GRÜNENTHAL’S MAN FROM THE FAMILY AFFAIRS MINISTRY

Cologne (06/29/2019) – Germany’s Confederation of Contergan (Thalidomide) and Grünenthal Victims (BCG) accuses the Federal Family Affairs Ministry (BMFSFJ), which supervises the Contergan Foundation, of a collusion issue with Grünenthal. For many years, Dieter Hackler, a former senior Ministry official whom the Foundation’s Council elected as Board Chairman on 5 December 2018, assisted Grünenthal’s own Foundation for thalidomide victims.

In 2018, the Cologne Higher Regional Court found ongoing links between Grünenthal and the Contergan Foundation over 30 years. Now it emerges that, after retiring from the Ministry in 2014, Hackler was invited by Grünenthal’s shareholder and ex-CEO Michael Wirtz to join the Grünenthal Foundation’s Council.

The victims’ representatives on the Contergan Foundation’s Council knew nothing of this when Hackler was appointed. Council Chairman Christoph Linzbach (BMFSFJ) concealed it. For the victims it is scandalous that the Ministry appointed a person chosen by Wirtz to head the Contergan Foundation. „Why doesn’t the Ministry simply appoint Michael Wirtz?“ said victims‘ representative and Council member Andreas Meyer. „Every second of this man in office is an imposition.“

From 2008 to 2014, Hackler chaired the Contergan Foundation’s Council, its decision-making and controlling body. Simultaneously, from 2006 to 2014, he headed the Ministry’s department for „Elderly People“. From 1991 to 2006, he headed the Federal Office for Family Affairs and Civil Society Functions, subordinate to the Ministry.

Leading up to the Contergan Foundation’s Council meeting in Berlin on 5 June, the BCG fears that a decision will be imposed against the minority of victims’ representatives that will permit the Foundation to accept Grünenthal funds for procedures directly connected with the company. „The Federal Family Affairs Ministry will now degrade Contergan victims to recipients of Grünenthal’s charity,“ commented Meyer.

In 2013, in a statement on the compensation process, Grünenthal referred victims from Spain to the Grünenthal Foundation and the German Contergan Foundation, says Meyer. „Grünenthal is thus transformed from offender to benefactor!“ It is cheaper to pay for electric toothbrushes and hearing aids through the Grünenthal Foundation than to settle the millions in threatened damages claims.

109th Council Meeting, Contergan Foundation:

5 June 2019,

11 a.m.

dbb forum berlin,

Friedrichstraße 169, 10117 Berlin

Registration: +49(0)221/3673-3312.

Andreas Meyer will attend the meeting.

https://www.gruenenthal-opfer.de/PM_Gruenenthal_Mann_ad_BMFSFJ_29_05_2019

Contact:

BCG – Bund Contergangeschädigter und Grünenthalopfer e.V.
c/o Andreas Meyer (Chairman)
E-Mail: bcg-brd-dachverband@gmx.de
https://www.gruenenthal-opfer.de
Mobile: 0172/2905974

Gruenenthal_Man_from_the_Ministry_29_05_2019  Additional materials for this press notice can be downloaded here:

Please also read Section B of the open e-mail letter from Andreas Meyer to the Chairman of the Council of the Contergan Foundation, Christoph Linzbach (BMFSFJ), dated 30.4.2019.

Please refer our press release dated 5.9.2016 about the filing of the lawsuit.

Please refer our press release dated 13.2.2017 about the court proceedings.

Please refer our press release dated 9.3.2017 about the continuation of the proceedings with no out-of-court settlement.

Please refer our press release dated 08.06.2016 about the not yet final judgement of bonn regional court on 10.5.2017.

Please refer our press release dated 26.09.2017 about our petition for a nation wide anti-corruption law.

Please refer our Invitation dated 19.01.2018 to the court hearing at the Cologne Higher Regional Court on 15.2.2018.

Please refer our press release dated 4.6.2018 Gruenenthal Cartel against Contergan victims.

Please refer our draft resolution to extend the audit mandate of the law firm GSK Stockmann & Kollegen dated 9.11.2018.

Please also read Section B of the open e-mail letter from Andreas Meyer to the Chairman of the Council of the Contergan Foundation, Christoph Linzbach (BMFSFJ), dated 30.4.2019.

Please refer our press release dated 29.05.2019 Gruenenthal’s man from the Family Affairs Ministry.