Federal Association of German Undertakers

What Federal Association of German Undertakers does

The Federal Association of German Undertakers (Bundesverband Deutscher Bestatter e.V., BDB) is Germany's national professional association for funeral directors, registered as an eingetragener Verein (e.V.) and headquartered at Cecilienallee 5 in Düsseldorf. It represents 3,300 member funeral service companies operating more than 5,000 branches across Germany and serves two primary customer sets: bereaved individuals and families seeking funeral services through the consumer-facing bestatter.de platform, and funeral home operators seeking representation, training, certification, and business services. The association operates under official lobby registration R001173 and is led by President Ralf Michal, General Secretary Stephan Neuser, and four Vice Presidents.

The BDB platform is built on TYPO3 CMS and integrates standard Google services (Analytics, Ads, Maps, Tag Manager, Fonts) along with jsdelivr CDN and CCM19 cookie consent tooling. Its core consumer-facing products are the Bestattungsplaner (a cost estimation tool that produces funeral cost estimates within five minutes based on burial type), the Bestattersuche (a ZIP-based directory connecting consumers with member funeral homes in three steps), and the Wissen knowledge portal covering funeral types, costs, procedures, and bereavement support. Pre-planning products include the Bestattungsvorsorgetreuhandvertrag (trust contract administered via Deutsche Bestattungsvorsorge Treuhand AG, recommended by Stiftung Warentest in Finanztest 2/2025) and the Sterbegeldversicherung with a Schutzbrief add-on. Industry-facing products include the Markenzeichen certification mark, the Bundesausbildungszentrum and Theo-Remmertz-Akademie training programs, a job board (Jobbörse), the bestattungskultur trade magazine, and the Bestatter-Plattform marketplace for buying and selling funeral businesses.

Revenue is generated through three principal streams: recurring membership fees from 3,300 funeral companies, transaction-based lead generation fees when consumers are routed to member providers, and managed services revenue from affiliated subsidiaries spanning trust administration, training, professional publishing, thanatopraxy certification, and international repatriation (TransRep International GmbH). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; individual member funeral homes set their own service pricing while the platform focuses on cost estimation rather than fixed pricing. The association is governed by its member funeral companies rather than external investors and does not raise external funding.

Name

Federal Association of German Undertakers

Legal name

Bundesverband Deutscher Bestatter e.V.

Website

https://bestatter.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Federal Association of German Undertakers (Bundesverband Deutscher Bestatter e.V.) is Germany's national professional association for funeral directors, representing 3,300 member companies across 5,000+ branches and operating the bestatter.de consumer platform for funeral planning, provider search, and pre-planning services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Düsseldorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Association Membership Fees: The association generates revenue through membership fees from 3,300 funeral service companies operating more than 5,000 branches across Germany
2. Platform Services and Lead Generation: Online platform connecting consumers with member funeral homes, providing lead generation services for members
3. Affiliated Service Revenue: Revenue from related organizations including Deutsche Bestattungsvorsorge Treuhand AG (funeral pre-planning trust services) and other affiliated entities

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bundesverband Deutscher Bestatter e.V. (BDB) is a national registered association (eingetragener Verein) representing 3,300 member funeral companies across more than 5,000 branches in Germany. It operates a consumer-facing platform (bestatter.de) providing a funeral home directory, online cost estimation, pre-planning trust contracts, and funeral insurance, while delivering advocacy, training, and certification services to its member firms.

Product overview

The Federal Association of German Undertakers (Bundesverband Deutscher Bestatter e.V.) operates a multi-faceted platform centered on its core consumer-facing tools: the Bestattungsplaner (cost estimator), Bestattersuche (funeral director search), and Bestattungsvorsorge (pre-planning services including trust contracts and funeral insurance through the Deutsche Bestattungsvorsorge Treuhand AG). The association also provides a comprehensive Wissen (knowledge portal) with educational content on funeral topics, an Online Bestattung service for digital funeral planning, and a Bestatter-Plattform for buying/selling funeral businesses. The BDB umbrella encompasses multiple subsidiary organizations including the Kuratorium Deutsche Bestattungskultur, Theo-Remmertz-Akademie (professional academy), Deutsches Institut für Thanatopraxie (embalming institute), Fachverlag (trade publisher), and the bestattungskultur magazine. Supporting services include the Bundesausbildungszentrum (federal training center) and a Jobbörse (job board) for the funeral industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bestattungsplaner Online funeral cost estimation tool that helps consumers plan and budget for funeral arrangements; used by individual consumers and bereaved families.
• Bestattersuche Online directory and search tool enabling consumers to locate member funeral homes via ZIP code; connects consumers with BDB member service providers.
• Bestattungsvorsorgetreuhandvertrag Trust contract for advance funeral planning that secures funds for pre-arranged funeral services; available to individual consumers who wish to pre-plan their funeral.
• Sterbegeldversicherung Funeral expense insurance product that provides a death benefit payout to cover funeral costs; offered to individual consumers as a financial product.
• Bundesausbildungszentrum der Bestatter Federal training center providing vocational education and certifications for funeral directors; serves member funeral home employees and industry entrants.
• Theo-Remmertz-Akademie e.V. Continuing professional education academy providing seminars, courses, and advanced training programs; serves funeral directors, employees of member firms, and industry stakeholders.
• Bestatter-Plattform Online marketplace platform that connects funeral home buyers and sellers for business succession transactions; serves funeral home operators seeking to acquire or divest funeral businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• Recommended by Stiftung Warentest (Finanztest 2/2025) for funeral pre-planning trust services

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Deutsche Bestattungsvorsorge Treuhand AGcoreOthersAffiliated organization providing treuhänderische (trust-based) management of funeral pre-planning funds. Recommended by Stiftung Warentest (Finanztest 2/2025) as a trusted provider for burial pre-planning financial management.
• Kuratorium Deutsche Bestattungskultur GmbHcoreOthersAffiliated organization under the BDB umbrella focused on German funeral culture and burial traditions.
• Kuratorium Deutsche Bestattungskultur e.V.coreOthersNon-profit association focused on German funeral culture and burial traditions, operating under BDB umbrella.
• Stiftung Deutsche BestattungskulturcoreOthersFoundation dedicated to German funeral culture, operating under BDB organizational umbrella.
• Fachverlag des deutschen Bestattungsgewerbes GmbHcoreOthersTrade publishing house for the German funeral industry, providing industry publications and resources.
• Theo-Remmertz-Akademie e.V.coreOthersProfessional academy for funeral industry training and continuing education, part of BDB organizational structure.
• Deutsches Institut für Thanatopraxie GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationInstitute providing thanatopraxy (embalming) services and training, affiliated with BDB.
• TransRep International GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationInternational transportation and repatriation services for deceased individuals, affiliated with BDB.
• Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Deutscher KrematoriencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal working group of German crematoria operating under BDB, covering approximately 150 years of cremation history in Germany.
• Stiftung WarentestminorOthersGerman consumer organization that tested and recommended Deutsche Bestattungsvorsorge Treuhand AG services in Finanztest 2/2025.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Funeral Consumers Alliance: Funeral Consumers Alliance is a US nonprofit that educates consumers on funeral options, pricing, and pre-planning. It mirrors the consumer-information role of BDB's Wissen portal and bestattungskultur magazine, but from an advocacy rather than trade body perspective.
• International Cemetery and Funeral Association (ICFA): ICFA is a global industry association serving cemetery, funeral, and cremation professionals with education, advocacy, and networking. It is comparable to BDB in mission (industry representation and professional development) but operates at an international rather than national level.

Emerging players

• Mymoria GmbH: Mymoria is a German digital funeral planning startup that allows consumers to arrange cremations and related services online at transparent prices. It competes with BDB's Bestattersuche/Bestattungsplaner funnel in the same German market and represents the digital-first disruption vector for traditional member funeral homes.

Direct peers

• Aeternitas e.V. Aeternitas is a German consumer-oriented association that advises families on funeral planning, costs, and pre-arrangement options. It operates in the same German death care space as BDB, but from a consumer-protection angle rather than a trade body, making it a closely related peer addressing the same end customer.
• National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA): NFDA is the largest US trade association for funeral directors, providing member services, education, advocacy, and consumer-facing content. It is the closest international analog to the BDB's role representing funeral professionals and connecting consumers with member firms.

Regional players

• Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF): SAIF is the UK trade association for independent funeral directors, offering member services, training, and consumer-facing search tools. It is structurally and functionally comparable to BDB but serves the British market, making it a clear regional analog.
• Selected Independent Funeral Homes: Selected Independent Funeral Homes is a US network of independent funeral providers with a code of conduct and quality standards, similar in concept to the BDB's Markenzeichen certification. It is a regional (US) peer that demonstrates an alternative model of industry-led quality assurance.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZQhfpPLSgty73bIN-c4SkA
• Facebookfacebook.com/bdb.bestatter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/deutsche-bestattungsvorsorge-treuhand-ag
• Instagraminstagram.com/bestatter_bdb
• Xx.com/bdbestatter

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Federal Association of German Undertakers