The Federal Expellee Law (Bundesvertriebenengesetz – BVFG) from 1953 defined those people as Soviet zone refugees who fled from the German Democratic Republic (GDR) to the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) due to ideological or political reasons. Economic reasons alone were not sufficient to be granted the status of a Soviet zone refugee. Recognised refugees were issued a refugee passport C which entitled them to certain rights and benefits. They were distributed among the federal states.