Apply for welfare benefits (Kriegsopferfürsorge – welfare support for war victims) under the Social Compensation Law (Soziales Entschädigungsrecht)
Fürsorgerische Leistungen (Kriegsopferfürsorge) nach dem Sozialen Entschädigungsrecht beantragen
Machine translation of the German page, 2026-09-15. The German original is binding.
You may receive welfare benefits if you have been granted a degree of harm under one of the laws of the Social Compensation Law (Soziales Entschädigungsrecht, SER). The same applies if you receive survivor's benefits under the Social Compensation Law.
The support relates, on one hand, to benefits securing your livelihood, such as
• Supplementary assistance towards living costs
• Assistance in special circumstances
• Educational allowances
On the other hand, benefits may be granted to maintain, improve or restore your health, such as
• Recuperation assistance
• Care assistance
• Meals on wheels
Book an appointment
Book an appointment (service.berlin.de)
Requirements
• Submission of the notice of recognition (Anerkennungsbescheid) issued under one of the laws of the Soziales Entschädigungsrecht (Social Compensation Law, SER)
Documents you need
• Initial application for benefits under the Kriegsopferfürsorge (war victims' welfare, KOF)
• Anerkennungsbescheid (recognition notice)
Forms
• Initial application for welfare benefits - initial application for benefits under war victims' welfare (Kriegsopferfürsorge, KOF) www.berlin.de/lageso/_assets/versorgung/publikationen/erstan
Fees
none
Legal basis
• Social Code Book Fourteen (Sozialgesetzbuch Vierzehntes Buch, SGB XIV) — social compensation www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_14/
• Infection Protection Act (Infektionsschutzgesetz, IfSG) for persons harmed by vaccination www.gesetze-im-internet.de/ifsg/
• Civilian Service Act (Zivildienstgesetz, ZDG) for persons harmed during civilian service www.gesetze-im-internet.de/ersdig/
• Former Prisoners' Assistance Act (Häftlingshilfegesetz, HHG) for persons harmed by detention www.gesetze-im-internet.de/hhg/
• Criminal Rehabilitation Act (Strafrechtliches Rehabilitierungsgesetz, StrRehaG) for victims of SED injustice (SED — the former East German ruling party) www.gesetze-im-internet.de/strrehag/
• Administrative Rehabilitation Act (Verwaltungsrechtliches Rehabilitierungsgesetz, VwRehaG) for victims of SED injustice www.gesetze-im-internet.de/vwrehag/
Further information
• Information on Social Compensation (Soziale Entschädigung) (Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales, Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs) www.bmas.de/DE/Soziales/Soziale-Entschaedigung/Soziale-Entsc
Who is responsible
This service can only be used at the Versorgungsamt Berlin (Berlin office for social compensation benefits).
Responsible for you
Choose a location; the appointment itself is booked on the original page.
- Landesamt für Gesundheit und Soziales (Lageso)
- Lageso - Sächsische Straße
Original
Service number 325563 · same path as the original: service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/325563/