Relaunch of our website angriff-auf-die-seele.de

The association Angriff auf die Seele e.V. – Psychosocial Support for Members of the German Armed Forces e.V. has updated its website. angriff-auf-die-seele.de completely revised.

The new website of our association Angriff auf die Seele – Psychosoziale Hilfe für Angehörige der Bundeswehr e.V. (Attack on the Soul – Psychosocial Help for Members of the German Armed Forces) focuses on modern, user-friendly features. All content has been completely revised. It has been arranged in a clearer manner and is written in an easily understandable way.

In 2008, Angriff auf die Seele set new standards. For the first time, there was a central, low-threshold contact point for soldiers who returned home from foreign missions with psychological stress and did not find sufficient support at home. For the first time, the excessive demands on the relatives and friends of those affected also became apparent. The situation was particularly difficult for comrades who were no longer on active duty. For the first time, people came forward who, in some cases, had been severely traumatised for over 10 years after their deployment abroad, e.g. KFOR, and had to cope without financial security and adequate medical and social attention.

The website angriff-auf-die-seele.de created transparency at the time and helped to generate pressure for action to put social recognition, security and care for soldiers injured in action on a new footing.

Today, the situation has changed fundamentally. With the Deployment Supply Act, the Deployment Accident Ordinance and the Deployment Reuse Act, among others, soldiers are now much better protected. The way the Bundeswehr deals with such issues has also changed. Many departments now have pilots for those injured in deployment who act as direct contacts on site and provide immediate assistance. Social services and personnel management (ZALK¹) are better prepared and superiors now have many more options for action. In the medical service, a psychological trauma centre with a research mandate has been established in Berlin. A PTSD officer at the Federal Ministry of Defence coordinates and evaluates the services offered, provides assistance in difficult situations and suggests improvements. None of this existed in 2008. In the worst case, mission-related injuries could result in dismissal from service and years of legal proceedings to obtain recognition, if this was even possible.

This change in circumstances has prompted us to completely redesign and update our website www.angriff-auf-die-seele.de. We provide lots of details about Information clear overview of the most common psychological injuries sustained in the line of duty and at the same time provide information on current Offers of help and contact points.

Furthermore, you can of course use our Online advice „Advice from an expert“ Here you can ask questions anonymously and without obligation. All enquiries are answered confidentially and voluntarily by experts who are bound by medical confidentiality.

Likewise, it will again online tests give you direct feedback on the possible severity of a Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the sleep quality, the mood and the alcohol consumption All online tests are based on the latest scientific findings.

One Online database for searching for specific therapies and key contact A special programme for soldiers is in the planning stages.

angriff-auf-die-seele.de is the only remaining independent and low-threshold comprehensive online resource in Germany on this topic. PTSD-Help and other relevant mission-related psychological stress experienced by soldiers. The non-profit association Angriff auf die Seele – Psychosoziale Unterstützung für Angehörige der Bundeswehr e.V. (Attack on the Soul – Psychosocial Support for Members of the German Armed Forces) and its online services are therefore an indispensable addition to other services offered by the German Armed Forces.

We would like to thank all members, donors, friends, departments, associations and business partners who supported the creation of the new website.

I am confident that this offer will enable us to set new standards in the field of psychosocial support for members of the armed forces in 2020.

Yours sincerely, Frank Eggen
Chairman
Angriff auf die Seele – Association for psychosocial support for members of the German Armed Forces

¹ ZALK: Central Contact, Guidance and Coordination Office for People Suffering from the Effects of Military Service (ZALK) at the Federal Office of Personnel Management of the German Armed Forces (BAPersBw)