Claim your German stage or orchestra pension refund online
If approved, the refund is paid directly into your own account. CompanyPension does not receive or hold your pension money.
- VddB and VddKO refunds are separate from DRV, VBL, ZVK and bAV cash-outs.
- A German state pension refund through Deutsche Rentenversicherung does not automatically refund your VddB or VddKO contributions.
- If you worked in theatre, stage, opera or orchestra employment in Germany, you may need a separate VddB or VddKO refund process.
Can I get a VddB or VddKO refund after leaving Germany?
Possibly. If you worked in theatre, stage, opera or orchestra employment in Germany, you may have paid into VddB or VddKO.
A refund or settlement can be possible if the scheme-specific rules are met. In general, these cases depend on your contribution months, whether you have left the relevant profession in Germany, whether you have been non-contributory for the required period and whether you already have or can still build a pension entitlement
CompanyPension helps you check your VddB or VddKO refund online and continue with the right digital process if your case can be started.
CompanyPension uses your pension document, provider name or scheme name to guide you into the right online process.
What are VddB and VddKO?
VddB and VddKO are German pension institutions for performing-arts employment.
VddB stands for Versorgungsanstalt der deutschen Bühnen. It is connected to stage, theatre, opera and similar employment.
VddKO stands for Versorgungsanstalt der deutschen Kulturorchester. It is connected to musicians and other employees in German cultural orchestras.
You may see these names on:
- VddB or VddKO pension letters
- Bühnenversorgung or Orchesterversorgung documents
- insurance numbers
- membership documents
- old payslips
- employer documents
- annual statements
- refund or contribution documents
This page is for stage, theatre, opera and orchestra workers
This page is for you if you worked in Germany and may have paid into VddB or VddKO.
It is especially relevant if:
- you worked at a German theatre, stage, opera house or cultural orchestra
- your documents mention VddB, VddKO, Bühnenversorgung or Orchesterversorgung
- you left Germany and want to know whether those contributions can be refunded
- you already received your DRV refund and want to check whether your stage or orchestra pension is separate
- you are not sure whether your pension document is VddB, VddKO, VBL, ZVK, DRV or bAV
- you had short-term German theatre, stage, opera or orchestra engagements and want to know whether contributions were paid
- you want a guided English online process instead of dealing with German pension forms yourself
What can be refunded or settled?
VddB and VddKO cases can involve contribution reimbursement, severance payment or settlement depending on the scheme rules and your situation.
Older contributions paid before 1 January 2003 are usually handled as contribution reimbursement. Newer contributions may be handled differently and can depend on whether you have built, or can still build, a pension entitlement.
In plain English, the result can depend on:
- which institution you paid into
- when you paid contributions
- how many contribution months you have
- whether you permanently left the stage or orchestra profession in Germany
- whether you have already become entitled to a pension
- whether contribution periods can be recognised by another pension institution
When can a VddB or VddKO refund be possible?
VddB and VddKO refund cases depend on scheme-specific rules. A refund or settlement may be possible if the required contribution, waiting-period and status rules are met.
The main questions are usually:
- did you pay into VddB or VddKO for enough months?
- have you permanently left the stage, theatre, opera or orchestra profession in Germany?
- have you been without new VddB or VddKO contributions for the required period?
- do you already have, or can you still build, a pension entitlement?
- are your contribution periods recognised by another pension institution?
Do you need to wait 24 months?
In many VddB and VddKO refund cases, the 24-month non-contributory period is important.
In practical terms, this usually means: you have not paid new contributions for 24 months and have left the relevant stage, theatre, opera or orchestra profession in Germany
Your DRV refund does not include VddB or VddKO
A DRV refund only covers your German state pension contributions paid into Deutsche Rentenversicherung
It does not automatically refund your VddB or VddKO contributions.
This is a common misunderstanding for expats who worked in Germany and paid into more than one pension system. You may receive a DRV refund and still have a separate performing-arts pension refund to check.
Are VddB and VddKO the same as VBL or ZVK?
No. VddB and VddKO are not the same as VBL or ZVK.
VBL and ZVK are public-sector supplementary pension schemes often connected to universities, research institutes, hospitals and public employers.
VddB and VddKO are specialised pension institutions for stage, theatre, opera and orchestra employment.
If you also contributed to VBL or the other performing-arts institution, your contribution periods may be counted together in some cases.
What if you worked in Germany but lived abroad?
Performing artists, musicians and theatre professionals often work across borders. You may have had short German engagements while living elsewhere, or you may have moved abroad after your German contract ended.
A VddB or VddKO refund can still be relevant if contributions were paid into the German performing-arts pension institution.
The key question is not only where you lived. It is whether your German employment or engagement created VddB or VddKO contributions.
Helpful signs include:
- your payslip shows VddB, VddKO, Bühnenversorgung or Orchesterversorgung
- your employer was a German theatre, opera house, stage employer or cultural orchestra
- you received a pension document from VddB or VddKO
- your employment contract or payroll documents mention the relevant pension institution
A guided online process for VddB and VddKO refunds
CompanyPension helps you start your VddB or VddKO refund process online. You start with your pension document, answer simple questions in English, sign online where required and continue without dealing with German pension paperwork yourself.
Choose VddB or VddKO
Answer guided questions
Add your documents
Review and sign online
Provider follow-up runs through CompanyPension
Receive approved funds directly
CompanyPension does not receive or hold approved pension money.
What documents are usually needed?
You can start with whatever documents you have. CompanyPension will show what is still missing during the online process.
Helpful documents can include:
- VddB or VddKO letters
- Bühnenversorgung or Orchesterversorgung documents
- insurance or membership number
- old payslips showing pension contributions
- employment contracts or employer confirmations
- documents showing when your stage, theatre, opera or orchestra employment ended
- bank details
- passport or ID copy
- DRV refund confirmation, if you already received a German state pension refund
Pricing for VddB and VddKO refunds
CompanyPension shows the relevant pricing before you continue into the full VddB or VddKO refund process.
Pricing for VddB and VddKO refund cases follows the refund pricing shown on our Pricing page, unless your case requires a different process. You will see the applicable pricing before you continue.
The approved refund or settlement is paid directly into your own account. CompanyPension does not receive or hold your pension money.
VddB, VddKO, DRV, VBL and bAV — what is the difference?
A DRV refund and a company pension refund or cash-out are separate processes. This table shows the practical difference.
| Term | What it means | Best next step |
|---|---|---|
| VddB / Bühnenversorgung | Pension institution for stage, theatre and opera employment. | Start a VddB refund check. |
| VddKO / Orchesterversorgung | Pension institution for German cultural orchestra employment. | Start a VddKO refund check. |
| DRV | Germany’s statutory state pension system. A DRV refund does not include VddB or VddKO. | Use the separate DRV refund process or compare Company Pension vs DRV. |
| VBL / ZVK | Public-sector supplementary pension schemes, usually handled as separate refund cases. | Start a VBL or ZVK refund. |
| bAV | German company pension from an employer, often handled as a cash-out case. | Start a bAV cash-out check. |
Where to go next
Use these pages if you already know your provider, scheme or question.
Company Pension vs DRV
For users who want to understand why a DRV refund does not include VddB, VddKO or other company pensions.
Cash-Outs & Refunds
For a full overview of CompanyPension’s German company pension cash-outs and refunds.
Company Pension Cash-Out
For bAV, Direktversicherung, Pensionskasse, Pensionsfonds and provider-based company pension cash-outs.
VddB and VddKO refunds: common questions
A VddB refund may be possible if:
- You paid into Bühnenversorgung / VddB
- You left relevant stage employment in Germany
- You completed at least 12 contribution months
- You completed no more than 35 contribution months
- The applicable waiting period after your last contribution has passed
The pension institution checks the final contribution record and eligibility.
Glossary
Short definitions of terms you may see on German performing-arts pension documents.
VddB
Versorgungsanstalt der deutschen Bühnen. A German pension institution for stage, theatre, opera and similar employment.
Bühnenversorgung
German term often used for VddB, the stage pension institution.
VddKO
Versorgungsanstalt der deutschen Kulturorchester. A German pension institution for cultural orchestra employment.
Orchesterversorgung
German term often used for VddKO, the orchestra pension institution.
Beitragserstattung
Contribution reimbursement. In this context, it can refer to getting eligible contributions back from VddB or VddKO.
Abfindung
A settlement or one-time payout. In VddB and VddKO cases, it may appear together with contribution reimbursement rules.
DRV
A company pension scheme connected to public-sector employment, often shown as Zusatzversorgungskasse.
VddB / VddKO
Pension institutions for stage, theatre, opera and orchestra employment.
Beitragserstattung
Deutsche Rentenversicherung, Germany’s statutory state pension system. A DRV refund is separate from VddB and VddKO.
VBL / ZVK
Public-sector supplementary pension schemes. They are separate from VddB and VddKO, although contribution periods may sometimes matter for recognition.
Source basis
VddB and VddKO refunds follow the rules of their respective pension institutions. Official VddB and VddKO materials describe contribution reimbursement and severance-payment rules, including contribution-month requirements, a 24-month non-contributory period in certain cases, application requirements and situations where contribution periods may be recognised elsewhere.
CompanyPension uses these categories to guide users toward the correct online process. This page does not provide individual legal, pension, tax or financial advice.
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- CompanyPension provides a digital application platform for German company pension refunds and cash-outs. We are not a pension advisor, insurance broker, legal representative, tax advisor or financial advisor. Users remain the claimant.
- CompanyPension does not decide approval, does not claim funds as legal representative and does not receive or hold approved pension money.
Ready to check your VddB or VddKO refund?
Start online with your VddB, VddKO, Bühnenversorgung or Orchesterversorgung document. CompanyPension guides you through the right refund process and shows what information is still needed.