Serious abuse allegations have been made against Hermann Gmeiner, the founder of SOS Children’s Villages, who died in 1986. The organization told APA that Gmeiner is suspected of having committed “sexual violence and abuse” against at least eight underage boys. SOS Children’s Villages now plans a complete organizational overhaul and a rigorous investigation of its past.
The abuse reports stem from the organization’s victim protection procedures between 2013 and 2023. The assaults allegedly took place between the 1950s and 1980s at four locations in Austria. “The victims presented the incidents credibly within the framework of the victim protection process; the compensation decisions are based on a plausibility assessment and are not forensic investigations,” SOS Children’s Villages managing director Annemarie Schlack told APA. She said further victims of Gmeiner, long considered a great friend of children, could not be ruled out. No cases of abuse against girls are known.
All eight victims received compensation of up to €25,000 each, and therapy sessions were also paid for. Gmeiner was never legally convicted during his lifetime. The victim protection procedure, the organization emphasized, is not a judicial process but “a mechanism of acknowledgment and support.”
Prosecutors In Innsbruck Not Investigating Gmeiner
Asked whether criminal investigations are underway against possible accomplices or those aware of the acts, the Innsbruck public prosecutor’s office referred to an ongoing investigation. However, it does not concern Gmeiner but alleged child abuse primarily linked to a former director at the Imst facility, a spokesperson said.
“In this context, investigations are being carried out comprehensively, including against unknown perpetrators,” the spokesperson for the Tyrolean prosecutor’s office told APA. The investigation began after a report by an independent commission revealed criminally relevant accusations.
“Pioneer Of Humanity”
Born on June 23, 1919, in Vorarlberg, Gmeiner was previously regarded as a “pioneer of humanity.” In 1949, at age 30, he founded the association Societas Socialis (SOS), which was later renamed SOS Children’s Villages. Today, SOS Children’s Villages operates in about 135 countries.
Gmeiner was showered with public honors. According to the SOS Children’s Villages website, he received 146 awards and maintained friendships with international figures such as the Dalai Lama and Mother Teresa. Numerous schools, streets, and parks in Austria—including one in Vienna’s Inner City—were named after him. A statue of Gmeiner also stands in that district. In 1994, the Austrian Post issued a commemorative stamp in his honor.
Complete Organizational Overhaul
Following the abuse and violence allegations, the organization is undergoing a complete restructuring. “This will not be a small update but a comprehensive restart of the organization,” Schlack told APA. “By 2026, SOS Children’s Villages will look very different from today,” she emphasized.
A reform commission chaired by former Supreme Court president Irmgard Griss is currently reviewing the incidents and organizational structures and is supporting SOS Children’s Villages “in fully investigating the past—no matter how long ago the violence occurred or whether the perpetrators held senior positions.” A final report will be published at the end of the process. The commission’s website (https://reformkommission.at/) was launched Thursday, including an online contact option.
No New Current Cases Of Suspicion
Currently, SOS Children’s Villages is not aware of any new cases of suspected abuse. However, there are 67 recent reports submitted through various channels. Since these range widely in nature, not all will necessarily lead to new cases, the organization said. Schlack nevertheless urged anyone affected—including in the Gmeiner case—to contact SOS Children’s Villages.
A Falter newspaper report on alleged abuse at the Moosburg SOS Children’s Village in Carinthia triggered the broader scandal in mid-September. Shortly thereafter, further allegations involving other children’s villages surfaced.
First Political Reactions
The first political reactions followed in the afternoon. “What has come to light here is profoundly disturbing,” said Green Party family spokesperson Barbara Neßler. She welcomed the organization’s decision to “rebuild itself and actively confront its past,” but warned that the investigation “must not stop at lip service.” The government must also be held accountable, she added. “For this reason, the Greens submitted a formal inquiry to the Justice Ministry on September 25,” Neßler said. She also assumed that “more victims who have so far remained silent out of fear” will come forward.
