The Humanist Association of Germany (HVD) has welcomed a new regional association, HVD Bavaria, and is now active in 13 federal states. We look forward to working together!
At this year’s General Assembly of the European Humanist Federation (EHF), HVD Federal Representative Katja Labidi was elected to the new Board. Labidi announced that she would actively support the EHF in its reorganization in order to facilitate good cooperation between humanist organizations at European level.
November 9 is often referred to as the “fateful day of the Germans”, as several turning points in Germany’s history occurred on this day. Erwin Kress, Spokesman of the Board of the HVD Federal Association, looks back on these historic events and builds a bridge to the present.
We are very concerned about the deteriorating situation of the rule of law and human rights in Poland. In an open letter, the Humanist Association of Germany – Federal Association, together with other organizations, is therefore addressing the Federal Government to draw attention to this situation.
Statement by Andrew Copson, CEO of Humanists UK and President of Humanist International, on the killings in Nice on October 29, 2020.
Women’s rights are being massively restricted in Poland: Following a ruling by the Polish Constitutional Court, abortions are de facto banned. The Humanist Association of Germany – Federal Association reacts with horror to this new curtailment of human rights.
The new issue of diesseits is dedicated to a topic that we have been unable to avoid for the past six months: the coronavirus crisis and how we are dealing with it. What does the crisis show us about ourselves and how we deal with restrictions? What does it teach us about dealing with other (global) crises such as the climate crisis? And what could humanistic interventions look like in times of crisis?
In recent months, the appearance of the new organization ‘Humanistische Vereinigung’ (HV) has repeatedly caused confusion among members, partners and interested humanists and led to questions about the relationship between the HVD and this organization.
In February, the Federal Constitutional Court declared the ban on assisted suicide in Section 217 of the German Criminal Code to be unconstitutional and null and void. Under the initiative of Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn, work is now underway to amend Section 217 as a homicide offense. Contrary to the Karlsruhe ruling, the possibilities for assisted suicide are once again to be severely restricted – as already shown by the drafts of the experts he has invited. The Humanist Association of Germany – Federal Association protests against this in an open letter to Spahn and criticizes the one-sided selection of his advisors.
We can’t celebrate World Humanist Day today with a big party and lots of people. But we can still celebrate this day and our humanist values, albeit in a different way. A greeting from Erwin Kress, Spokesman of the Board of the Humanist Association of Germany.
