Former spa children want a contact and research center
At the end of their national congress, former spa children have reiterated their demands to the federal government. According to the Bad Salzdetfurth declaration published on Sunday, a nationwide, publicly funded contact point is needed to provide advice and networking for those affected. In addition, a research center should be set up to support previous research and, for example, the creation of memorial sites. Around 100 victims and academics have been taking part in the annual conference in the Lower Saxony spa town of Bad Salzdetfurth since Thursday.
From the 1950s to the 1980s, at least eight million children across Germany were sent to children's convalescent homes - many suffered physical and psychological abuse. According to the initiative, scientific research has now made some progress. However, there are still, for example, institutions that make access to files difficult.
The former spa children believe that establishing a contact point in social affairs would be beneficial for providing support and facilitating networking among those affected by their past experiences. Furthermore, they advocate for a research center in the field of History to advance understanding and create memorial sites, addressing ongoing issues related to access to relevant documents.
Source: www.dpa.com
