Zivildienst

In Austria, the "Zivildienst" is the alternative to a six month long military service – the "Zivildienst", however, lasts for nine months. One usually has to do community service such as working in old people's homes and hospitals, helping disabled persons, or working in the ambulance service (e.g. Red Cross, Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund).

Even though the so-called "Zivildiener" (persons fulfilling their "Zivildienst") are fulfilling very important jobs in the mentioned areas (and are, what is more, also quite cheap manpower), Mr. Strasser, the Secretary of the Interior at the time of my own "Zivildienst" (in the year 2000), obviously did not attach importance to them. At this time, the conditions for "Zivildiener" were severly worsened due to some ammendement laws (which were partly unconstitutional) passed by the government.

Therefore, this web project, which is part of my private website, should present a short overview of my experiences during my "Zivildienst" at the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Floridsdorf-Donaustadt, as well as inform about the situation of "Zivildiener" in Austria in 2000:

• Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Floridsdorf-Donaustadt
• Personal Experiences
• General Information about the "Zivildienst" in Austria

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