BDKJ - catholic, political, active for 75 years.

The Federation of German Catholic Youth (BDKJ) is the umbrella organization of 17 Catholic youth associations. Its most important task is to represent the interests of its members in politics, the church and society.

Around 660,000 children and young people between the ages of 7 and 28 are organized through the 17 youth associations. This makes the BDKJ one of the largest youth associations in the German Federal Youth Council (DBJR), whose deputy chairwoman is BDKJ Federal Chairwoman Daniela Hottenbacher. The BDKJ represents Catholic youth in the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), among others.

The BDKJ is organized in municipalities, districts, federal states and in the federal territory as well as in church territories such as deaneries, regions and in 26 German dioceses.

According to its federal constitution, the BDKJ aims to empower and encourage girls and boys to make critical judgments and act independently on the basis of Christian responsibility. This includes working for a just world based on solidarity. It sees itself as a social force in the church and contributes to the "development of church, society, state and international relations". The BDKJ is responsible for securing financial support and supports it as an umbrella organization in many areas.

The BDKJ Federal Executive Board currently consists of Pastor Stefan Ottersbach (BDKJ Federal Praeses), Lena Bloemacher (BDKJ Federal Chairwoman), Daniela Hottenbacher (BDKJ Federal Chairwoman) and Gregor Podschun (BDKJ Federal Chairman). The highest decision-making body is the BDKJ General Assembly.

The BDKJ was founded in Hardehausen in 1947 and has maintained its focus throughout its 75-year history: Catholic. Political. Active.
More at www.bdkj.de