Magazine of the Education Agenda NS-Injustice 2025

For one year, Cana (21), Helene (16), and Jonathan (20) worked with professional artists under the direction of Schorsch Kamerun both publicly and behind the scenes to explore the history of young resistance activists who opposed the Nazi regime – and to make the connection between the past and resistance today. As part of this Education Agenda project run by the
Theater der Jungen Welt in Leipzig and the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Duisburg, participants mounted a production in each city featuring young actors, established a memorial site on Lindenauer Markt, and created a digital sound archive. Cana, Helene, and Jonathan shared their experiences with us, offering a glimpse behind the scenes and reflecting on howyoung people today can take an active stand for democracy.

How did you get involved in the project, and what was the highlight of your theater work with singer and director Schorsch Kamerun?

Helene: I found out about the project through school. I’ve been taking theater classes since my eighth year. My teacher brought in a flier from Theater der Jungen Welt, which is not only close to my school but also really well-known in Leipzig. Two of my friends and I immediately thought it sounded interesting, so we signed up for the introductory weekend.

Cana: I already belonged to the youth theater group Bahtalo, which stages theatrical performances dealing with themes like human rights, freedom, and equality. We’re a big group with lots of people who have migrant backgrounds or refugee experience. Through my involvement in that group, I heard about the project and wanted to be part of it. When I found out we’d be working with famous artists from the opera world, I couldn’t really imagine what that would be like. Schorsch Kamerun is very experienced and also much older than we are, but he gave us space to contribute and was much more open than I expected. He loved our ideas and was really easy to work with, so that really motivated all of us.

Jonathan: I’ve been doing a degree in theater studies in Leipzig since October 2024. Some of my fellow students had already been involved in productions at Theater der Jungen Welt, so I got in touch with them, and that’s how I joined the project. From my own theater experience, I was used to directors being strict and pushing their own plan and vision on the stage. But this production was much more open. Schorsch listened to our ideas and really embraced our input and perspectives.

The project focuses on resistance groups like the Leipzig Meuten, the Edelweiss Pirates, and the Ruhr Pirates. What did you know about these groups beforehand, and how did you learn more about them during the project?

Jonathan: To be honest, I didn’t know anything about the Meuten or the Edelweiss Pirates before. I’m not from Duisburg or Leipzig, but when I found out what the play would be about, I started reading up on the topic myself. Later on, during rehearsals, we worked a lot with original sources – audio recordings, leaflets, court rulings – and gradually built up more and more knowledge.

Helene: I’m from Leipzig, but we never covered the Meuten in school, so I hadn’t heard of them either. It’s not in the curriculum. I went about it much like Jonathan: I started by reading a lot – who were the Meuten, and what did they do?

Cana: I wasn’t aware of the Meutenmyself, but in school in Duisburg we briefly touched on the Edelweiss Pirates in upper secondary. In Leipzig we learned a lot about the Meuten through books and lectures by the
project team. The rehearsals and performance by the Leipzig group really helped me learn more as well, of course. We also had a lot of conversations about resistance today, trying to build a bridge between the past and the present.

We’re living through a time of growing right-wing extremism, in which democratic values are increasingly under threat. What does resistance mean to you today in light of the latest developments? How can young people take a stand and get actively involved in defending democracy?

Cana: For me, the most important thing is engaging with politics. We’re not in a situation where it’s optional to take an interest. Politics affects all of us, and the bare minimum we can do is to follow what’s going on in Germany and look at what politicians are saying. There can be no such thing as neutrality in a democracy. Looking away or turning a blind eye means refusing to face up to reality. And we have to face up to it. When people witness others experiencing racism in day-to-day situations, they should show moral courage and step in.

Helene: Being open to conversations is something we should all strive for: speak your mind when people make racist, queerphobic, sexist, or otherwise discriminatory remarks. I’ve seen it myself – people getting their information from questionable, farright Instagram or TikTok accounts – and I actively try to talk to them. Taking part in projects like this one is another way to take action and raise your voice.

Jonathan: Even clothing can be a form of resistance, as it was for the Meuten. Small things like stickers also get noticed and show that you stand for diversity and democracy.

What are the main takeaways from the project as far as you’re concerned?

Jonathan: I’ve certainly come away with an even clearer sense of how important it is to get politically involved, especially now. Of course I knew that before, but drawing that connection to past forms of resistance really highlights how urgent it is, and inspires me to push back against anti-democratic and misanthropic attitudes.

Cana: I’ve come to realize that it doesn’t always take big gestures to make a difference. I was really moved by the diversity in our groups and how openly we worked together. And it meant a lot to me to have the
chance to perform in a real opera house. I’ll never forget that. The way I see it, so many different people can get along just fine ... except those who choose to have a problem with that.

Helene: At the start, I just thought we’d be performing a play on stage – classic theater. Now that the production’s complete and we’ve performed at the Duisburg opera house, I know one thing for sure: I want to
keep going. This project has broadened my perspective. That’s what it’s all about – not getting stuck in old habits and not immediately viewing new things as bad.