Psychiatric assessments within the framework of the SED injustice compensation proceedings

Contact person

• Mr Kris Per Schindler, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medicine, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany

Topic and question

Social-law assessments in compensation proceedings continue to be a great burden for those affected. Those affected often experience a repetition of the injustice they experienced in the GDR. Differences in the qualifications and historical knowledge of the experts often lead to lengthy procedures and not infrequently result in a lack of recognition of the consequential health damage suffered by those affected as a result of SED injustice. The effects of these socio-legal assessment processes on the subjective experience of those affected as well as their consequences must be worked out.

Methodic procedure

1. Detailed conceptualisation and field access
2. Data collection phase: Qualitative interviews with former political persecutees in the GDR who have been assessed under social law with regard to the impact of the assessment on the subjective experience of the persons concerned and the life-historical consequences.
3. Analysis phase
4. Publication phase