Rudi Friedrich is Dead - an Obituary
(22.07.2025) [Updated: 31 July 2025]
Rudi Friedrich was the youngest of six sons in a Protestant pastor’s family who moved back to northern Germany from Brazil. After leaving school, he first underwent an apprenticeship as a brick mason in Celle, refused military service, took up civilian service and then studied sociology in Frankfurt. As a member of the DFG-VK, (German Peace Society - United War Resisters) he criticised the then prevailing view of the GDR as a ‘peace power’. In 1982, he moved from Frankfurt to join the group in Offenbach.
Together we developed a broad understanding of conscientious objection as active action against war, preparation for war, compulsory military service and also civilian service, which is nothing more than state-ordered forced labour. Several editions of the advice brochure ‘Drückeberger’ (“Shirkers”) were published, and in 1989, together with the self-organisation of those doing civilian service, SOdZdl, the book "Was gibt es Schöneres als anderen Menschen zu helfen? (“What could be greater than helping other people? - Civilian service, forced labour and the social sector")
Although he himself repeatedly maintained contact with the conscientious objection movement in the GDR, he was initially sceptical about the complete internationalisation of the work. This changed when he became managing director of the DFG-VK Hessen at the end of the 1980s. Dozens of US soldiers did not
want to be deployed to the Gulf War and sought help from the counselling service he had set up there. With this experience, things then moved forward in Offenbach.
Since 2000 the Southern Africa working group, which had previously been led by others in the group, and then ‘Conscientious Objection in War’ were integrated into the organisation Connection e.V., founded in 1993, and Rudi became its full-time managing director.
Since then the proliferation of new wars, in which Germany became increasingly involved, and the precarious situation of many male and female conscientious objectors have led to an enormous rise in our activities. Here are just a few examples. There is the fight for human rights in Turkey, which has been going on for decades now. The hundred thousand or so who fled from military service in former Yugoslavia, the help for US soldiers in the Middle East wars in the that have been waged time and again. There is the support for conscientious objectors in Israel, Angola, Eritrea, Latin America, South Korea and Thailand. And it may suffice just to mention, as it is probably widely known already, the comprehensive work on the Ukraine war.
It was always Rudi who established and maintained contacts, organised visits and round trips. He did not shy away from contact with the media, celebrities and decision-makers. He was a genius at networking. He also prepared expert reports for numerous asylum proceedings, including those in other countries, for lawyers and institutions. In this field he (developed into) acquired the stature of a valued expert. Rudi’s musical talent should also be emphasised, which he demonstrated with his friend Talib Richard Vogl in two scenic readings, including ‘Run Soldier Run’.
With tireless promotional activities, we managed to raise donations so that we could not only support the groups in other countries, but also expand our own infrastructure. It was not least due to Rudi’s commitment that Connection e.V. became an organisation recognised worldwide as an important one, which was also reflected in various peace prizes.
It soon became clear that this work could no longer be carried out by him alone. Rudi wanted to hand over his position as managing director in about two years’ time. The work was therefore spread across several shoulders. There is now a person responsible for social media, a second member of the management team, a Connection representative. There is now a social media manager, a second member of the management team, a Connection representative (funded by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust) who is doing advocacy both at the UN and at the European institutions. More recently we have a Russian lawyer in charge of international networking in particular. The office is also no longer located in Rudi and Karin’s private flat, but in a modern office building at the “Ostpol Gründercampus” in Offenbach.
While Rudi was a driving force behind the ideas, he was not alone. Even if there were times when we met with him only or with a few people, the number of active members has risen steadily and currently stands at around 15. They also contribute important ideas to the work and help support it.
We are infinitely saddened by the loss of Rudi. He was an irreplaceable friend who was able to mediate in the differences that cropped up sometimes, even amongst: ourselves.
His death marks a turning point. But the work will continue. How it can be done is still unclear in some areas. However, the staff and volunteers are unanimous: the work for conscientious objectors worldwide, for an unrestricted human right to conscientious objection and the right to asylum are important to us all. We therefore ask for your support so that Connection e.V. can continue to pursue this goal. Thank you for this as well.
Franz Nadler and Thomas Stiefel are co-founders of Connection e.V. and on the board of the organisation
Keywords: ⇒ UN—Lobbyarbeit