Union der Opferverbände Kommunistischer Gewaltherrschaft
from Berlin
The Union der Opferverbände Kommunistischer Gewaltherrschaft e.V. (UOKG) advocates for the interests of the victims of the SED dictatorship. It provides counseling, promotes memorial and processing work, and engages in research projects. Its goal is justice and recognition for those affected.
The Union der Opferverbände Kommunistischer Gewaltherrschaft e.V. (UOKG) is a recognized non-profit umbrella organization founded in 1991, which unites almost forty associations and initiatives of the victims of the communist dictatorship in Germany.
Advocacy: The UOKG represents the interests of the victims of the SED dictatorship to political decision-makers and advocates for their recognition and compensation[2].
Advisory Services: The organization offers legal, social, and psychosocial counseling for the victims and their families. This also includes support in searching for court-relevant documents and assistance in clarifying individual fates[1][2].
Research Projects: The UOKG is actively involved in research projects that deal with topics such as youth welfare in the GDR, forced labor, forced adoption, and sexual abuse of children and adolescents[1].
Memorial and Remembrance Work: The organization promotes the establishment of memorials and commemorative events to keep the memory of the victims' suffering alive. It works closely with memorial sites and scientific institutions[1][2].
The main mission of the UOKG is to ensure that the victims of the SED dictatorship receive justice in today's rule of law. This includes the rehabilitation of wrongfully convicted individuals, appropriate compensation, and the recognition of the damages suffered. The UOKG also emphasizes the importance of gratitude and recognition for those who have suffered for their beliefs or have given up careers and studies to avoid participating in the unjust state[1][2].
The UOKG firmly opposes left and right extremism as well as anti-Semitism and expects the same from all member associations[1].
Hardship Fund: The UOKG advocates for and promotes the establishment of hardship funds for SED victims at the federal level and in the eastern German states. In the past, it has supported funds for home children and individuals harmed by psychiatric institutions in the GDR and is currently supporting assistance for former construction soldiers[1].
Remembrance and Processing: By organizing congresses, commemorative events, and participating in scientific processing projects, the UOKG contributes to anchoring the history of political persecution in the GDR in public consciousness[1][2].
The UOKG is supported by the State Minister for Culture and Media, the Foundation for Processing, and the Berlin Commissioner for the Processing of the SED dictatorship, which further strengthens its work and goals[2].
