( 09.05.2004 )

Institutional child abuse in Germany!

"Former institutionalised children" of Germany, who were forced by the State and by the Churches into »slave labour«, and who were severely abused (1945-1985), are making it known worldwide:

It so happens that according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted and proclaimed at the General Assembly of the United Nations on 10 December 1948, and according to the German Constitution, which came into effect on 23 May 1949, »forced labour« / »slave labour« in the Federal Republic of Germany was totally outlawed.

As far as "former institutionalised children" in Germany were concerned, however, the State and the Churches, over several decades, were acting in total disregard of the Constitution. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of German children were affected in West-Germany between 1945 and 1985. Accurate figures are being kept secret by those responsible, and many files are being kept hidden or have been destroyed. And the print media in Germany to date by and large is keeping a closed lid on the scandal. German history books do not mention it.

Most of the victims are still alive, not only in Germany, but in many foreign lands, to which they fled afterwards; and many of these victims are continuing to suffer the consequences of the abuse they were subjected to at the hands of their "carers" in their childhood and youth, in the *postwar* "Fatherland".

It is now expected from the two official German Churches and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany that they conduct themselves honourably by making amends, commencing to proceed similarly to the course of action taken by the Canadians in 1999/2000, able to be inspected @ http://www.lcc.gc.ca/en/themes/mr/ica/2000/html/apology.asp (advanced knowledge of English required).

Internationally: *Union of now activist adults abused as children in church homes in Germany, 1945-1985* = *Bund der (jezt aktiven) von den Kirchen in Deutschland in Heimen misshandelten Kinder, 1945-1985*
and
throughout Germany: *Federal Associaten of German Children severely abused in Institutional Care, 1945-1985* = *Bundes-Interessengemeinschaft der misshandelten und missbrauchten Heimkinder Deutschlands, 1945-1985*

Our present and only Webpage: http://www.freistatt.de.vu (operated, without censorship, from Australia).

For further information, please contact Martin Mitchell, in Australia, @ [email protected].

Humanity and sensibility are a necessity here, not continuing silence or even censorship (as is being perpetrated by certain politicians and church leaders in Germany today)!
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"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance!"
Freiheit bedarf ständiger Wachsamkeit!

[ Date of first publication on this Website: 09 May 2004 ]