Compensation for professional disadvantages

Ausgleich beruflicher Benachteiligungen (Symbolbild Aktenarchiv)
Ausgleich beruflicher Benachteiligungen (Symbolbild Brille liegt auf Unterlagen von Arbeitgebern)
Picture: Pixabay | Picture: Pixabay |

The Occupational Rehabilitation Act (BerRehaG) offers people who were victims of political persecution in the former GDR a way to come to terms with their past, apply for rehabilitation and receive compensation payments.

The aim of the compensation payments is to compensate for the effects of persecution-related interventions from the period between 8 May 1945 and 2 October 1990 that can still be felt today. These interventions meant that

  • the persecuted persons were no longer able to pursue the profession they had previously practised, started, learnt, aspired to by starting vocational training or a socially equivalent profession,
  • the pupils were not admitted to the grammar school, EOS, university entrance qualification or Abitur examination or were unable to complete their training at the EOS or their training that did not lead to a university entrance qualification.

The following requirements must be met in order to receive compensation:

  • The persecuted pupil must be recognised as such by the competent rehabilitation authority and have a certificate of rehabilitation.
  • The period of persecution was at least 3 years or lasted until 2 October 1990.
  • If the persecuted person receives a pension from the statutory pension insurance scheme, there must be more than 6 years between the start of the persecution period and the start of the pension payment.
  • The persecuted pupil is particularly impaired in his or her economic situation.

Compensation benefits are paid on application and are income-dependent.

Further information and application

in the service portal of the City of Chemnitz: