A Call for Justice: Commissioner Zupke Fights for Adequate Compensation for DDR State-Doping Victims
SED's Victims Ombudsman Plans for Enhanced Compensation for Victims Exposed to State Doping During DDR Era - State Victim Advocate Pursues Enhanced Reparations for Individuals Affected by Government-Sanctioned Doping
In the harsh realm of the DDR sports system, thousands of lives were irrevocably altered by forced doping, a painful reality Commissioner Evelyn Zupke continues to emphasize. "We need immediate action to create long-term support systems," she stated. Victims were unwittingly sacrificed to the SED regime's relentless quest for medals, Zupke asserted.
Presenting her annual report to Bundestag President Julia Kloeckner (CDU), Zupke denounced the ruthless medal hunger of the state leadership that left numerous victims in its wake. The DDR state-doping system invariably led to long-term, severe health issues, she declared. Today, approximately 8,000 to 10,000 former athletes struggle daily with the repercussions.
Following the expiration of the second Doping Victim Assistance Act in 2019, there exists no suitable instrument to adequately support these victims, the report criticized. Only athletes living in Thuringia can apply for assistance from a hardship fund if economically disadvantaged. Few victims have been recognized for rehabilitation, a prerequisite for financial compensation. The vast majority of applications have failed, leaving victims without the support they deserve.
In the fall of this year, Zupke will present a report to the Bundestag, detailing the plight of the doping victims and offering recommendations for immediate action. This will ensure that those who suffered under DDR-enforced doping receive adequate and immediate support.
Zupke expressed her concern that the vast majority of victims of political violence have yet to receive recognition for their persecution-related health damages, affecting not only athletes but numerous victims of political violence. Any form of injustice under the DDR must be addressed, she insisted.
Although the Bundestag's recent passage of a law increasing victims' pensions and easing the recognition of persecution-related health damages is commendable, further action is needed, Zupke stated. Victims of forced resettlement have received a one-time payment, and a nationwide hardship fund has been established. Zupke acknowledged that this fund is crucial in assisting those affected across the country speedily and bureaucratically.
In her effort to make the ordeal of the SED victims visible to the public, Zupke called for continued support of memorial sites. Memorial sites are essential education hubs for democracy, she explained. Preserving these sites physically and strengthening their educational work, especially in the digital space, is essential.
Zupke described memorial sites as vital infrastructure for our democracy. Just as we repair and modernize transportation infrastructure, she reasoned, we must ensure that our historical education facilities are fit to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. Funds from the infrastructure special reserve should be allocated to memorial sites as well.
The Bundestag has begun a paradigm shift in addressing the victims of the SED dictatorship, Zupke concluded. The newly formed federal government has pledged to maintain this momentum.
- Evelyn Zupke
- Bundestag
- DDR
- Reckoning
- Compensation
- Julia Klöckner
- CDU
- Thuringia
- Memorial Sites
- Infrastructure
- Commissioner Zupke's ongoing fight for DDR state-doping victims includes a push for the Bundestag to implement community law that would establish long-term support systems, catering to the needs of the approximately 8,000 to 10,000 former athletes struggling with the repercussions.
- In her annual report to Bundestag President Julia Kloeckner, Commissioner Zupke advocated for the establishment of a nationwide hardship fund for DDR state-doping victims, using infrastructure funds from the special reserve to enhance and modernize historical education facilities, such as memorial sites, that serve as essential hubs for democracy.
