Gegen Vergessen – Für Demokratie

Gegen Vergessen – Für Demokratie, translated as “Against Oblivion – For Democracy,” is a German registered association founded in 1993 in the period following German reunification. Its work connects historical remembrance with the practical strengthening of democratic society. The organization focuses especially on Germany’s two twentieth-century dictatorships: National Socialism and the communist dictatorship in East Germany. Through this dual focus, it addresses both the need to preserve the memory of persecution and political repression and the need to draw civic lessons from those experiences. The association promotes diversity, tolerance and democratic participation while opposing racism, prejudice and political extremism. Its stated field of concern includes both right-wing and left-wing extremism. Rather than functioning as a commercial consumer brand, it operates as a civic and educational organization. Its activities are oriented toward public awareness, democratic culture and the prevention of historical amnesia. The organization’s name expresses the relationship between remembrance and democracy: confronting the crimes and failures of dictatorship is presented as part of the continuing work required to sustain an open democratic order. Gegen Vergessen – Für Demokratie was co-founded by five figures associated with Germany’s Social Democratic Party: former SPD chairman Hans-Jochen Vogel, former Bundestag president Annemarie Renger, Jürgen Burckhardt, Manfred Struck and Freimut Duve. The association’s creation came after reunification, when German society was dealing with the institutional, social and historical consequences of bringing together the former Federal Republic and East Germany. Its remit therefore encompasses memories of Nazi persecution as well as the experiences of political repression under the Socialist Unity Party regime and the East German state. The organization has been led by several prominent public figures. Hans-Jochen Vogel served as the first chairman from 1993 to 2000. He was succeeded by former Bremen mayor Hans Koschnick, who chaired the association from 2000 to 2003. Joachim Gauck has served as chairman since 2003. The deputy chairmen identified in the reference material are Eberhard Diepgen, Bernd Faulenbach and Cornelia Schmalz-Jacobsen. Rita Süssmuth chairs the advisory council, while Michael Parak serves as executive director. Its work is supported by the Government of Germany, although the association is not identified as a government department or a commercial company. The organization is headquartered in Berlin and operates primarily within Germany. Its public identity rests on civic education, remembrance culture, democratic engagement and resistance to discriminatory or extremist ideologies. A notable example of the historical experiences represented within the association is honorary member Hans Bonkas, who resisted both the Nazi regime and the SED regime, spent seven years in an East German prison and had joined the Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold in 1932. As a nonprofit civic association, Gegen Vergessen – Für Demokratie does not have conventional product lines, retail offerings or publicly traded shares. Its principal “offerings” are its educational, commemorative and democratic-participation activities. The available reference material does not provide a complete catalogue of individual programs, campaigns, budgets or regional branches, so those details are not specified here.

Gegen Vergessen – Für Demokratie was established in 1993, after German reunification, by a group of prominent figures connected with the Social Democratic Party. The founding group comprised Hans-Jochen Vogel, Annemarie Renger, Jürgen Burckhardt, Manfred Struck and Freimut Duve. Their initiative emerged in a period when public institutions and civil society were confronting the historical and political consequences of the Nazi dictatorship, the East German communist dictatorship and the unification of the two German states. From its beginning, the association linked remembrance of dictatorship with the defense of democratic practice. Its subject matter includes both National Socialism and the SED regime in East Germany. This dual historical perspective distinguishes its work from an approach concerned with only one period of German authoritarian rule. The organization’s stated objectives include promoting diversity, tolerance and participation in democratic life, while challenging racism, prejudice and both right-wing and left-wing extremism. Hans-Jochen Vogel became the first chairman and held the position from 1993 until 2000. Former Bremen mayor Hans Koschnick then led the organization from 2000 to 2003. Joachim Gauck became chairman in 2003 and is identified in the available reference material as the incumbent chair. The leadership structure also includes deputy chairmen Eberhard Diepgen, Bernd Faulenbach and Cornelia Schmalz-Jacobsen. Rita Süssmuth chairs the advisory council, and Michael Parak is the executive director. The association is based in Berlin and operates in Germany. Its activities receive support from the German Government, but the organization is described as a registered association rather than a state body. Its institutional model is therefore that of an independent civic organization working in the fields of historical memory, democratic education and social cohesion. The association’s historical orientation is also reflected in the people connected with it. Hans Bonkas, an honorary member, took part in resistance to both the Nazi regime and the SED regime. He spent seven years imprisoned in East Germany and had joined the Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold in 1932. His biography illustrates the organization’s interest in recognizing resistance to dictatorship across different periods of German history. The available material does not enumerate all of the association’s projects, publications, local activities or educational formats. It does establish a broad mission centered on remembering dictatorship, resisting political extremism and strengthening democratic participation. Accordingly, the organization is best understood not as a product or service brand but as a civic platform whose identity is built around historical responsibility and democratic engagement.

• 2003

  Joachim Gauck becomes chairman

  [1]Gegen Vergessen – Für Demokratieen.wikipedia.org

  Joachim Gauck succeeded Hans Koschnick as chairman and is identified as the current chair in the reference material.

• 2000

  Hans Koschnick succeeds Hans-Jochen Vogel

  [1]Gegen Vergessen – Für Demokratieen.wikipedia.org

  Hans Koschnick became chairman after Vogel’s first period of leadership.

• 1993

  Association founded after German reunification

  [1]Gegen Vergessen – Für Demokratieen.wikipedia.org

  Gegen Vergessen – Für Demokratie was established by Hans-Jochen Vogel, Annemarie Renger, Jürgen Burckhardt, Manfred Struck and Freimut Duve, all associated with the SPD.

Nonprofit civic association focused on remembrance, democratic participation, diversity, tolerance and opposition to extremism.

1. 1Gegen Vergessen – Für Demokratieen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Gegen Vergessen – Für Demokratie official websitegegen-vergessen.de