Zuwendung nach § 17a Strafrechtliches Rehabilitierungsgesetz/StrRehaG (Opferrente) beantragen

If you were imprisoned for at least six months as a politically persecuted person in the GDR or the Soviet occupation zone, have since been rehabilitated and are financially needy, you can apply for the allowance. It amounts to EUR 330 per month.

• Application for a special monthly allowance (victim's pension)
• Declaration of financial circumstances
• Copy of the rehabilitation decision or the certificate in accordance with the Prisoner Assistance Act

1) Deprivation of liberty in the former GDR/Soviet occupation zone that is incompatible with the essential principles of a liberal constitutional order, proven by

• criminal rehabilitation (rehabilitation decision) or
• Recognition as a former political prisoner (certificate in accordance with Section 10 (4) of the Prisoner Assistance Act/HHG)

NOTE: Survivors of political prisoners are not entitled to the allowance. However, they can apply for support from the Foundation for Former Political Prisoners in Bonn.

2) Financial need

Income limits (excluding pension benefits and income of spouse/partner): Status: January 2017

- 1,227 euros for single persons

- 1,636 euros for married persons or persons living in a civil partnership, marriage-like or partnership-like relationship.

The monthly income is to be determined in accordance with § 82 Para. 1 S. 1 and 2 and Para. 2 of the Twelfth Book of the Social Code (SGB) in conjunction with the Ordinance on the Implementation of § 82 of the Twelfth Book of the Social Code; pensions due to old age, reduced earning capacity, accidents at work or occupational illness as well as due to death or comparable benefits and child benefit are not taken into account.

Up to an income of EUR 1,527 (EUR 1,936 for couples), the victim's pension is paid on a pro rata basis. (Example: If your monthly income as a single person is 1,477 euros, you will receive a victim's pension of 50 euros because your income exceeds the income limit by 250 euros).

For each child for whom the beneficiary is entitled to child benefit, the income limit is increased by 409 euros.

NOTE: The standard rate is adjusted annually.

3) Reason for exclusion

The payment of a victim's pension to former political prisoners who, for example, have themselves violated the principles of humanity and the rule of law or who have been sentenced to at least three years' imprisonment for an intentional crime isexcluded, provided that the decision is contained in information from the central register.

The application is free of charge for you.

Application

Please submit your application for victim support in writing to the Ministry of Justice of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

• If possible, use the forms provided on the Ministry of Justice website to submit your application.
• If you submit your application informally (minimum information: name, address, date of birth and request), you will receive the forms by post.
• Please fill out the forms completely and submit the application documents to the responsible office. Please sign the application properly!
• The responsible office will check your claim. You will receive the decision in writing.

Payment

If your application is approved, you will receive the victim's pension monthly in advance to the account you have specified. The entitlement begins in the month following the application. You will receive an additional payment if the decision to approve the pension is not made until a later date.

Notification of changes

If your personal circumstances change, you must inform the relevant office immediately. This applies in particular to

• income (e.g. type and amount)
• marital status
• bank details
• your place of residence
• convictions to a prison sentence

Application for a victim's pension

You can apply for a victim's pension at any time, there is no set deadline.

Application for rehabilitation

You have until December 31, 2019 to apply for criminal rehabilitation as a politically persecuted person in the GDR/Soviet occupation zone. You can submit the application informally to any German court - but preferably to the regional court in whose (GDR) district the decision was made at the time.

• Ministry of Justice Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
  (in the case of rehabilitation by a regional court in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
  or
  a certificate according to the Prisoner Assistance Act and place of residence in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern)