Shocking exhibitions in Rostock: abuse of GDR children revealed!

Shocking exhibitions in Rostock: abuse of GDR children revealed!

The Rostock Documentation and Memorial Center is currently drawing attention to painful chapters of the past. Two traveling exhibitions entitled “Reason for admission: loitering” and “Blackbox home education” address the serious mistreatment of children in the GDR. Loud NDR A total of over 135,000 children and young people spent their lives in so-called “special children’s homes” and closed facilities such as venereology wards. These institutions were not only intended to provide young people with a socialist education, but they were also often accompanied by extreme violence.

The story of Jana Mendes Bogas, a contemporary witness who describes her experiences in the children's home and the venereology wards, is particularly disturbing. Her mother was imprisoned for political reasons, making contact between the two impossible. From 1982 to 1987, Mendes Bogas lived in several institutions, including the youth center in Torgau, where she and her peers were exposed to physical, psychological and sexual violence. The atmosphere of surveillance and the lack of privacy during medical examinations in the venereological ward in Leipzig-Thronberg show the inhumanity that was often part of everyday life.

The role of the venereological wards

The venereology wards in the GDR were set up specifically to treat girls and women aged 12 and over who were suspected of having sexually transmitted diseases. A strict regime and the practice of forced admissions have characterized these institutions since the 1960s. While in the Federal Republic of Germany closed wards were only set up for people with proven illnesses, in the GDR the mere suspicion was enough for admission. This coercive measure was not only coordinated by the Ministry of Health, but also monitored by the Ministry for State Security (MfS). bpb clarified.

In the closed wards, everyday life was very difficult: the length of stay was usually four to six weeks, but in extreme cases it could last up to twelve weeks. Many of the internees did not receive appropriate medical care - in one case, around 70 percent of the 235 women forcibly admitted to Halle received no therapy, even though a significant proportion were proven to be infected.

Processing and support

Despite the seriousness of the offenses, the processing of these abuses in the homes is far from complete. Many people affected find it difficult to talk about their experiences as they get older, which makes it more difficult to come to terms with them. The current exhibition in Rostock aims to make these very topics public and to create a space for remembrance and dialogue. The exhibitions can be seen in Rostock until August 11th and then in the Rostock town hall until August 22nd. Those interested and affected can also contact advice centers in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania or the state representative for coming to terms with the SED dictatorship.

Another sign of remembrance is the opportunity for those who have been forcibly deported to apply for compensation at the inner-German border from July. It remains to be hoped that the prevailing taboos will be broken at some point and the fate of those affected will be recognized in all their implications - the road to healing is long, but every process of coming to terms with it is an important step in the right direction.