The walls of the hall contain photographs that capture moments of visiting the memorial from the very day of its opening - July 5, 1969. Over the decades of the memorial's existence, it has been visited by heads of state, honorary delegations, representatives of various religious confessions and international organizations from all over the world. These photographs have become part of the collective memory and evidence of the significance of memorial “Khatyn” for all of humanity.
Among these photographs, there is one that holds a special meaning. It shows the participants of the “political pilgrimage” that took place on August 28, 1989. They were Germans, representatives of the Männerarbayt organization of the Evangelical Church in Germany together with the Christian Peace Service. They came to Belarus not just as tourists – they came with repentance, with the desire to say: “Forgive me.” Among them is Andreas Seifert, the man who headed this organization from 1985 to 1991.
36 years later, on June 25, 2025, Andreas Seifert returned here again as a living witness of that time. On that day, he handed over a document to the memorial complex funds - the program of the stay of the German delegation in Belarus in 1989. And in the Guest Book he left the following words:
"It became obvious and clear to me then that we, Germans, must take responsibility for our history and the crimes committed by the German Wehrmacht. This responsibility was reflected in joint work on reconciliation activities, namely, in the creation of the children's center "Hope."
In 1988, as part of the first political pilgrimage, German participants arrived in the USSR to personally express repentance for the crimes of Nazism. The most powerful emotional shock for the German participants of this trip was caused by a visit to the Khatyn memorial complex, created in memory of the destroyed Belarusian villages.
A year later, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the start of World War II, more than 70 people came to Belarus again. This pilgrimage coincided with another difficult time for Belarus — the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster. Then, in the summer of 1989, the Belarusian Peace Committee appealed to all concerned people with a request for help. The pilgrimage participants were among the first to respond.
The initiative group in Frankfurt am Main soon became the public association "Life after Chernobyl". Andreas Seifert became the chairman of this organization. Numerous humanitarian actions, medical aid, environmental monitoring, support for children - all this was the result of the initiative that began with the visit to "Khatyn".
The culmination of this assistance was the opening in 1994 of children's center “Hope” - a place where children affected by radiation found care, treatment and simply warm human sympathy.
The children's center "Hope", which is located in Vileika district and today receives support from the organization that Andreas Seifert once headed, which confirms the depth and sincerity of his actions. This is not just charity - it is a path that begins with memory and leads to peace.
In the last hall of memorial complex “Khatyn” museum, pain and compassion, remorse and hope intersect. No big words are needed here – photographs, faces, history, and hearts speak here.
And within these walls the most important message is heard: We remember. We mourn. We strive for peace!
Vashkevich Marina, Head of the Department of Research and Exhibition Work.
