On, behind, beside
the stage

Organizational structure

GDBA is organized along both regional and occupational lines. Its members are organized in over 100 local and grassroots associations local and regional associations, in seven regional associations and in the four professional groups and the group of freelancers.
At the federal level, the highest body is the Cooperative Day. Between the cooperative days, the political course is set by the main board and its chairperson, the President set. The Advisory Board advises and controls the main board.

Regionally, each member is assigned to either a local association or a grassroots association.
Most permanent members belong to the local association of their theater. A member who does not belong to a local association, either because there is no local association at his or her theater or because, for example, he or she is freelancing, in training, studying or retired, belongs to the base association of his or her regional association.
Each local and grassroots association elects a board of directors and delegates for the state association meetingand the cooperative day.
Here you can find the local and grassroots associations.

A regional association unites under its umbrella all local associations in the territory of one or more federal states and the respective grassroots association. Their delegates form the regional association assembly. Among other things, the assembly elects the state executive committee, which consists of the chair, deputy chair and committee members from the professionell groups and freelancers, the disciplines and others.
The regional chairs represent the GDBA at regional level and have a seat on the executive board.
The chairpersons of the occupational groups and freelancers not only represent the interests of their group at the state level, but also form a group council together with the corresponding chairpersons of the other state associations - i.e. the professionell group councils Solo, Opera Choir, Dance, ATuV and the Freelanc Council. Their chairpersons also have a seat on the main board. In addition, the five group council chairpersons, together with the president, form the collective bargaining committee, which negotiates the NV Bühne with the Bühnenverein together with the sister unions.
Clickbelow for the regional associations:

In terms of occupation, each member is assigned to an occupational group. The four occupational groups correspond roughly to the special regulations in the NV Stage. Which professions are assigned to an occupational group can be found on the page Occupational Groups and Freelancers.
In addition, all dependent guests, hybrid employees and solo self-employed persons in the GDBA form the group of freelancers.
The assessors of the occupational groups and the freelancers in the seven state boards each form a group council - i.e. the occupational group councils Solo, Opera Choir, Dance, ATuV and the Freelancers Council. Their chairpersons have a seat on the main board. In addition, the five group council chairpersons, together with the president, form the collective bargaining committee, which negotiates the NV Bühne with the Bühnenverein together with the sister unions.
Click here for the groups: 

The main board is made up of the seven chairpersons of the regional associations, the five chairpersons of the group councils and the president, who is the chairperson of the main board. This is where the political course is set between the cooperative meetings.
Here you can find the current members of the main board
and how you can reach them.

The advisory board advises and monitors the main board. It also receives complaints from members.
Every four years, the Cooperative Day elects the seven members of the Advisory Board from the areas of artistic stage management, actors, vocal soloists, opera chorus, dance, equipment and technology, freelancers, and one deputy for each.
Here you can find the current members of the Advisory Board
and how to contact them.

The Cooperative Day is the highest body of GDBA. Here, the delegates of all local and grassroots associations meet every one to four years, elect the president and the advisory board, discuss and decide on substantive motions from the membership and thus set the political direction for the work of the main board and the substantive orientation of GDBA.

The President is elected every four years by the Cooperative Council. She/he shapes and follows the political agenda of the union as full-time chairperson of the main board and the collective bargaining committee and is responsible for the management of GDBA and Bühnenschriften GmbH.

Lisa Jopt has been acting president since 2021. She is pursuing a comprehensive modernization agenda for GDBA and the goal of a fundamental reform of the NV stage.

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