German War Graves Commission

German War Graves Commission
Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge
AbbreviationVDK
Formation16 December 1919
Legal statusAssociation (e. V.)
PurposeTo locate, maintain, care for German war graves outside of Germany
HeadquartersKassel, Hesse, Germany
Region served
Europe and North Africa (46 countries)
Membership
82,030 (2019)[1]
Official language
German
President
Wolfgang Schneiderhan
Main organ
Until 2012: Stimme & Weg, from 2013 on: frieden
Budget
EUR 51,784,000 (2019)
Staff
556 (2019)
Volunteers
8,000 (2013)
Websitevolksbund.de

The German War Graves Commission (German: Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge, pronounced [ˈfɔlksbʊnt ˈdɔʏtʃə ˈkʁiːksɡʁɛːbɐˌfyːɐ̯zɔʁɡə] ) is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of German war graves in Europe and North Africa.[2] Its objectives are acquisition, maintenance and care of German war graves; tending to next of kin; youth and educational work; and preservation of the memory to the sacrifices of war and despotism. Former head of the Bundeswehr Wolfgang Schneiderhan was elected President of the organisation in 2016, succeeding SPD politician Markus Meckel. The President of Germany, currently Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD), is the organisation's patron.

  1. ^ Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e. V. (Hrsg.): Arbeitsbilanz 2019 (Annual Report). Brochure. Kassel, April 2020.
  2. ^ "Über uns". www.volksbund.de. Archived from the original on 11 March 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2018.