Recently, we had the opportunity to welcome Professor Frank Bösch, Director of the Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History Potsdam, to our Cologne Begegnungscafé (“community café”). The Begegnungscafé is a protected space where survivors of Nazi persecution and their descendants regularly come together to share their experiences and stay connected through dialogue. Many of the participants are also Jewish contingent refugees from the former Soviet Union and its successor states.
As part of his current research project on migration in the context of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Professor Bösch spoke on site with eyewitnesses who came to Germany in the early 1990s - and in some cases even earlier - as Jews from the Soviet Union and other (post-)socialist countries. The conversations were translated and accompanied by Professor Katja Makhotina, Professor of Eastern European History at FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg.
In the interview with Professor Bösch, it became clear how little visible these life stories still are in public awareness today. He describes it as follows:
“In public perception, they are actually not very visible, except perhaps in the literary world, because many Jewish immigrants - especially younger ones - have written books. [...] In academic research, there are studies from the 1990s that are based on interviews. However, archive-based studies like the one I am currently conducting do not yet exist.”
Professor Bösch also emphasized the importance of Community and Testimony Cafés:
“Storytelling cafés are extremely important because they bring together eyewitnesses and survivors of terrible events. The fact that I am able to speak here today with around ten eyewitnesses is only possible because of such a storytelling café.”
While the work of the cafés in Cologne is currently secured, the locations in Düsseldorf and Recklinghausen are facing closure due to a funding freeze. Without reliable support, it is becoming increasingly difficult to preserve these protected spaces for survivors of Nazi persecution in the long term.
In order to ensure that these important places can continue to exist in the future, we rely on support.
Please help by making a donation via betterplace: Betterplace donation page.
Recently, we had the opportunity to welcome Professor Frank Bösch, Director of the Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History Potsdam, to our Cologne Begegnungscafé (“community café”). The Begegnungscafé is a protected space where survivors of Nazi persecution and their descendants regularly come together to share their experiences and stay connected through dialogue. Many of the participants are also Jewish contingent refugees from the former Soviet Union and its successor states.
As part of his current research project on migration in the context of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Professor Bösch spoke on site with eyewitnesses who came to Germany in the early 1990s - and in some cases even earlier - as Jews from the Soviet Union and other (post-)socialist countries. The conversations were translated and accompanied by Professor Katja Makhotina, Professor of Eastern European History at FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg.
In the interview with Professor Bösch, it became clear how little visible these life stories still are in public awareness today. He describes it as follows:
“In public perception, they are actually not very visible, except perhaps in the literary world, because many Jewish immigrants - especially younger ones - have written books. [...] In academic research, there are studies from the 1990s that are based on interviews. However, archive-based studies like the one I am currently conducting do not yet exist.”
Professor Bösch also emphasized the importance of Community and Testimony Cafés:
“Storytelling cafés are extremely important because they bring together eyewitnesses and survivors of terrible events. The fact that I am able to speak here today with around ten eyewitnesses is only possible because of such a storytelling café.”
While the work of the cafés in Cologne is currently secured, the locations in Düsseldorf and Recklinghausen are facing closure due to a funding freeze. Without reliable support, it is becoming increasingly difficult to preserve these protected spaces for survivors of Nazi persecution in the long term.
In order to ensure that these important places can continue to exist in the future, we rely on support.
Please help by making a donation via betterplace: Betterplace donation page.
Recently, we had the opportunity to welcome Professor Frank Bösch, Director of the Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History Potsdam, to our Cologne Begegnungscafé (“community café”). The Begegnungscafé is a protected space where survivors of Nazi persecution and their descendants regularly come together to share their experiences and stay connected through dialogue. Many of the participants are also Jewish contingent refugees from the former Soviet Union and its successor states.
As part of his current research project on migration in the context of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Professor Bösch spoke on site with eyewitnesses who came to Germany in the early 1990s - and in some cases even earlier - as Jews from the Soviet Union and other (post-)socialist countries. The conversations were translated and accompanied by Professor Katja Makhotina, Professor of Eastern European History at FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg.
In the interview with Professor Bösch, it became clear how little visible these life stories still are in public awareness today. He describes it as follows:
“In public perception, they are actually not very visible, except perhaps in the literary world, because many Jewish immigrants - especially younger ones - have written books. [...] In academic research, there are studies from the 1990s that are based on interviews. However, archive-based studies like the one I am currently conducting do not yet exist.”
Professor Bösch also emphasized the importance of Community and Testimony Cafés:
“Storytelling cafés are extremely important because they bring together eyewitnesses and survivors of terrible events. The fact that I am able to speak here today with around ten eyewitnesses is only possible because of such a storytelling café.”
While the work of the cafés in Cologne is currently secured, the locations in Düsseldorf and Recklinghausen are facing closure due to a funding freeze. Without reliable support, it is becoming increasingly difficult to preserve these protected spaces for survivors of Nazi persecution in the long term.
In order to ensure that these important places can continue to exist in the future, we rely on support.
Please help by making a donation via betterplace: Betterplace donation page.
Recently, we had the opportunity to welcome Professor Frank Bösch, Director of the Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History Potsdam, to our Cologne Begegnungscafé (“community café”). The Begegnungscafé is a protected space where survivors of Nazi persecution and their descendants regularly come together to share their experiences and stay connected through dialogue. Many of the participants are also Jewish contingent refugees from the former Soviet Union and its successor states.
As part of his current research project on migration in the context of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Professor Bösch spoke on site with eyewitnesses who came to Germany in the early 1990s - and in some cases even earlier - as Jews from the Soviet Union and other (post-)socialist countries. The conversations were translated and accompanied by Professor Katja Makhotina, Professor of Eastern European History at FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg.
In the interview with Professor Bösch, it became clear how little visible these life stories still are in public awareness today. He describes it as follows:
“In public perception, they are actually not very visible, except perhaps in the literary world, because many Jewish immigrants - especially younger ones - have written books. [...] In academic research, there are studies from the 1990s that are based on interviews. However, archive-based studies like the one I am currently conducting do not yet exist.”
Professor Bösch also emphasized the importance of Community and Testimony Cafés:
“Storytelling cafés are extremely important because they bring together eyewitnesses and survivors of terrible events. The fact that I am able to speak here today with around ten eyewitnesses is only possible because of such a storytelling café.”
While the work of the cafés in Cologne is currently secured, the locations in Düsseldorf and Recklinghausen are facing closure due to a funding freeze. Without reliable support, it is becoming increasingly difficult to preserve these protected spaces for survivors of Nazi persecution in the long term.
In order to ensure that these important places can continue to exist in the future, we rely on support.
Please help by making a donation via betterplace: Betterplace donation page.
How does Nazi persecution continue to shape the present day? Which stories are remembered — and which remained untold for a long time?
In our interview series “Voices of the Descendant Generations”, eight descendants of victims of Nazi persecution have spoken so far. They share their family histories and speak very personally about the impact persecution had on their families. One recurring theme is trauma that continues across generations, as well as decades of silence.
At the same time, they discuss their perspectives on remembrance culture in Germany, society’s handling of the Nazi past, and their experiences with antisemitism.
Previous interview guests include, among others:
You can find the interviews on YouTube. More videos will follow.
As there are now only a small number of survivors left who can speak about their experiences under the Nazi regime, the perspectives of descendants are becoming increasingly important for remembrance culture.
Their perspectives can help raise awareness about the consequences of group-focused hatred and discrimination and demonstrate how persecution, exclusion, and disenfranchisement can affect entire families across generations. Yet to this day, many people remain largely unaware of their perspectives and of the impact the Nazi era continues to have on their lives. We believe it is important to give space to their family histories and personal experiences and to ensure that their voices are heard.
No time to watch the full-length interviews? You can also find the descendants’ personal accounts on our website.
Are you looking for speakers for your educational project? Through the Federal Association, teachers, schools, and other multipliers can request descendants of victims of Nazi persecution as speakers for workshops, discussions, and storytelling cafés. If you are interested, please contact us via email at info@nsberatung.de.
At least 160 survivors of Nazi persecution are currently affected by the loss of key social support programs. Following the unexpected termination of funding by the Foundation “Remembrance, Responsibility and Future” (EVZ), the Community and Testimony Cafés in Düsseldorf and Recklinghausen as well as the project "Warm Home" are now facing an uncertain future.
These programs are aimed at elderly survivors, many of whom still suffer from the long-term consequences of persecution, displacement, and trauma. The regular gatherings provide protected spaces for exchange, social participation, and mutual support, helping to counter isolation in old age.
In the community cafés, survivors meet regularly, accompanied by staff members and volunteers. Several times a year, public testimony cafés are held where contemporary witnesses share their life stories with school classes and interested visitors. These personal encounters make an important contribution to historical and civic education and help prevent antisemitism, racism, and right-wing extremism.
The "Warm Home" project focuses in particular on survivors of Nazi persecution with a migration background, especially Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Since 2009, social networks have been formed in private homes that foster integration, reduce loneliness, and enable mutual support. The project is now implemented in several cities across North Rhine–Westphalia.
“For the participants, these programs are not a ‘nice to have’ but an essential social anchor in everyday life,” explains Dr. Jost Rebentisch, Managing Director of the Federal Association. “Without new funding, they face closure. This would have immediate consequences for people who have already experienced exclusion and persecution.”
The current situation affects the Federal Association during an already challenging period: at the end of 2025, funding for the successful social media education project #ZumFeindGemacht also came to an end. Several projects are therefore under financial pressure at the same time.
To ensure the continuation of these programs, a public fundraising appeal has been launched. Donations will help secure the community initiatives, prevent social isolation, and continue remembrance work with survivors.
Further information and donation options can be found on the Betterplace donation page.
In its decision of 26 February 2026, the Administrative Court of Cologne prohibited the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, in summary proceedings, from classifying the AfD nationwide as “confirmed right-wing extremist.” This applies until a decision is reached in the main proceedings that are still pending. Since this ruling, there has been significantly less public attention on the question of initiating a ban procedure against this party. We consider this to be wrong.
In the process of overcoming the Nazi dictatorship, Germany adopted a Basic Law in 1949 that contains instruments enabling us to protect our liberal democracy from those who seek to abolish it. These include bans on associations and political parties, which are decided upon in due process under the rule of law. Only the Federal Constitutional Court can assess and decide on the initiation of a party ban procedure.
For decades, we have been actively and non-partisanly representing the interests of those persecuted under Nazi rule and their descendants. Many of them express great concern in light of the renewed strengthening of a far-right party. For us, this is a clear signal that we too should resolutely advocate for the examination of a possible party ban. We consider inaction in the face of a threat to our liberal democracy to be fatal.
And you can also take action:
With your vote, you can send a clear message in support of our democracy and against its endangerment by far-right parties. There are several petitions, such as one by an alliance of more than 100 groups in North Rhine-Westphalia, which calls on the state government to initiate an AfD ban procedure via the Bundesrat. According to the initiators of the "NRW-Appells", more than 80,000 signatures have already been collected across the state. The Initiative PRÜF ("Prüfung Rettet Übrigens Freiheit!") is also collecting signatures and calling for activities in support of the simple demand: “All parties classified by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as a suspected far-right case or as confirmed right-wing extremist should be reviewed by the Federal Constitutional Court.”
Such a review can only be requested by the Bundestag, the Bundesrat, or the Federal Government.
We call on all three to live up to their responsibility for our democratic society, to now clarify whether the conditions for such procedures are met, and to initiate them where appropriate.
More than 1,000 organisations and individuals – ranging from educational institutions and church communities to state sports associations – have addressed an open letter to Federal Minister for Family Affairs Karin Prien. The occasion is the announced budget cuts and restructuring of the federal programme “Democracy Lives!”. We would like to use this open letter as an opportunity to contextualise current developments – and to draw attention to a political line that, in our view, goes far beyond individual funding decisions.
Already last year, the CDU/CSU sent a clear signal with its parliamentary inquiry on the “political neutrality of state-funded organisations” ("politische Neutralität staatlich geförderter Organisationen"): 551 questions concerning 14 NGOs fundamentally called into question the non-profit status and legitimacy of civil society actors. Many organisations experienced this as a vote of no confidence and an attempt to delegitimise critical voices.
In 2026, the next step followed: three left-leaning bookshops were excluded from the German Bookshop Prize. The justification of “concerns relevant to constitutional protection” remained vague and without transparent basis. Here too, the impression arises that political classification increasingly determines who receives funding – and who does not.
A similar pattern can be observed in the case of the democracy project “Mut-Muskel-Training” by the organisation “Radikale Töchter”: despite having already passed expert evaluation and being approved for funding by the Federal Agency for Civic Education, the project was halted by ministerial intervention – without any comprehensible justification. Internal voices even warned of potential legal consequences and damage to the credibility of state institutions. Observers see a possible connection to previous sharp criticism of the project initiator directed at Federal Chancellor Merz.
Now, the programme “Democracy Lives!” ("Demokratie leben!") is affected.
Around 200 projects are to be discontinued, including initiatives against antisemitism, against digital violence, against racism, and for the empowerment of marginalised groups. These are projects that have been built up over years – and whose impact is, in some cases, still being evaluated. The minister’s justification: greater efficiency, greater impact, and stronger orientation towards the “centre of society.”
This reasoning is supported by commentators such as Nikolaus Blome, who describe criticism from civil society as exaggerated. His thesis: it is legitimate and necessary to review publicly funded projects in terms of usefulness and efficiency – and resistance to this reflects more self-righteousness than substantive argumentation.
From our perspective, this view falls short.
It ignores key contradictions: while the review of democratic projects is presented as responsible fiscal policy, decisions are simultaneously being made that contradict professional standards:
A look at the initiatives directly affected also shows that this is by no means only about abstract “efficiency questions,” but about very concrete work on the ground – such as counselling for victims of digital violence, educational work after right-wing terrorist attacks, or projects against antisemitism in sport. At the same time, public discourse is shaping a narrative that discredits this work: civil society projects are portrayed as part of a “left-wing milieu” seeking to evade state control. The fact that many programmes demonstrably have positive effects and are regularly evaluated is increasingly pushed into the background.
Particularly problematic is the resulting uncertainty:
These questions do not concern individual projects alone.
They concern the foundations of civil society engagement as a whole. A vibrant democracy depends on independent actors being able to criticise, contribute perspectives, and represent uncomfortable positions without fear of sanctions.
In addition, there is the central question of the much-cited “centre of society”:
Minister Prien justified the approach by stating that the focus should be more strongly on the “centre of society.” Who is meant by this? And who is implicitly excluded? Current practice suggests that projects dealing with racism, antisemitism, or right-wing violence are particularly coming under pressure. The temporal and substantive sequence – from the parliamentary inquiry to the exclusion of bookshops to the current budget cuts – can therefore hardly be understood as a mere series of isolated decisions. Rather, it creates the impression of a political strategy through which critical civil society is increasingly placed under justification pressure.
We share the concerns of the signatories of the open letter:
If funding decisions are perceived as a political steering instrument, trust in state programmes suffers, as does confidence in the framework conditions for democratic engagement overall.
Practices in which financial support appears to be tied to political conformity are primarily known from authoritarian contexts. In a pluralistic democracy, they must have no place – because democracy lives from diversity, from dissent, and from a strong, independent civil society.
On 26 March 2026, we had the honour of receiving a special award in Düsseldorf: our project “Volunteer Visiting and Accompanying Service” („Ehrenamtlicher Besuchs- und Begleitdienst“) was recognised with a special prize as part of the volunteer award “Volunteering creates encounters” („Ehrenamt schafft Begegnung“) by the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (Ministerium für Arbeit, Gesundheit und Soziales des Landes NRW).
Out of a total of 183 nominated projects, ten award recipients were selected – with an additional two special prizes being awarded. We are very pleased that our commitment has been recognised in this way.
The award ceremony took place in Düsseldorf and was opened by Minister Karl-Josef Laumann.
For us, the special prize represents great recognition and, above all, an appreciation of the dedication of our committed and long-standing volunteers.
At the ordinary general meeting on 13 March 2026, the Board of the Federal Association was newly elected. The successful work of recent years is reflected in a high degree of personnel continuity: Chairperson Volker Kirchesch, Deputy Chairperson Hanna Brabanski, and the assessors Frank-Ludwig Thiel, Emanuel Reithofer, Michael Teupen, and Alexander Bakalejnik were re-elected.
There has been one change in the position of Treasurer: this role has been newly filled by Britta Engel. Britta Engel will assume responsibility for the Federal Association’s financial affairs in the future. We would like to sincerely thank the outgoing Treasurer, Inge Spiecker, for her many years of commitment and valuable work, and warmly welcome Britta Engel as the new Treasurer.
With this re-election, the Federal Association considers itself well positioned to continue its existing projects and set new impulses. The overarching goal remains to further develop the work of the Federal Association in line with its statutory mandate: supporting survivors of Nazi persecution and their descendants, as well as advancing historical-political education work.
It is with great sadness that we bid farewell to Richard Reinisch, a survivor of Nazi persecution who tirelessly shared his story well into old age and dedicated himself to remembrance, education, and humanity.
Richard Reinisch was born in 1929. His childhood was marked by flight, violence, and existential threat. The invasion of Poland by the German Wehrmacht, and later of the Soviet Union, forced him into an endless escape through Poland, the Soviet Union, and eventually to Budapest. During the period of Nazi persecution, his father was murdered by the Gestapo. He did not see his mother again until after the war in Israel.
That Richard Reinisch survived was due to a series of coincidences, the help of other people, and circumstances of almost unimaginable luck. Despite the losses and traumas he endured, he later returned to Germany – a country that had once persecuted him – and made a conscious decision to share his life story.
He remained active as a contemporary witness until the final years of his life. He was particularly connected to our animation project, in which he spoke to students about his experiences of persecution. These encounters resulted in an award-winning animated film. The film stands as a testament to how Richard Reinisch’s personal memories were able to reach young people and bring history to life.
Richard Reinisch engaged with young people with openness. His account of his family history and persecution was more than a report on the past: it was a warning against hatred, antisemitism, and exclusion, as well as a call for responsibility and compassion.
With his passing, we lose an important witness to history and a person who, despite everything, preserved his trust in the power of education, encounter, and remembrance. His legacy lives on in the stories he left behind and in the young people he touched.
We will honour the memory of Richard Reinisch.
It is with profound sadness that we learned of the passing of physician and humanitarian Dr. Semen Glusman, who died on 16 February 2026. The news leaves behind a painful sense of sorrow – and at the same time a feeling of gratitude for having lived in his time and having known him personally and professionally.
I had the honour of meeting him at congresses and conferences, of exchanging views with him, and of listening to his words – words filled with professional clarity, human sincerity, and moral conviction.
Dr. Semen Glusman served, among other roles, as head of the Ukrainian Psychiatric Association and the International Medical Rehabilitation Centre for Victims of Wars and Totalitarian Regimes in Ukraine, and he collaborated with our association. His work was always deeply rooted in humanism. Tirelessly, he advocated for human dignity, justice, and support for those who had been persecuted and traumatised.
He lived according to his conscience and served both people and his homeland, Ukraine, with dignity and honour.
We will preserve his memory with respect and gratitude.
Obituary by our board member, Dipl. Med. Alexander Bakalejnik.
A few weeks ago, we informed you that the current funding for the historical-political education project #ZumFeindGemacht will come to an end at the end of the year, and that a fundraising campaign had been launched.
Thanks to this support, more than €6,000 has been raised so far. This amount is not sufficient to continue the project at its previous scale, but it does make a temporary transitional solution possible: part of the team will continue working on #ZumFeindGemacht on a voluntary basis for the time being.
So far, no follow-up funding has been secured. Efforts to identify long-term funding opportunities are ongoing. In order to bridge this transitional phase and to avoid a complete shutdown of #ZumFeindGemacht, the project continues to rely on support.
Why your support remains crucial
#ZumFeindGemacht has become an important space of digital remembrance culture for many young people, teachers, and educational practitioners. In order to ensure that the voices of Nazi persecution survivors and their descendants are not silenced, solidarity and financial support are still needed during this transitional period.
We therefore kindly ask you:
Help us bridge this phase and support #ZumFeindGemacht.
Donate now to #ZumFeindGemacht
Thanks to the support of the Hans and Berthold Finkelstein Stiftung, we are able to give something back to everyone who supports us via Betterplace with a donation: as a small token of appreciation, you will receive a tote bag with the #ZumFeindGemacht logo – while supplies last. Simply send a short email with your shipping address to info@nsberatung.de, and your tote bag will be on its way to you.
Stay with us, continue following our work – and thank you for making #ZumFeindGemacht possible.
This year, once again, Christmas parcels were distributed to survivors of Nazi persecution in need in Cologne. The parcels were provided by Kölner Rundschau Altenhilfe DIE GUTE TAT e.V.. The Federal Association applied for the parcels on behalf of seniors who do not live in residential care facilities and personally distributed them during the Community Café for survivors of Nazi persecution in Cologne.
The joy during the handover was palpable: conversations, laughter, and a warm sense of togetherness shaped the afternoon. The parcels are intended not only to provide material support but also to serve as a sign of appreciation and recognition for the survivors.
“These encounters are deeply moving for all of us and show how important solidarity and community are, especially during the Christmas season,” says Vanessa Rex, project coordinator of the Community and Testimony Café Cologne.
The Federal Association would like to thank all partners and supporters who made this initiative possible.
The Federal Association Information and Advice for Survivors of Nazi Persecution (Bundesverband Information & Beratung für NS-Verfolgte e.V.) is pleased to announce the extension of the innovative project “Spaces of Memory of Flight” ("Erinnerungsräume der Flucht" until the end of July 2027.
The project combines historical education with cutting-edge virtual reality technology: young people meet survivors of Nazi persecution, conduct interviews, and identify pivotal scenes from their life stories. These scenes are first realized artistically as dioramas and then digitized. Through scanning and transferring them into virtual reality, immersive memory spaces are created, which - enhanced by contextual explanations - allow for an in-depth engagement with the persecution histories of the survivors.
In addition to exploring history, participants acquire technical skills and engage with socially relevant topics such as exclusion, discrimination, group-related hostility, and flight. The project also provides a safe space to reflect on one’s own family and flight histories and to draw connections.
The results are regularly presented to the public, most recently during the Museum Night 2024 at the NS Documentation Center Cologne.
By combining digital and analog formats, the project offers young people an innovative approach to the history of Nazi persecution and encourages reflection on democratic values.
The next phase of the VR project will take place at the Gesamtschule Lindenthal in Cologne. Interested schools, youth groups, and educators are warmly invited to apply to participate in the project.
Contact:
Katharina Pysmenna (Tel. +49 221 17 92 94 18 pysmenna@nsberatung.de)
Katarina Gavrik (Tel. +49 221 17 92 94 22 gavrik@nsberatung.de)
Civil society organisations in the Federal Republic of Germany are an essential and constitutive element of a pluralistic and democratic society. They provide a counterbalance and corrective to state structures and offer citizens the opportunity to actively participate in key societal processes.
Anyone who defames, intimidates, economically pressures, or attempts to silence civil society organisations has failed to understand their important contribution to a democratic society.
This applies in particular to the field of “culture of remembrance” in Germany, which has been significantly shaped by civic engagement since the end of the Nazi dictatorship. “Culture of remembrance” in the context of commemorating the Nazi regime does not only mean establishing and maintaining memorial sites and observing regular days of remembrance – it also entails a direct mandate arising from the memory of the horrors of the Nazi terror regime, often summarised in the simple phrase “Never again!”. Antifascist work that actively opposes right-wing radical, extremist, and populist movements is a service to the democratic community and, when conducted within the framework of the free democratic basic order and applicable laws, is unquestionably of public benefit.
We expect the new federal government to respect, expand, and sustainably support civil society structures.
The implementation of the “Democracy Promotion Act” (printed matter 20/5823), which was already initiated by the “traffic light coalition”, must be included in any future coalition agreement, as must a reform of German non-profit law. The EU has again stated eight months ago that Germany “has made no progress in pursuing its plan to adapt the tax exemption rules for non-profit organisations in order to address the challenges associated with the current regulations governing their practical operation, taking into account European standards for the funding of civil society organisations.”
In this spirit, we have approached the negotiation teams and ask them to support our demands in the upcoming coalition negotiations.
Volker Kirchesch Dr. Jost Rebentisch
Chairman Managing Director
