FOUNDATION EVZ – THE FIRST DECADE

www.stiftung-evz.de Foundation EVZ THE FIRST DECADE

IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE VICTIMS OF NATIONAL SOCIALISM, WE TAKE ON RESPONSIBILITY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN PEOPLES. WE UPHOLD OUR COMMITMENT TO THE SURVIVORS.

We cannot close this chapter on the past – and the We will have to find suitable ways of explaining payments disbursed to former forced labourers and these crimes to coming generations. Young people other victims of National Socialism by the Founda- want to know what happened and how it was tion »Remembrance, Responsibility and Future« possible. However, it is not just a matter of learning do not alter this. The payments were an important about history, but about acquiring a political and long overdue contribution to the process of compass. For liberty and democracy, tolerance coming to terms with political injustice. But history and humanity cannot be taken for granted. They does not fade away, and it cannot be overcome. It demand unstinting commitment from each and builds the foundation for the present, and how we every one of us. Fostering this commitment can and deal with history affects the future of every society. should be the central aim of the Foundation EVZ National remembrance is therefore a political and a in its funding activities joint task that cannot be left solely in the hands of private or civic initiatives or state institutions.

Photo: Photography competition of the Foundation EVZ, 2009 EVZ, competition of the Foundation Photography Photo: In the foreseeable future, the eyewitnesses will no longer be among us. The challenging and important task of keeping alive the memory will then be the Prof. Dr. Norbert Lammert In remembrance of the victims of National Socialist injustice, the Foundation »Remembrance, Respon- sole responsibility of younger generations. President of the German sibility and Future« works to promote human rights and understanding between peoples. It also up- holds its commitment to the survivors. The Foundation is thus an expression of the continuing political and moral responsibility of the state, industry and society for the wrongs committed in the name of National Socialism.

The Foundation supports international projects in the following areas: Financial payments cannot compensate for human Now that its main task is complete, the Foundation suffering. When the Foundation »Remembrance, continues to cooperate with numerous projects  A critical examination of history Responsibility and Future« was created ten years whose work focuses on remembrance and the fu- ago, we wanted to signal through our humanitar- ture.  Working for human rights ian commitment to the surviving forced labourers that the terrible suffering inflicted on them would I would like to thank all who have helped ensure  Commitment to the victims of National Socialism not be forgotten. The creation of the Foundation that justice, recognition and respect has been shown was and therefore still is of great political and moral to the surviving forced labourers. The Foundation »Remembrance, Responsibility and Future« was established in 2000, primarily to make significance for the Federal Republic of Germany. payments to former forced labourers. The payments programmes were completed in 2007. The Founda- The results of the Foundation’s work are impressive: tion’s initial capital of EUR 5.2 billion was provided by the German Government and German industry. payments of around EUR 4.4 billion were made to Of this, EUR 358 million was set aside to finance project work. The Foundation finances its long-term over 1.6 million people in almost 100 countries. funding activities out of the income generated by this capital. Dr. German Chancellor Looking back, the great difficulties THE INITIATIVE TO CREATE THE FOUNDATION EVZ PAYMENTS TO FORMER FORCED LABOURERS For the victims, recognition we faced at the outset are fading of the suffering is at least as impor- in our memory. What remains is tant as financial compensation the satisfaction at the success of Dr. h.c. Charlotte this great and historic project and Knobloch the recognition on the part of the President of the survivors that our country made Zentralrat der Juden this important gesture. in Deutschland Photo: German Government Photo: Dr. Michael (Central Council of Jansen the Jews in Germany) Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation Neither after World War II nor as a result of German reunification was any mechanism set up EVZ to compensate former forced labourers. It was not until the end of the 1990s that the German Government and the German Industry Foundation Initiative agreed to negotiations. The discussions leading to the creation of the Foundation EVZ

Only honest dialogue with young Moscow and Reconciliation, for Understanding Foundation Photo: were the first major post-war people can guarantee that our Over two million applications were received before the closing date for submissions. negotiations with representatives past will not become our future. Seven international partner organisations helped process the applications and of the victims of National Socialist barbarity from Central were responsible for the payments. Irina and Eastern Europe. Scherbakowa Memorial, Moscow Dr. Jiˇri Sitlerˇ Ambassador of the Photo: German Government Photo: Czech Republic and trustee of the Foun­ dation EVZ No country in recorded history has On 17 July 2000 Germany signed an agreement with the US Government and entered into an ever undertaken such an obliga- international agreement with Israel, Central and Eastern European states, German industry and tion and on such a scale and scope the claims lawyers. The German Government and German industry each agreed to contribute The compensation for the victims, following a war. (...) The compro- DM 5 billion to the Foundation. who had to wait over 50 years mise we reached succeeded in pro- for recognition of the injustices viding a measure of justice, while they suffered, is an important also assuring German industry of contribution towards peace and legal peace. reconciliation. FORCED LABOUR UNDER NATIONAL SOCIALISM Warsaw Reconciliation, for Polish-German Foundation Photo: Stuart E. Dr. Dieter Kastrup Eizenstat Applicants at the Foundation for Understanding and Reconciliation, the Polish partner organisation, Former ambassador Ambassador, USA in Warsaw. Up to the end of 2006, a total of EUR 4.36 billion was paid out to 1.6 million former forced and former labourers or their legal successors in 98 countries. Payments were also made for property losses, Chairman of the Board of insurance losses and personal injury in connection with National Socialist injustice. Trustees of the

Photo: Federal Archives Federal Photo: Archives Federal Photo: Foundation EVZ

The German Industry Foundation Initiative, which led to the creation of the Foundation, was The agreed payments had a a unique and unprecedented symbolic value – for many they expression of atonement by a also came too late. Nevertheless, nation’s enterprises for their the creation of the Foundation involvement in historical injustice was a breakthrough, also in Ger- and of the need to remain man-Polish relations. vigilant in the future. In establishing the Founda- Forced labour was a crime against humanity. People often had to tion, the main objective was work under inhuman conditions. Mortality rates were highest among Prof. Dr. Dr. Manfred to provide individual com- concentration camp inmates, who included many Jews, Sinti and Jerzy Kranz Gentz pensation to former forced Roma, and Soviet prisoners of war. The forced labourers worked in Former ambassador Cofounder and labourers and other victims of companies, local authorities, agriculture and even in private house- and trustee of Spokesman of the the Foundation EVZ German Industry the National Socialist regime. holds. Photo: Press and Information Office of the Federal Government of the Press and Information Office Photo: Foundation Between 1939 and 1945 more Initiative and for­ than 12 million people were mer trustee of subjected to forced labour in On 12 June 2007 the payments procedure was formally concluded at an official ceremony hosted by the Foundation EVZ Germany. German President Horst Köhler and attended by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Through the valuable work HUMANITARIAN PROJECTS THE THREE ACTIVITY AREAS Hope now lies in the future. performed by its encounter and Through the projects operated eyewitness programmes, the by the Future Fund, we must not Foundation EVZ helps to ensure only learn the lessons of history we do not forget. In the activity area A for the present and the future, but most importantly, we must keep Iris Berben IOM, 2007 Photo: CRITICAL EXAMINATION these lessons alive in the minds of Actor OF HISTORY, the Foundation Photo: Julia Gerstenberg Photo: coming generations. works to anchor the history of forced labour under National Dr. Jörg Freiherr Socialism firmly in the Euro- Frank von Fürstenwerth pean memory and to commu- Chairman of the nicate the experiences of the German Insurance The creation of the Foundation victims. It also promotes un- Association and de­ was a tangible sign of hope derstanding for the different puty trustee of the established by our civil society. portrayals of history in Europe. Foundation EVZ Dr. h.c. Chairman of Gegen Vergessen – Speaking out against injustice Für Demokratie e.V. and giving victims the recognition (Against forgetting they deserve opens up the future. – for democracy) Gesine Schwan Political scientist, As well as providing for individual payments to former victims of National Socialism, the Foundation German For me and for the victims asso- Law made funding available for humanitarian programmes. This included projects organised by the Government ciations, the major achievement Jewish Claims Conference for Jewish persecutees of National Socialism and projects that assisted per- coordinator for of the Foundation is that forced secuted Roma and Sinti. Drom (registered association) Amaro Photo: German-Polish labourers finally received public cooperation recognition and attention in Ger- up to 2009 many and in their home countries. SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS Prof. Felix Kolmer Concentration The Foundation EVZ makes a camp survivor and In the activity area WORKING FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, the Foundation initiates international projects valuable contribution to interna- deputy chairman that promote human rights education, combat right-wing extremism, anti-Semitism and modern tional understanding and human of the International forced labour, and work to help the victims. We support the descendants of minority groups that were rights education. Auschwitz Commit­ Julia Gerstenberg Photo: persecuted under National Socialism, for example young Sinti and Roma from different countries. tee, Czech Republic The most important aim is to learn the lessons of history for today. Member of the German Bundestag and trustee of the Foundation EVZ

For me, one of the most important In the third activity area, features of the Foundation EVZ is COMMITMENT TO THE The work of the Foundation EVZ that it makes the connection bet- VICTIMS OF NATIONAL is an outstanding contribution to ween human rights violations in SOCIALISM, we support the process of coming to terms the past and the current situation humanitarian welfare services. with National Socialist injustice. of people in Europe. In addition, the Foundation Dr. Lauren Karplus initiates projects that promote Parliamentary Scholarship recip­ recognition and respect for the State Secretary and ient in the Berlin life achievements of the vic- trustee of the Foun­ scholarships pro­ tims of National Socialism and dation EVZ gramme operated which strengthen their partici- by the Foundation EVZ and the Hum­ The Foundation EVZ was entrusted with a second statutory mandate when it was created, namely to pation in community life. In boldt University, support international projects. Unlike the payments programmes, this is a permanent task. the DIALOGUE FORUM fund- Berlin Since 2000, the Foundation has provided a total of EUR 53 million for over 2,000 projects. Photo: Thomas Serwuschok, Photography competition 2008, Foundation EVZ ing programme, we support The Foundation’s support is delivered through three activity areas: A critical examination of history, projects in Belarus, Ukraine Working for human rights, and Commitment to the victims of National Socialism. and Russia. Money is not everything, but you REMEMBRANCE AND UNDERSTANDING RESPECT AND DIALOGUE The compensation of the forced can do much good with it. And labourers from World War II was the Foundation EVZ has certainly Today, many survivors of National Socialist crimes and those who of the utmost necessity and an ex- done that over the last ten years. suffered forced labour, inhuman imprisonment and other tremely important token of moral We thank you for working togeth- injustices live in poverty and social isolation. As they get older or if reparation. A contribution to hu- er with us for the benefit of needy man understanding and peace. they fall ill, the physical and psychological consequences victims of National Socialism, and Avi Primor we look forward to continuing our of their suffering become more acute. Director of the cooperation in future projects. Centre for Euro­ We wish you all the best for the The huge need for medical and social care demands an pean Studies at IDC future. international response. By strengthening the social welfare Herzliya, a private systems in these countries we can help improve conditions Dariusz Pawło´s university in Israel; for the survivors and give them a chance to grow old in dignity. Chairman of the former ambassador Foundation for and former mem­ German-Polish The Foundation EVZ recognises its special responsibility for the ber of the Board Cooperation and surviving victims of National Socialism. Through humanitarian of Directors of the trustee of the projects, the DIALOGUE FORUM programme and the ENCOUNTER Foundation EVZ Foundation EVZ PROGRAMME, the Foundation supports projects that improve the Photo: Falk Froehlich, Photography competition 2008, Foundation EVZ competition 2008, Foundation Photography Froehlich, Falk Photo: Keeping alive the memory of National Socialist injustices for future generations is of central situation of the victims and promote intergenerational dialogue. importance in the Foundation’s funding activities. We established the first funding programme in 2002 – encounters with former forced labourers and other victims of National Socialism. Since then, we have supported 3,900 such encounters.

This keystone (in the legislation on reparations) at the same time laid The future of the Foundation EVZ the groundwork for a permanent in my view lies above all in grant-giving Foundation that was fighting the discrimination faced established through the active by ethnic minorities and in en- support of German industry with hancing international 6,500 private donors. The solution, understanding by bringing The internet archive »Forced Labour which involved the state and together representatives the private sector, was without 1939–1945« commemorates the people who

Photo: CeDiS, Freie Universitaet, Berlin Universitaet, Freie CeDiS, Photo: of many nations. precedent. were forced to work for Nazi Germany. Veronika Dr. Ulrich Bopp Almost 600 former forced labourers from 26 countries tell their stories in extensive Patoˇcková Former member of Student in the audio and video interviews. the Board of Direc­ Berlin scholarships tors of the Founda­ programme tion EVZ

The terrible injustice and pain

suffered by former forced labour- EVZ Foundation Zappner, Jan Photo: ers cannot be made good through In summer programmes and money. However, what we are internships, young people have doing is making a humanitarian come face to face with human gesture and an important contri- rights issues, explored questions bution to bringing about reconcili- that concern minorities and taken ation with our former military a close look at diversity and how opponents and the State of Israel. we deal with it. Many have Dr. Hans Otto written to tell us how this has

Bräutigam 2008 EVZ competition of the Foundation Photography Photo: changed their lives. EUROPEANS FOR PEACE is the largest German funding programme for international youth projects Former ambassador Cornelia and former Chair­ between Germany, Central and Eastern Europe and Israel. The programme was launched in 2005 Schmalz- man of the Board to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. Since then, we have provided funding of Jacobsen of Directors of the EUR 4.25 million for around 330 projects. In this programme, the Foundation supports international Former Chair of Foundation EVZ school and youth partnerships that implement cross-border projects. Humanity in Action Deutschland e.V. EXHIBITION ON FORCED LABOUR

UNDER NATIONAL SOCIALISM PUBLISHED BY: The Foundation »Remembrance, Responsibility and Future« »The Germans – their forced labourers and the war« Lindenstraße 20–25 An exhibition organised by the Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora Memorials 10969 Berlin Foundation at the Jewish Museum Berlin, initiated and supported by the Phone +49 (0)30 25 92 97-0 Foundation »Remembrance, Responsibility and Future« Fax +49 (0)30 25 92 97-11 [email protected] The exhibition »Forced labour. The Germans – their forced labourers and the war« www.stiftung-evz.de tells the complete history of this crime for the first time. Over 20 million people in the German Reich and countries under German occupation were subjected to forced labour. The exhibition shows how forced labour was part of the racist social system CONCEPT AND TEXT: Franka Kühn of the National Socialist state from the outset. The Volksgemeinschaft­ (Hitler’s racial EDITORIAL TEAM: Tatjana Brode, Colornoise community) and the forced labour imposed on those excluded from this community were part of the same ideology. LAYOUT AND DESIGN: David Sernau, dakato … design. Berlin PRINT: FATA Morgana Verlag, Berlin German President Horst Köhler is patron of the exhibition.

28 September 2010–30 January 2011 PHOTO CREDITS: at the Jewish Museum Berlin. All photographs that document the work of the Foundation are taken from the Foundation’s photo archive. www.ausstellung-zwangsarbeit.org

© Foundation »Remembrance, Responsibility and Future«, Berlin 2010 All rights reserved. Texts, photos and graphics may not be duplicated and disseminated without the written approval of the editorial team.

A dossier on the subject »Foundation EVZ – The First Decade« and the complete quotations cited in this publication are available at www.stiftung-evz.de Photos: Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora Memorials Foundation