Last modified: 2012-12-29 by pete loeser
Keywords: vvn-bda | triangle (red) | stripes: 9 (blue-white) | union of persecutees of the nazi regime - association of anti-fascists | verein der verfolgten des naziregimes - bund der antifaschistinnen und antifaschis |
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![[Union of Persecutees of the Nazi Regime - Association of Anti-Fascists of the FRG (Germany)]](../images/d/de}vvnbd.gif)
Image by Marcus Schmöger, 12 June 2002
The Union of Persecutees of the Nazi Regime - Association of Anti-Fascists of the Federal Republic of Germany, or VVN-BdA (Verein der Verfolgten des Naziregimes - Bund der Antifaschistinnen und Antifaschisten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland), was formed as an all-German organisation from local committees in 1947, and was known as VVN (Verein der Verfolgten des Naziregimes)until about 1968 when it was renamed the VVN-BdA; the specific mention of female/male forms (Antifaschistinnen und Antifaschisten) was added sometimes in the 1990's. In the beginning the VVN included persecutees of different political ideologies, but more and more the communists took control. Around 1960, the government even tried to ban the organisation as unconstitutional, but failed. Today, the VVN-BdA is basically an organisation under the influence of the DKP, with just remnants of anti-fascists from other parties.
The Eastern German branch of the VVN had a different history; the organisation (VVN-BdA) is still independent, although cooperating with the West German VVN-BdA.
Sources: Homepage of the VVN-BdA homepage; e-mail from VVN-Bda, 4 October 2001; Author's own observations at the 1st May 2002 demonstration in Munich, and the Reports of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Verfassungsschutzberichte) from their Verfassungsschutz website.
Marcus Schmöger, 12 June 2002
The flag the VVN-BdA uses is based on the blue-white striped prisoners' uniform, and shows the red triangle of the political persecutees. It is used since 1947; however, in the meantime —exact dates unknown— a different flag had been used: black-red-gold, in the center a yellow circle with the red triangle. Since the 1990s the traditional flag has been used again. The current version includes inscriptions of parts of the long and short form of the name.
Marcus Schmöger, 12 June 2002