German-Polish Youth Exchange in Hamburg
A Week of Encounters, New Perspectives, and Shared Experiences
From 20 to 25 April 2026, we had the pleasure of welcoming our guests from Mrągowo to the Vocational School St. Pauli in Hamburg. The German-Polish youth exchange has existed for more than 25 years and has become an established and highly valued part of our school community. Following our students’ visit to Poland last year, this year’s programme centred on the return visit to Hamburg.
Under the theme “Professional Perspectives and Everyday Culture in Hamburg – A Comparison with Mrągowo, Poland”, the German and Polish students experienced a varied and enriching week filled with memorable impressions. Together, they explored Hamburg through a guided tour of the historic Speicherstadt and HafenCity districts, a Space 3D experience at the Planetarium, and a short excursion across the River Elbe by ferry, including a walk through the Old Elbe Tunnel and a visit to the tower of the St. Nikolai Memorial.
One particularly significant item on the programme was the company visit to STILL GmbH. There, the group gained valuable insights into the operations of a major Hamburg-based company, including logistics and workflow processes as well as broader economic structures. Especially for students attending the vocational upper secondary school, this visit proved highly beneficial, as it connected classroom learning with real-world corporate practice.
Another deeply impressive experience was the visit to Dialogue in the Dark. The students were given the opportunity to experience everyday situations from the perspective of visually impaired people — for example, navigating unfamiliar surroundings or crossing a street without sight. Conversations with the guides made this change of perspective especially impactful and encouraged many participants to reflect on their own perceptions and assumptions.
A further important and moving part of the programme was the joint visit to the Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial. Engaging with themes such as history, responsibility, and remembrance carried particular significance within the German-Polish group, especially considering that many people from Poland were persecuted and deported during the National Socialist era. The visit highlighted the importance of shared remembrance and personal encounters in fostering a peaceful and united Europe.
At the end of the week, one feeling stood out above all others: what had begun as an exchange group had evolved into a genuine community. Despite differences in background, language, and everyday experience, the participants quickly connected with one another, shared laughter, supported each other, and built meaningful relationships. Many new friendships were formed — and we sincerely hope that some of them will endure for many years to come.
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the German-Polish Youth Office (DPJW), the Sanddorf Foundation, the German-Polish Society Hamburg e.V., and Freunde Masurens e.V. for their generous financial and organisational support of this exchange project.
