculous thoughts.

More about the conference and the support network: https://hilfsnetzwerk-nsverfolgte.de/tagung-erinnerung-die-leben-rettet-perspektiven-deutsch-ukrainischer-zusammenarbeit-im-hilfsnetzwerk-fuer-ueberlebende-der-ns-verfolgung/

Then on to Hohengüstow, my hometown, in the Uckermark region, crossing Germany from west to east before heading westward. Playing in the lake again with my nephew in the rain, grilling at home, a beer (and training) at the volunteer fire department, conversations with my grandparents, biking, and packing, repacking, unpacking, packing again, Polish lessons via Skype; acquaintances wishing me a safe journey as they pass by; photographing books, many books; sorting them semi-chaotically into a folder, saving them on the laptop - with the thought that I will probably only do that after I arrive in Sydney, but well, for the sake of conscience and all, it's "packed."

Are you excited?

No, honestly, I'm not. Maybe because the (big) journey has already begun. Going to London tomorrow feels more familiar. Canada, Sydney, it all seems very far away at the moment, even though I'm only driving for less than 12 hours.

Cliffhanger - according to the Duden dictionary: "a dramatic event at the end of an episode that creates great suspense (1a) and is intended to arouse curiosity about the continuation" - for the upcoming post about "Polish London," where I will (again) delve into Polish exile and diaspora archives, and perhaps also a Belarusian one.

Afterthought

My (really) first stop last week was the State Archives in Hamburg - a long way seen from Hamburg's Neustadt district. When I "arrived," I realized that my backpack was too big for the lockers there. The staff kindly allowed me to leave it in the reading room. When the attendant asked me where I was going and I replied "Sydney" without hesitation, we both laughed.