Soviet War Cemetery Foundation Launches Podcast A Trench in My Backyard
The Soviet War Cemetery Foundation is launching the podcast A Trench in My Backyard today. In this podcast, creators and contributors share the story behind the development of the Soviet War Cemetery Experience in Leusden.
At this museum, located near the Soviet War Cemetery and opening on March 8, visitors will put on a Virtual Reality headset and step into the shoes of a soldier. Why was a VR experience chosen? How was the trench scene at the Eastern Front filmed? The podcast offers listeners a behind-the-scenes look at the project.
In the first episode, available today on major platforms, Alex Engbers recalls how, ten years ago, he thought a museum about the Soviet War Cemetery was completely unrealistic. How it eventually became a reality will be revealed in upcoming episodes by the creators and contributors.
Among them is Marc van Maanen, who initially approved digging a trench in his backyard but was shocked by its scale. Architect Mirko Pauw discusses the deep symbolism behind the museum’s design. Film producer Rico Sohilait takes listeners on an adventure through Poland and Georgia, where the film crew captured key scenes.
The interviews are conducted by former journalist Remco Reiding, the museum’s initiator.
Soviet War Cemetery Experience
In the Soviet War Cemetery Experience, visitors see the war through the eyes of a young boy saying goodbye to his father, who must leave for the front. They feel how the father’s absence shapes the boy’s life for decades. The Virtual Reality experience then puts visitors in the soldier’s shoes—from the moment he bids farewell to his family to his journey to the front, his train ride to Nazi Germany, and his time working in a coal mine deep underground. This immersive experience brings the gravestones at the Soviet War Cemetery to life.
About the Soviet War Cemetery Foundation
The Soviet War Cemetery Foundation is an independent humanitarian organization dedicated to identifying the war victims buried at the Soviet War Cemetery in Leusden, reconnecting their families with their graves, and sharing the untold stories behind the headstones.
