The Social/Cultural Society of the Germans in the Opole district (SKGD) is the biggest and most important organisation of the German Minority in Upper Silesia with nearly 330 chapters of so-called "German Friendship Circles" (DFK) in the towns and villages of the Opole District and the Lubliniec region.

Its goals are to strengthen the cultural life of the German minority, to further develop the German and bilingual education system within the region and to support social facilities such as community centers, libraries, schools, kindergartens and hospitals.
Acknowledged by both the German and the Polish state as an official minority institution, the SKGD receives public funding. In addition, the SKGD closely cooperates with NGOs in Poland and abroad.

Regularly scheduled cultural events include: youth contests, theater plays, concerts and field trips for children and seniors. The society also procures and distributes specialized educational materials. The majority of cultural activities, however, takes place on communal and DFK levels. The members sustain libraries and support choirs, folkloric groups as well as youth structures.

In order to perpetuate a future presence of the German minority in Upper Silesia, the participation of young people is the main goal of the society.To this end, the "Youth Faction of the German minority" was founded. It is integrated within the structure of the SKGD. They also take part in the decisions of the SKGD board.
The SKGD is a member of numerous other organisations including the Organisation of German Social-Cultural Societies in Poland (VDG).