750:
27:
828:. Furthermore, the nationalization of private property by Poland's former communist government did not apply only to Germans but was enforced on all people, regardless of ethnic background. A further complication is that many of the current Polish population in historical eastern Germany are themselves expellees (or descendants of expellees) who, totaling 1.6 million, were driven from
473:
1.3 million members (including non-displaced persons), and to be a political force of some influence in
Germany. This figure was disputed in January 2010 by the German news service DDP, which reported an actual membership of 550,000. According to Erika Steinbach only 100,000 of the members contribute financially.
314:. Not to mention any sign of apologies for the suffering of the murdered people", "avoids mentioning the reasons for expulsions" and called the document "example of German art of crowding out the truth (...) The fact that the charter completely ignores the reasons for the expulsions deprives it of any value".
416:
was amended to state that
Germany's territory had reached its full extent. Article 146 was amended so that Article 23 of the current constitution could be used for reunification. Once the five "reestablished federal states" in the east had been united with the west, the Basic Law was amended again to
403:
In 1989–1990 the West German government realized they had an opportunity to reunify the
Federal Republic of Germany and the Soviet created German Democratic Republic. But they believed that if this were to be achieved, it had to be done quickly. One of the potential complications was the claim to the
835:
Some German-speakers had been settled in occupied Poland after 1939 by the Nazis. Treating these ex-colonists as expellees under German law, Erika
Steinbach included, adds to the controversy. However, the vast majority of expelled Germans were descended from families who had lived in Eastern Europe
472:
according to their current residence, and 5 associate member organizations. It is the single representative federation for the approximately 15 million
Germans who after fleeing, being expelled, evacuated or emigrating, found refuge in the Federal Republic of Germany. The Federation claims to have
823:
The refugees' claims were unanimously rejected by the affected countries and became a source of mistrust between
Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic. These governments argue that the expulsion of Germans and related border changes were not enacted by the Polish or Czech governments, but rather
268:) of 5 August 1950, announced their belief in requiring that "the right to the homeland is recognized and carried out as one of the fundamental rights of mankind given by God", while renouncing revenge and retaliation in the face of the "unending suffering" (
345:, "the spouse and the descendants" of an expellee are to be treated as if they were expellees themselves, regardless of whether they had been personally displaced. The Federation of Expellees has steadily lobbied to preserve the inheritability clause.
1165:
412:(Two Plus Four Agreement), which officially re-established the sovereignty of both German states. A condition of this agreement was that Germany accept the post-World War II frontiers. Upon reunification in 1990, the
371:
Previous West German governments, especially those led by the
Christian Democratic Union, had shown more rhetorical support for the territorial claims made on behalf of German refugees and expellees. Although the
359:(League of Expellees and Deprived of Rights), formed in 1950, represented the interests of displaced German expellees. Intriguingly, in its first few years, the league was more successful in West Germany than in
448:
Recently Erika
Steinbach, the chair of the Federation of Expellees, has rejected any compensation claims. The vice president of the Federation Rudi Pawelka is however a chairman of the supervisory board of the
279:
and
Germans who were forced to emigrate due to Nazi repressions. Critics argue that the Charter presents the history of German people as starting from the expulsions, while ignoring events like the
1118:
Reported by ARD News service in
January 2010. The figure of 550,000 does not include the State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The news report mentioned that an expert in the area of Expellees Prof.
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501:
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Beata Ociepka, "Związek Wypędzonych w systemie politycznym RFN i jego wpływ na stosunki polsko-niemieckie 1982–1992", page 235, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego, 1997
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organizations openly distributed their materials at BdV meetings. While the BdV officially denied involvement in this, no steps were taken to address the concerns raised.
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to their ancestral homes are matters which the current German government, German constitutional arrangements and German treaty obligations have virtually closed.
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alleged that over one third of the Federation top officials were former Nazi activists, and based this on a 2006 article published by the German magazine
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of the University WĂĽrzburg as saying that a decline in BdV membership is understandable because it "mirrors the death of the generation of that era"
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187:
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508:. He stepped down from cabinet and other positions in 1964 amid controversy about his war-time background. KrĂĽger was succeeded as president by
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and Eastern Europe, even when this conflicts with the interests of the displaced people. The issue of the eastern border and the return of the
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413:
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400:. In reality, accepting the internationally recognized boundary made it more possible for eastern Germans to visit their lost homelands.
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had written this not in respect to the Federation of Expellees, but instead about a previous organization that was dissolved in 1957.
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The federation helps its members to integrate into German society. Many of the members assist the societies of their place of birth.
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pointed out that one third of signatories were former devoted Nazis and many actively helped in realisation of Hitler's goals.
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historical eastern territories of Germany; unless this was renounced, some foreign governments might not agree to
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and their families (usually naturalised as German nationals after 1949) who either fled their homes in parts of
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The Federation of Expellees was formed on 27 October 1957 in West Germany. Before its founding, the
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860:. A recent study confirmed that 13 members of the first council of the Federation had Nazi pasts.
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384:, Social Democrats in more recent decades have generally been less supportive – and it was under
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on 27 October 1957 to represent the interests of German nationals of all ethnicities and foreign
37:
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government passed several laws dealing with German expellees. The most notable of these is the "
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A European organisation for expellees has been formed: EUFV. Headquarters is Trieste, Italy.
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244:(in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War) and prior to this, the northern part of
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272:) of the previous decade, and supporting the unified effort to rebuild Germany and Europe.
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for many centuries, while the majority of German colonists in Nazi-occupied Poland were
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The German Law of Return declared refugee status to be inheritable. According to the
437:). Chairwoman of this Center is Erika Steinbach, who headed it together with former
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there were no other parts of Germany, which existed outside of the unified territory
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When in government, both CDU and SPD have tended to favor improved relations with
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1185:"Aktuelle Nachrichten – Inland Ausland Wirtschaft Kultur Sport – ARD Tagesschau"
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It is estimated that in the aftermath of World War II between 13 and 16 million
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1024:"Karta Wypędzonych: pojednanie czy relatywizacja? | DW | 05.08.2010"
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The charter has been criticised for avoiding mentioning Nazi atrocities of
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In 2000 the Federation of Expellees also initiated the formation of the
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to any ethnic German. Several additions were later made to these laws.
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towards ethnic Germans were available for sale, as were recordings of
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reported that during BdV meetings in 2003, publications expressing
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1093:"Gesetz ĂĽber die Angelegenheiten der Vertriebenen und FlĂĽchtlinge"
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and were forced to leave their homes and property behind as well.
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in 1964 who held the position until his untimely death in 1966.
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Federal Minister for Displaced Persons, Refugees and War Victims
500:(CDU), was a member of parliament from 1957 to 1965, served as
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1153:"League of German Expellees Unwilling to Investigate Own Past"
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From 1959 to 1964, the first president of the Federation was
408:. The West German government under the CDU accepted the 1990
396:
as the eastern German border with Poland under his policy of
1155:, Deutsche Welle (14 August 2006). Retrieved 29 October 2017
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and other East European Germans themselves displaced by the
1286:
Speech to the German expellees, Day of the Homeland, Berlin
241:
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All-German Bloc/League of Expellees and Deprived of Rights
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showed strong support for the expellees, especially under
1140:, deutschlandfunk (05.01.2010). Retrieved 29 October 2017
1317:
Non-profit organisations based in North Rhine-Westphalia
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Landsmannschaft der Oberschlesier e.V. – Bundesverband –
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The expellees are organized in 21 regional associations
200:
from parts of Central and Eastern Europe, including the
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Landsmannschaft der SiebenbĂĽrger Sachsen in Deutschland
317:
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Treaty on the Final Settlement With Respect to Germany
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Landsmannschaft der Donauschwaben, Bundesverband e.V.
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Landsmannschaft der Dobrudscha und Bulgariendeutschen
154:
Since 2014 the president of the Federation has been
1042:"Streit ĂĽber Vertriebenen-Charta zum 60. Jahrestag"
51:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
259:
1291:United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
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504:for 4 months in 1963–64 in the First Cabinet of
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492:judge and activist. After the war KrĂĽger was a
16:German organization for expelled ethnic Germans
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672:Landsmannschaft Weichsel-Warthe Bundesverband
661:Sudetendeutsche Landsmannschaft Bundesverband
523:(resigned from his post due to his Nazi past)
264:The Charter of the German Expellees (German:
1143:
778:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
726:Landesverband Sachsen / Schlesische Lausitz
188:Flight and expulsion of Germans (1944–1950)
158:, who arrived in West Germany in 1984 as a
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643:Landsmannschaft der Deutschen aus Russland
302:"the Charter doesn't contain a word about
1182:
798:Learn how and when to remove this message
628:Landsmannschaft der Deutschen aus Litauen
622:Karpatendeutsche Landsmannschaft Slowakei
590:Landsmannschaft der Banater Schwaben e.V.
135:) is a non-profit organization formed in
111:Learn how and when to remove this message
1068:"Erika Steinbach ist keine Revanchistin"
830:Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union
667:Landsmannschaft der Deutschen aus Ungarn
598:Landsmannschaft der Bessarabiendeutschen
942:Organised persecution of ethnic Germans
896:In February 2009, the Polish newspaper
604:Landsmannschaft der Buchenlanddeutschen
594:Landsmannschaft Berlin-Mark Brandenburg
563:
366:
266:Charta der deutschen Heimatvertriebenen
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651:in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland e.V.
649:Landsmannschaft der Sathmarer Schwaben
170:, and who has since been elected as a
1227:Erika Steinbach, Polnisches Feindbild
202:former eastern territories of Germany
1312:Aftermath of World War II in Germany
1277:Spätaussiedler und Heimatvertriebene
776:adding citations to reliable sources
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711:Landesverband Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
318:German laws concerning the expellees
49:adding citations to reliable sources
20:
1322:Post–World War II forced migrations
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1106:"Bund der Vertriebenen: Rechtsform"
1095:Par. 7/2. Retrieved 29 October 2017
256:and other East European countries.
13:
1289:6 August 2005 Lasso was the first
521:BdV - Der BdV - Geschichte des BdV
14:
1338:
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885:, including songs glorifying the
717:Landesverband Nordrhein-Westfalen
172:Christian Social Union in Bavaria
1199:"Odwetowcy czy ofiary historii?"
957:Nazi–Soviet population transfers
842:Nazi-Soviet population transfers
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732:Landesverband Schleswig-Holstein
25:
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1176:
1166:"Biography at spd-wiesbaden.de"
690:Landesverband Baden-WĂĽrttemberg
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260:Charter of the German Expellees
149:expelled following World War II
36:needs additional citations for
1232:Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
1138:"Der lange Weg der Versöhnung"
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1:
1244:"DafĂĽr fehlen uns die Mittel"
1074:(in German). 27 February 2009
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947:Pursuit of Nazi collaborators
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435:Zentrum gegen Vertreibungen
356:Bund der Heimatvertriebenen
349:Formation of the Federation
10:
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1048:(in German). 5 August 2010
982:History of the Czech lands
952:German eastward settlement
926:, German amateur historian
637:Pommersche Landsmannschaft
575:Landsmannschaft OstpreuĂźen
498:Christian Democratic Union
326:was passed, and 1991, the
240:of (now) Russia, hitherto
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145:Central and Eastern Europe
1275:For latest developments:
699:Landesverband Brandenburg
580:Landsmannschaft Schlesien
431:Center Against Expulsions
60:"Federation of Expellees"
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424:
421:, that had not acceded.
1327:Conservatism in Germany
848:Alleged Nazi background
735:Landesverband ThĂĽringen
639:– Zentralverband – e.V.
322:Between 1953, when the
125:Federation of Expellees
910:, later revealed that
873:and accusing Poles of
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204:(parts of present-day
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1267:Bund der Vertriebenen
871:anti-Polish sentiment
705:Landesverband Hamburg
441:politician Prof. Dr.
129:Bund der Vertriebenen
967:History of Pomerania
824:were ordered by the
772:improve this section
708:Landesverband Hessen
702:Landesverband Bremen
696:Landesverband Berlin
693:Landesverband Bayern
564:Member organizations
406:German reunification
367:German reunification
343:Federal Expellee Law
324:Federal Expellee Law
299:Hamburger Abendblatt
45:improve this article
1269:– Official homepage
906:. The German paper
466:(Landsmannschaften)
160:Transylvanian Saxon
147:, or were forcibly
1234:, (16 March 2009).
977:History of Prussia
972:History of Silesia
887:Invasion of Poland
826:Potsdam Conference
723:Landesverband Saar
496:politician of the
336:German citizenship
238:Kaliningrad Oblast
1307:Landsmannschaften
1224:Stefan Dietrich,
1120:Matthias Stickler
962:History of Poland
817:Heimatvertriebene
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232:(mostly from the
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1078:19 November
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912:Der Spiegel
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