Association of Professional Soldiers of the National People's Army

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The Association of Professional Soldiers of the National People's Army ( VBS ) was an association of professional soldiers in the National People's Army (NVA) of the GDR founded in January 1990 and dissolved a few months later .

history

The association was only founded in the final phase of the NVA, initiated by the peaceful revolution of 1989. At the founding event on January 20, 1990 in Leipzig , 520 delegates from all areas of the NVA decided to jointly pursue the social interests of the members. In addition, the association committed itself to the disarmament process and called for the socially acceptable integration of the military professional cadre in civil life. Chairman was Lt. Col. Eckhard Nickel selected. The founding was preceded by the activity of a central initiative group from mid-1989, which aimed to reform the NVA. In the course of time, the idea arose to form a military interest group and thus a professional association. In the run-up to the foundation, there were contacts with the West German Federal Armed Forces Association (DBwV) in order to gain experience about the work and functionality and meaningful statutes of an association.

By mid-1990, the DDPS had 45,000 members. Even if the name referred to the professional soldiers, the statutes also provided for the membership of regular soldiers and conscripts . The VBS succeeded in building the association structures with financial and material support from the Bundeswehr Association. Joint seminars, board meetings and conferences of VBS and DBwV took place.

With the emerging dissolution of the NVA, a discussion arose about the future of the association. There were efforts to continue the VBS as an independent association or as a subdivision of the DBwV. At a special association day on September 29, 1990, the majority voted for the dissolution of the DDPS. In a speech, the chairman of the Federal Armed Forces Association, Rolf Wenzel , stated that the statutes of the DBwV would not allow a subdivision. 12,000 members followed the recommendation of the Special Association Day to join the Federal Armed Forces Association. The office was closed and the 16 employees were dismissed. The rest of the association's assets went to a charitable foundation of the DBwV.

literature

  • Horst Kirchhübel, Steps towards common interest representation in 50 years of the German Armed Forces Association, page 119 f.
  • Rolf Wenzel, Unity - also with the representation of interests in 50 Years of the German Armed Forces Association, page 115 ff.