# Internationale der Kriegsdienstgegner/innen

The "'Internationale der Kriegsdienstgegner/innen e. V."’ (IDK) is a German section of the War Resisters' International (WRI). It is an organization of anti-militarists, pacifists and conscientious objectors. The office of the IDK is located in Berlin-Hermsdorf (until March 2005 in the Mehringhof). The IDK archive is located in the Archive active (Hamburg).

## History

In 1947, the "Internationale der Kriegsdienstgegner" (IDK) was established in Hamburg as the successor of the Bund der Kriegsdienstgegner (BdK), which continued the tradition of the radical Kriegsdienstgegnersociety. Theodor Michaltscheff was a founding member and IDK chairman. From 1947 to 1966, Theodor Michaltscheff edited the magazine "Die Friedensrundschau" for the IDK.
In 1947/1948, the IDK played a significant role in legally enshrining the right to conscientious objection in the Basic Law. However, the IDK criticized the restrictions on the right to conscientious objection in the Basic Law, in particular the state compulsory nature of the substitute service (later civil service). The IDK was involved in the "Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Deutschen Friedensverbände", which was re-established in 1948 and also in 1953 in the establishment of the "German Committee for Conscientious Objection Issues", from which the "Central Office for the Law and Protection of Conscientious Objectors" emerged in 1957.
Since then, the IDK has been a member organization of the "Central Office KDV", which ended its work on August 31, 2011, after the suspension of conscription. Cf. about this: "Historical overview: Conscientious objection in Germany". Some of the IDK groups supported the neutralization efforts of the All-German People's Party (GVP) Gustav Heinemanns and advocated talks with the Eastern European states. A political current within the IDK was also involved in the founding of the party German Peace Union (DFU) in a prominent place in 1960, the IDK chairman Renate Riemeck.
In 1956, the Action Group for Nonviolence was established as part of the IDK. The IDK was present at the first Easter March and took part in these demonstrations every year. From about 1965 to 1975, actions and demonstrations against the Vietnam War were an important focus of the IDK's work.
In 1968, in the Federal Republic of Germany, the majority of the groups of the "Internationale der Kriegsdienstgegner" merged with the Deutsche Friedensgesellschaft (DFG) to form the "DFG-IdK". in 1974, the merger with the "Verband der Kriegsdienstverweigerer" (VK) followed to form the German Peace Society-United Conscientious Objectors. (DFG-VK).
The IDK in Berlin (West) continued to exist and had members throughout Germany. After the foundation of the DFG-IdK (see above), the Berlin IDK applied for the independent status of a section of the War Resisters’ International. In 1970, the admission procedure as a WRI section was completed.
There was no conscription in West Berlin. The Conscription Law of the Federal Republic of Germany was not valid in West Berlin (Four Powers Status of Berlin) until 1990 (German Reunification).
Counseling for conscientious objectors has always been a focus of the IDK's work and from 1947 to 1990 it was shaped in particular by the so-called "demilitarized status" of Berlin. Until the introduction of conscription as a result of German unification, the IDK in Berlin mainly advised and supported conscription refugees, deserters and conscientious objectors (Total Conscientious objection, TKDV).
In 1969 there was a campaign for Bundeswehr deserters in Berlin (West) by the IDK and other member groups in the "Republican Club" (RC). West Berlin authorities illegally provided administrative assistance to the Bundeswehr. The success of this campaign was that Bundeswehr refugees in West Berlin were able to live without further persecution by the Bundeswehr (until 1990). IDK member Reinhold Ellenrieder initiated the "Working Group for Anarchist Philosophy" (AK-AP). As a member of the RC at the end of January 1971, in response to the decision of the DGB not to hold a First-May demonstration, the IDK coordinated a May 1 initiative in which various socialist groups and opposition trade unionists took part. For a few weeks, this discussion group on the demo preparation for May 1, 1971 met at the Sozialistische Zentrum (Berlin, Stefanstr.), the former IDK domicile.
In 1972, the IDK led a campaign against the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V., published a documentary about the Volksbund entitled "The Other side of the Coin" and called for "not to give a penny to the Trojan Horse of War". This was a response against the massive fundraising advertising by the People's League combined with an ideology of soldiers-"virtues", which was supported by the Federal Minister of the Interior and the Ministers of Education of the federal states.