From 21-29 August 2021 we were in Sehlis near Taucha – east of Leipzig! (have a look at Camp2012 – here we were in Sehlis for the first time – …info also at: https://suedhaussehlis.noblogs.org/) We helped the “Werkstatt für nachhaltiges Leben und Arbeiten e.V.” with the project “Südhaus – Ort der Begegnung und Bildung”. Within the framework of a LEADER funding (European Fund for Rural Development – period 2019-2022) our camp was part of the own work. We repaired a quarry stone wall and grouted it with trass-cement mortar, we applied clay plaster to many walls on the upper floor to even out unevenness, we inserted ceiling beams, insulated ceilings and floors with hemp/jute and wood wool mats. We sealed many areas with “DB+” vapour retarder and taped over all holes and connections, we used tongue-and-groove and rough-hewn sheet piling to board up ceilings and floor areas, doors and gates were sanded down and oiled with linseed oil varnish, and last but not least, we applied the plaster… Thank you very much for the loving support by Michael, Steffi, Rese, Kilian and Konrad – also the marvelling at the work done with non-alcoholic champagne and the presentation of flowers was really a heartfelt gesture – 1. 000 thanks!
Due to the origin of and good cooperation with the ÖJD/EYS, our camp was mentioned on their homepage in spring 2021. And promptly Anouck, Chloé, Hélène and Isaure “the cloverleaf” from Angers/Western France registered for our WorkCamp week. They will write their Abibac (German-French Abitur) in 2022 and wanted to improve their German language skills in addition to being “useful”. This meant that our community was international for the first time – a great experience for everyone! To have more time for each other, we extended the camp from seven to nine days – also to visit Leipzig with our guests.
After initial sunshine, one can speak of a cold and rainy camp week. It rained so hard and so much that some of the tents could not withstand the water, there were hardly any dry clothes or shoes left, and as a highlight, the ground was so soggy on Monday night that the guy ropes became loose and the 8-metre yurt collapsed. Fortunately, there was still the sleeping loft in the barn as an alternative accommodation for wet shelters… and the clothing store in Taucha for warm things… An experience in any case were the compost toilets and various shower facilities on the site. The red slugs were often found in the tent area or in the shoe, the cock started to crow shortly before 5 o’clock next to our tents with a continuous loop… unknown insects and wasps stung, hand injuries by axe, a head wound by fall and insulation wool in the eye led to a visit to the doctor – the first-aid book filled up. But: all participants survived!
We marked our places of origin on a map, filled out a profile of ourselves, played games of skill and cooperation and, of course, “Jugger” (from the Leipzig Youth Parish Office) helped us to build trust in each other, and the campfire evenings were filled with conversation and discussion. We learned besides the “word of the day”: other countries – other icicles: e.g. in Germany the hiccup is a sign that someone is thinking about you – in France it is a sign that you are growing. The French numbers are interesting: to the 80 they say 4×20 and the 71 is 60+11! Our four French girls enjoyed hearing and speaking German – the German partis enjoyed hearing the French language and exchanging in German.
On Sunday, after the WorkCamp starting devotion with Jonathan on the guitar in the Katharinen church in Sehlis and a guided tour of the church with Mr Gallschütz (keyword storm catastrophe 1912), our project partner presented the purpose of our work week in the evening. We heard about the beginnings of the municipality in Sehlis up to the development of ideas for the South House as well as some local history facts. On Monday afternoon, thanks to the good fundraising situation for the camp, we were able to swap our visit to the Taucha municipal swimming pool for the Sachsen-Therme in Leipzig-Paunsdorf due to the rain. The mayor of Taucha Tobias Meier and Mr Böhme of the parish Machern-Püchau-Bennewitz and Olaf Barth from the LVZ visited us. On Wednesday, we rode our bicycles to the Lilly Vanilly ice cream parlour in Waldsteinberg (a total of 315 scoops – a record 27 scoops of Fridolin). Afterwards, the Taucha church band and the gospel choir awaited us in the courtyard with a small concert – thank you! On Thursday we were able to paddle from Canitz to the main bridge in Eilenburg with three large inflatable boats from Wassersport Sachsen almost without rain – due to the tense water situation on the Mulde we were advised not to use the canoes. Friday we were lucky enough to have the theatre women of the neighbouring farm with children performing “The Wizard of Oz” by Lyman Frank Baum in the church. Saturday after a late breakfast, we took the S-Bahn from Borsdorf to Leipzig city centre for a guided tour with tour guide Susann Berndt from LeipzigDetails, who spoke fluent French and was thus able to clear up any ambiguities. Our French girls stayed a little longer in Leipzig for shopping – in the evening we had our closing party with sketches, a fire show, WorkCamp feelings (guessing objects with their hands), newspaper dancing with a disco, hide and seek, the song “Göttingen” by Barbara was performed together with the story in German-French. The last ones went to bed around 5:30. Sunday: a quick Corona test at the Parthe pharmacy in Taucha for the return journey to France – a travel blessing with the Irish blessing song and a farewell to France at Leipzig main station. The dismantling of the camp was over sooner than expected, as we were not able to dismantle the yurts due to the wetness. So most of us were picked up at 1 pm and were looking forward to a warm bed, normal toilet and shower – dry clothes…
All in all a wonderful camp – with many lovely and wonderful – also new participants. We have achieved a lot and had intensive hours together – thanks to all. Many 1,000 thanks to all the donors who made the camp possible – we had a budget of around 3,000 Euros – plus donations in kind – the many delicious cakes from Sehlis, Taucha etc., the goodies from the bakery Keller Machern etc. – and to all those who made the camp possible. We are grateful to the great charioteer that we were able to hold the camp like this despite the pandemic situation – we received test kits as a gift for the initial and final testing of all participants.
here a thank you to our: Supporters 2021
Flyer for participants, for raising support and the letter to participants:
…and the following could be found in the media:
You can get the best impression of the camp location, the “working and living conditions” at the WorkCamp and of our leisure activities via the photo gallery:
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)