Wohnungsbaugenossenschaft 'VORWÄRTS' eG is a large Berlin-based housing cooperative established in November 1954. Its origins are closely tied to the postwar development of Berlin's Lichtenberg district, where the majority of its property holdings remain concentrated. The cooperative has grown to manage around 5,100 apartments and currently has more than 6,700 members, placing it among the significant cooperative housing providers in the city.
The organisation's main activities center on providing long-term, affordable rental housing to its members. Properties are acquired, modernized, maintained, and newly constructed, with all improvements financed and managed for the collective benefit of the cooperative rather than for short-term profit. The leadership explicitly rejects profit-maximising tactics in favor of stability and affordability. Members have rights to permanent residence, stable rents, and the ability to participate democratically in the cooperative’s governance, including annual representative assemblies and elections. Executive decisions are taken by a two-person board, currently Tom Wünsche and Detlef Siedow, with oversight from a seven-member supervisory board.
Notable examples of projects include a recently completed development at Ribbecker Straße in Friedrichsfelde and 99 new apartments built to modern standards in the same district. Other sites such as Wohnpark Sewankarree and the estate at Bärenschaufenster reflect ongoing commitments to renovation and neighborhood community. All activity is restricted to Berlin and its immediate vicinity, with a particular emphasis on the Lichtenberg area.