People's Association for Germanness Abroad

VDA Kornblume glass donation badge, 1 of 7 distributed on 24-25.6.1939.jpg

People's Association for Germanness Abroad (Volksbund für das Deutschtum im Ausland; VDA) was a German association for the promotion of German culture abroad from 1881 to 2019.

History

The Association for Germanness Abroad (VDA) was a cultural organization in Germany that underwent several name changes. In the final stages of its existence, the association saw itself as a cultural mediator and link between Germans living all over the world, with whom it maintained diverse contacts, and the German motherland. The VDA saw it as its mission to promote the German language and culture abroad by supporting intensive youth exchanges, German institutions abroad such as schools and kindergartens, as well as German media and publications. The association had a long history, spanning almost 140 years, and underwent several name changes.

Founded in 1881 as the General German School Association for the Preservation of Germanness Abroad, it was renamed the Association for Germanness Abroad, School Association e. V. in 1908, and then again in 1933, the People's League for Germanness Abroad. After the Second World War, the organization operated under the name "Association for German Culture Abroad" from 1955 onwards. It was renamed "VDA – Society for German Cultural Relations Abroad" in 1970. In 1981, on the occasion of its centenary, the association reverted to its original name, "Association for German Culture Abroad." From 1998 until its discontinuation in 2019, the association operated under the name "Association for German Cultural Relations Abroad" (Verein für Deutsche Kulturbeziehungen im Ausland e. V.; VDA).

Third Reich

The association made it its primary mission to maintain relations with the German ethnic groups living beyond the borders of the Reich. Every ethnic group, no matter how small the settled ethnic group, should feel that their homeland remains connected to them by the bonds of blood. The association's work bore witness to the commitment, struggle, and sacrifice made to preserve German culture beyond the borders. The German cultural organization was suspected of spreading alleged propaganda in the United States during the 1930s. German American Guenther Orgell was a register agent for the organization and was prosecuted under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

Leadership

The association's chairman from April 1933 to 1937 was Hans Steinacher, and from 1938 to 1941, Major General (ret.) Prof. Dr. Karl Haushofer.

Publications

The Association for Germanness Abroad published the quarterly journal "Das Deutschtum im Ausland" (Germanness Abroad) from 1909 to 1919. The weekly magazine "Der Osten" (The East) was published between 1915 and 1917, and the monthly magazine "Deutsche Welt" (German World) followed from 1924 to 1933. Since 2000, the Association for German Cultural Relations Abroad has published the journal "Globus," which primarily addressed issues concerning German-speaking communities abroad. "Globus" was published quarterly with a circulation of 8,000 copies, a significant portion of which was distributed abroad to German clubs and associations, German schools, churches, cultural institutes, trade missions, and diplomatic missions, as well as to over 400 editorial offices of German-language publications abroad.