Sweden–GDR Association

The Friendship Society Sweden - GDR (Swedish Föreningen för förbindelser med Tyska Demokratiska republics, from 1977 Förbundet Sverige- DDR) was founded on 23 October 1956 pro-communist union. The company presented the main cultural partner of the German Democratic Republic (GDR ) in Sweden; they saw itself as part of the Swedish peace movement should promote cooperation between Sweden and the GDR and inform you of the East German state. The GDR, she served for Public Diplomacy, worked until 1972 mainly for political and diplomatic recognition of the GDR by the Western states. They also courted the reinforcement of bilateral relations, peaceful coexistence and support of the socialist country. My counterpart was the Company or the North East German Friendship Society, founded in 1981 GDR Sweden.

Functions

The company's mission was to inform the Swedish public about the GDR and to support the efforts of the GDR to build relationships with Sweden. Before the diplomatic recognition of the GDR, she worked mainly for this goal. Their contribution was seen in addition to the Government's efforts. She looked closely with the Swedish founded in 1968, recognition committee. In order to increase the country's reputation in the Swedish society, came to the Friendship Society has the following tasks:

  • Carrying out political and cultural events
  • Dissemination of written propaganda material ( for example, sales of the magazine DDR Revy )
  • Mediation of political, cultural and personellem exchange ( visits from local politicians and members of the Reichstag ) as well as political tourism (Study holidays, courses for Swedish German teachers, publishing editors, translators ), who contributed a significant share to the financing of the company

Organization

The Board of the Company consisted of the Social Democrats and Communists. Both groups were equally represented, with the full-time secretaries were communists.

Local departments

The first local departments were established in the early 1960s in Malmö and Gothenburg. Only in 1971 was followed by a local department in Stockholm. In the following cities located more local departments of the company were:

  • Norrtälje
  • Södertälje
  • Västernorrland
  • Västerås
  • Karlstad
  • Örebro
  • Eskilstuna
  • Norrköping
  • Linköping

Members

In the early years after the founding, there were only about 30 to 60 members. After the diplomatic recognition of the GDR joined in 1973 alone 300 members of the Swedish Committee recognition in the society. The membership was as follows:

Large local departments in Gothenburg or Stockholm had several hundred members, smaller, as in Södertälje or Västernorrland, forty or sixty members. The declining total membership figures were due to the aging society and the lack of interest of young, politically interested Sweden.

Financing

The company was financially dependent on the GDR. Since membership dues contributed only about 5 to 12 percent to raise capital, funding was secured mainly through travel activities, which accounted for the largest share, and the distribution of magazines and publications about the GDR.

Board of Directors

The central management of the company was in the hands of up to 28 - member board. The first Board of the Company consisted of famous Swedish personalities. It consisted of its first chairman, the writer Arnold Ljungdal, Communist Reichstag deputies Fritjof stock, the deputy chairman of the construction trade Stockholm Sture Andersson and journalist Rosalind of Ossietzki Palm. The Board elected from among its vice-presidents, the treasurer and a Working Committee and appointed the Secretary General. The Board met twice a year, while the seven-member and the shops leading Working Committee met ten times a year. The company office was headed full-time by the Secretary General. He led the local departments and work closely with the East German institutions such as the East German Cultural Centre and the East German embassy in Stockholm, the League of Peoples' Friendship and society DDR north. Chairman of the company were:

  • Ljungdal Arnold (1956-1968)
  • Stellan Arvidson (1969-1987)
  • Lars Carlzon (1988-1990)

Before 1976, general meetings were held annually, every two years thereafter. They were the highest deciding body, elected the Board of Directors and the Chairman, adopted amendments and policy resolutions. At board level, there were working groups for

  • Recruitment ( recruiting of new members)
  • Textbooks ( representation of the GDR in Swedish teaching materials )
  • Economics
  • DDR Travel

After the end of the GDR, the company lost its raison d'être and broke up in the fall of 1990.

Awards

  • Large Star of Friendship of Nations 1976
Communism Riksdag Articles of association
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