In both cases, put only the word subscribe in the message and in the subject line. There is a list archives but it appears to be accessible only to list members. There are all kinds of helpful, knowledgeable people out there who may be able to help you. Even if you decide not to stay long, remember that your query will be in the list archives where it can be found by other researchers. Language need not be a barrier to European inquiries.
Some lists accept English.
Mention in your posts that you are unfamiliar with the language. Most people will be sympathetic to that and act accordingly. John Fuller's website, Genealogy Resources on the Internet , has a very complete index of mailing lists for Europe, the UK and Ireland. Once on this site, scroll down and click on Mailing Lists . Scroll down again, then click on Countries Other Than USA .You will see an alphabetical listing of countries from which you can make a selection.