German Civil Society

They help immigrant children to learn German, travel to crisis regions with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to assist refugees and support their local voluntary fire service: 23 million people in Germany – that’s one in three people over the age of 16 – actively contribute to the community, whether through work in the social domain, in environmental protection or in interest groups. These people form the basis of civil society in Germany, they tackle problems and help others – without receiving any money themselves. Civil society, citizen involvement, charitable work – this kind of voluntary commitment has many names. Helmut K. Anheier, sociology professor at Heidelberg University, defines civil society as “the self-organizing capacity of society – independent of the state, but not necessarily in opposition to it”.

Foundations are an important component of civil society. These institutions, which award scholarships, finance museums and fund homes for people who need long-term care, are currently experiencing a boom in Germany. In fact, their number reached a record level in 2008, when the Association of German Foundations registered a total of 16,406 civil-law foundations – a 6% increase on the previous year. This takes Germany towards the top of the ranking of Europe’s most foundation-friendly countries. Above all, there has been growth in the number of community foundations, organizations that enable everyone to become a benefactor. Germany now ranks second in this area, after the USA. Germany’s political foundations are almost unique in international terms; they have close ties with a particular party and contribute to politics, society and development worldwide.

Many German NGOs are also globally oriented. They work not only for equitable world trade, but also on behalf of peoples facing genocide. As a result, their work is often anathema to politicians in authoritarian states. However, the public appreciates their contribution and often also gives international recognition, as the case of Monika Hauser clearly shows: the gynaecologist founded Medica Mondiale, an NGO that supports war-traumatized women, for which she received the Alternative Nobel Prize in 2008.

If you would like to find out more about civil society in Germany, the current issue of Deutschland Magazine offers an overview of citizen involvement between state and marketplace, interviews with Thilo Bode, the founder of Foodwatch and former head of Greenpeace, and Professor Dr. Helmut K. Anheier, academic director of the Centre for Social Investment at Heidelberg University, as well as profiles of foundations, benefactors, committed women and men, and non-governmental organizations. A PDF edition of the magazine is also available on the Web at www.magazine-deutschland.de.

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