differ regarding the scale of the Häftlingsfreikauf programme: government sources acknowledged its existence only reluctantly and most details remain officially undisclosed, but one widely quoted figure indicates that slightly under 34,000 East German political prisoners had their freedom purchased by the West German government between 1963 and 1989. Later years In 1962 he joined the executive board of the Evangelical Churches' Development Aid administration, based in Bonn. He remained an energetic participant for many years, also working with the Lutheran World Federation and the World Council of Churches. Following retirement Geißel continued to engage in church matters, notably in respect of health matters. Between 1984 and 1990 he chaired the administrative board of the Main Convent of St Olga's in Stuttgart, presiding over fundamental structural changes in organisation and administration, which culminated with the establishment in 1987 of "Karl-Olga-Altenpflege GmbH" ("Karl-Olga Old People's Care GmbH") as the main convent's sole subsidiary. He also chaired, for a time, the supervisory board of Karl-Olga-Krankenhaus GmbH ("Karl-Olga Hospital GmbH"). References German Lutherans Charity fundraisers (people) People from Alzey 1916 births 2000 deaths 20th-century philanthropists 20th-century Lutherans