ProVeg Deutschland is a German non-profit organisation headquartered in Berlin that works to reduce the consumption of animal products. Its stated goals include reducing per capita meat consumption, raising public awareness of animal welfare, and promoting an ecologically and economically sustainable diet worldwide. The organisation is part of ProVeg International and belongs to both the European Vegetarian Union and the International Vegetarian Union.
When was ProVeg Deutschland founded and how has its name changed?
The earliest predecessor was founded by Eduard Baltzer in Nordhausen in 1867. It became the Deutscher Vegetarierbund in Leipzig on the 7th of June 1892 and was later known as Vegetarierbund Deutschland, or VEBU, from 2008 onwards. On the 22nd of April 2017, an extraordinary member assembly in Berlin voted to adopt the name ProVeg Deutschland.
Why was the German Vegetarian League forced to dissolve in 1935?
Nazi authorities accused vegetarian organisations of promoting pacifism, treating the charge as a political threat. Under this pressure, the association dissolved itself on the 18th of February 1935. The member magazine had already been forced to stop appearing two years earlier, in 1933.
How did ProVeg Deutschland's membership grow between 2008 and 2015?
Membership rose from 2,500 in 2008 to 14,000 by 2015. A key factor was the 2012 absorption of the Vegetarische Gesellschaft Stuttgart, a group co-founded by Gustav Struve in 1868. By 2013, the total had already crossed 10,000, making ProVeg Deutschland the largest organisation for meat-free living in the German-speaking world.
What is the V-Label awarded by ProVeg Deutschland?
The V-Label is a certified seal for vegetarian and vegan products, licensed from the European Vegetarian Union. ProVeg Deutschland holds the authority to award the V-Label in Germany. Aldi-Süd began labeling selected products with the V-Label in 2014.
What is the Karnismus erkennen project run by ProVeg Deutschland?
Karnismus erkennen, meaning Recognising Carnism, is a public education project that ProVeg Deutschland has run since autumn 2014 in cooperation with social psychologist Melanie Joy. It aims to raise awareness of carnism among German audiences. Following the related La Table Suisse media campaign in 2016, ProVeg released a joint press statement alongside Swissveg and the Beyond Carnism association.