WEISSER RING was founded in Mainz in 1976 as a registered “Non-profit Association to Support Victims of Crime and Prevent Criminal Offences”. Initiator and co-founder: journalist and television presenter of the show “Aktenzeichen XY … ungelöst” Eduard Zimmermann (1929-2009).

It is Germany’s largest victim protection organisation and offers victims of crime quick and unbureaucratic support. The association has a network of approximately 3,200 voluntary victim supporters in 420 local branches all over Germany. WEISSER RING has around 50,000 members and is divided into 18 regional associations. The organisation is an expert and recognised partner for politics, the judiciary, administration, science, and media on all questions involving victim support and protection of victims. WEISSER RING finances its activities from member fees, donations, fines imposed in court proceedings, and from testamentary bequests.

The association provides support independently of a membership or other obligations. Among other things, its support measures comprise:

• Personal support and counselling of victims of crime and their families following an offence
• Accompanying victims to the police, prosecutor and court
• Arranging for assistance from other organisations
• Providing initial assistance cheques for the first gratuitous visit to a lawyer of the victim’s choice and psycho-traumatological counselling as well as for a forensic examination
• Assuming lawyer fees, in particular, to ensure the victim’s rights to protection in legal proceedings and to assert the victim’s claims pursuant to Germany’s Victims Compensation Act
• Healing/restorative measures for victims and their families in certain cases
• Financial support to help victims bridge emergency situations related to the offence
• Operating a victim support telephone nationwide commissioned by the Federal Network Agency, telephone number 116 006

WEISSER RING has already rendered personal support and immaterial assistance to many hundreds and thousands of victims and their families. In doing so, the association relies on voluntary commitment. In many thousands of hours annually, voluntary helpers of WEISSER RING provide advice and support to victims, giving them personal attention and looking after their interests:

• Since its founding, WEISSER RING has rendered material assistance to injured parties in 330,414 cases.
• During this period, the association provided more than 193 million euros for victim support measures including direct material assistance.
• WEISSER RING obtains the funds for its work from membership fees (minimum amount of 2.50 euros a month), from donations, bequests, as well as from fines imposed in court proceedings and allocated to the organisation.
• The association calls upon politics, the judiciary and administration for the improvement of the legal and social situation of victims of crime and their families.
• WEISSER RING fights for a stronger awareness of society for the situation of those who have suffered harm through criminal offences; it has invested more than 62 million euros for its public commitment to the interests of victims.
• The association supports crime prevention and calls for more public funding to finance preventive measures. Since its founding, WEISSER RING has provided over 41 million euros for the prevention of crime.
• WEISSER RING supports projects, which provide compensation for damage caused and for victim-offender mediation.
• WEISSER RING is a member of Deutscher Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband (charitable umbrella organisation offering social welfare services) and of Victim Support Europe.
• WEISSER RING exclusively and directly pursues non-profit and charitable objectives and observes the principles established by the German Charity Council for the concept of fundraising.

The quick connection to WEISSER RING

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact our national toll-free helpline: 116 006 or our online counseling.

Victims of crime and those interested in the organisation may request information by telephone about the support services of WEISSER RING. The calls will be received by trained staff and will be immediately routed on so that contact can be established within a short time with specialized counseling centers or the nearest local branch office of WEISSER RING.