VSS-Ilmenau Ilmenau

Studies and leisure time: The leisure activities are arranged together with the youth centers located in Ilmenau. There are many possible encounters with young people in the area; Common sporting activities such as swimming, football, billiards, summer toboggan-run, table tennis or climbing are possible. Volunteers can also get to know the diverse facets of Ilmenau: his historical testimonies as a former spa and health resort (The classical German author Goethe was a frequent visitor), his importance as a mining and university town and also the charm of his pond landscapes and biosphere reserves within the urban area. The history of Ilmenau can be explored by visiting the local museum and the show mine. As cultural program, excursions to the local mountain “Kickelhahn” and Lindenberg, to Erfurt or Eisenach are possible. During the workcamp, there will be the traditional Kickelhahnfest with open air music, dancing and games. Region: The town of Ilmenau is located on the northern edge of the Thuringian Forest. It is surrounded by forests and is home to a technical university, which has some 6,200 students enrolled. But it is also a sport city, especially in winter sports; Ilmenau even is home of Olympic champions. The main industry nowadays is mechanical engineering. In the past the mining industry (copper, silver and manganese) was also of great importance, since 1777 there was a significant porcelain industry. At the time of Goethe and in the following decades, Ilmenau was a popular tourist attraction and until the First World War it was a spa.