Territorial Association of East Prussia
Encyclopedia
The Landsmannschaft Ostpreußen ("Homeland Association of East Prussia") is a non-profit organization
for Germans
who were evacuated
or expelled
from East Prussia
during World War II
and its aftermath. It was formed on October 3, 1948 by East Prussian refugee
s in West Germany
.
The organization's current president is Wilhelm von Gottberg
. Its seat is in Hamburg
, and it is a member of the Bund der Vertriebenen. Its official newspaper is the Preußische Allgemeine Zeitung. The Bund Junges Ostpreußen is a subsidiary youth organization of the Landsmannschaft Ostpreußen; its predecessor, Junge Landsmannschaft Ostdeutschland
, was disassociated from the parent organization in 2000.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
for Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
who were evacuated
Evacuation of East Prussia
The evacuation of East Prussia refers to the evacuation of the German civilian population and military personnel in East Prussia and the Klaipėda region between 20 January, and March 1945, as part of the evacuation of German civilians towards the end of World War II...
or expelled
Expulsion of Germans after World War II
The later stages of World War II, and the period after the end of that war, saw the forced migration of millions of German nationals and ethnic Germans from various European states and territories, mostly into the areas which would become post-war Germany and post-war Austria...
from East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and its aftermath. It was formed on October 3, 1948 by East Prussian refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
.
Organisation
The Landsmannschaft represents people who were expelled or evacuated during World War II or after, as well as people who emigrated in more recent times, exercising their right to German citizenship, based on a 1913 German law.The organization's current president is Wilhelm von Gottberg
Wilhelm von Gottberg
Wilhelm von Gottberg is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union.Gottberg was born in Bartenstein , East Prussia. His family fled from East Prussia during World War II....
. Its seat is in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, and it is a member of the Bund der Vertriebenen. Its official newspaper is the Preußische Allgemeine Zeitung. The Bund Junges Ostpreußen is a subsidiary youth organization of the Landsmannschaft Ostpreußen; its predecessor, Junge Landsmannschaft Ostdeutschland
Junge Landsmannschaft Ostdeutschland
Junge Landsmannschaft Ostdeutschland is a nationalist and revanchist, German youth organization, that the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has described as “partially far-right”. Most of its activities take place in the eastern parts of Germany...
, was disassociated from the parent organization in 2000.
Presidency
- 1948-1951: Ottomar Schreiber
- 1952-1966: Alfred Gille
- 1966-1971: Reinhold RehsReinhold RehsReinhold Rehs was a German politician and chairman of the Federation of Expellees in 1967-70.Rehs was born in Klinthenen, district of Gerdauen, East Prussia as a son of a teacher of Huguenot descent, his family lived in East Prussia since their flight from France...
- 1971-1974: Joachim Freiherr von Braun
- 1974-1979: Hans-Georg Bock
- 1979-1990: Ottfried Hennig
- 1990-1992: Harry Poley
- since 1992: Wilhelm von GottbergWilhelm von GottbergWilhelm von Gottberg is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union.Gottberg was born in Bartenstein , East Prussia. His family fled from East Prussia during World War II....