Haus der Deutschen aus Russland
House of the Germans from Russia, Stuttgart, Germany

Translation from German to English from the publication
Information für Spätaussiedler aus der ehemaligen Sowjetunion
Published by the Landsmannschaft der Deutschen aus Russland, Stuttgart, Germany, 1998.

Thanks to the generosity of many countrymen, we have our own home in Stuttgart where the national office is housed. All the work of the Landsmannschaft der Deutschen aus Russland is organized and coordinated here.

The national office is the executing part of the Landsmannschaft der Deutschen aus Russland e. V. and includes the following areas:

- Questions regarding the society and organization, member services, accounting
- Integration - social work
- Editorial office(s) of Volk auf dem Weg
- "Breitenarbeit"
- Musical sector
- Library
- Public relations/traveling exhibits

The national office and its branch offices take care of all incoming correspondence at home and abroad, and is responsible for all questions concerning the society.

The national office organizes integration seminars for late ethnic German emigrants, training of speakers in social matters, cultural meetings and other events as well as the Bundestreffen where thousands of countrymen have the opportunity to meet.

As central contact address for 13 national, 179 district and local chapters, as well as for 13 centers giving advice, it maintains close contact to volunteers, trains them in the social as well as in the cultural area, conveys information and supports the work locally.

Responsibilities for members/shipment of books

All members of the Landsmannschaft are recorded and served by this department, changes of addresses are entered and in addition, it is the place for missing person bulletins, obituaries, marriage announcements and other items in our monthly paper Volk auf dem Weg. From a printed book and order form you can also purchase here all publications which the Landsmannschaft has published in the last few years (pp. 54-57).

Integration - social work

One of the most important tasks of the Landsmannschaft der Deutschen aus Russland e. V. consists, as before, of social work. Our coworkers advise you free of charge in all matters of integration. The most important scope in matters of advise and service:

- Consultation and assistance in filling out applications
- Recognition as late ethnic German emigrants
- Questions of citizenship
- Pension laws
- Employment Promotion Act (EPA)
- Income support law
- Recognition of credentials
- Assistance with visits to authorities
- Federal Refugees Act and Refugees Act, Law Regulating Compensation for War-induced Losses

Plus any other matters concerning displaced persons.

This is only a small part of the service which our volunteers provide locally to ethnic German emigrants upon admission and integration. In order to be able to solve all their problems we have expanded our network of persons in charge and presently 326 such people in all of Germany can assist in all matters concerning integration (List on pages 33 - 45).

You will meet people who have experienced a similar life as you and who also have an understanding of all your questions and concerns. As to problems with integration please turn to local advisors (see the list above). In case there is no advisor in your vicinity, please turn directly to our national office in Stuttgart.

Editorial office for Volk auf dem Weg

Volk auf dem Weg as monthly paper is the official voice of the Landsmannschaft der Deutschen aus Russland e. V. Since its first issue of January 1, 1951, it sees itself as the mouthpiece for the concerns and problems of a German ethnic group condemned for decades to silence through Stalinism, war and the results of war and of which people in the east and in the west had none or only distorted views. Volk auf dem Weg has gained increasing significance because since 1987 increasing numbers of Germans from the former Soviet Union are coming to us; the knowledge of their own mother tongue is insufficient through no fault of their own or is even lacking to express what they have in mind. Volunteers and friends help these last victims of the war to record linguistically their experiences and thoughts in order to make them available to as many readers as possible.

Volk auf dem Weg in its work relates to the activities of the national chairman of the Landsmannschaft and its organization as well as to world events whereby great attention is given to the struggle of the Germans in the former Soviet Union for protection of their identity and problems with integration of the German Russians here in the Federal Republic of Germany.

The BVFG/KfbG gets much coverage. The readers of Volk auf dem Weg are informed about the activities of friendly societies nationally and abroad. Contributions to history and culture of the Germans from Russia are well on their way to fight for a position in the new media to which they are entitled.

Volk auf dem Weg with all its available means supports the concerns of the Germans from Russia, an ethnic group particularly least guilty of the misfortunes of the last 50 to 75 years and still even today partially affected.

"Breitenarbeit"

It is the task and goal of this activity to awaken and to keep alive an understanding for cultural traditions and an interest in the handling of history and cultural achievements of the Germans from Russia.

Presentations of creative achievements in past and present, as well as descriptions of this ethnic group with its special character and diversity, belong here. Special problems are to be conquered because of the separation from the original homeland and the dispersion of its people both in the former Soviet Union and in the Federal Republic of Germany.

The Landsmannschaft strives (1) to impart knowledge about the homeland and its history, and (2) to collect, present and to keep alive cultural assets and testimonies on the history of displacement. We try to make the German Russian heritage accessible to the general public by means of exhibits, publications, lectures, presentations, films and other cultural events even beyond this ethnic group. If the culture of the Germans from Russia to stay alive, its has to be brought to the awareness of all Germans and be understood and further developed as part of German culture.

In order to reach this goal, both aid by East German cultural institutions supported by the government and a stronger support of our own people are necessary.

Musical area

Until recently neglected due to financial reasons, the Landsmannschaft has begun great efforts in this area and introduced a possible building up of a museum based on film documentary and continuation of an artifact collection with supportive documentation. Through the support of Baden-Württemberg and the Department of the Interior, plans are forming for a travel exhibit which shows a summary of the history and living conditions of the German ethnic group in the multinational state, Russia.

On account of our efforts and through the support of the Department of the Interior in Bonn, we are now in a position to offer four traveling exhibits.

Library

In our headquarters, is a library where in the past few years publications on the Germans from Russia/USSR have been collected and which is to be developed into a specialized library.

Translation from German to English by Brigitte von Budde, Fargo, North Dakota.