LICHT IM OSTEN
LICHT IM OSTEN is a German non-profit missionary organization that produces and distributes Bibles and Christian literature in 30 languages across 10 countries, anchored by the TROPINKA children's magazine (1.5M readers in 65 countries), the FAITH AND LIFE adult magazine (500K+ readers), and XFM radio in Lithuania.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1920
- HeadquartersKorntal-münchingen, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What LICHT IM OSTEN does
LICHT IM OSTEN is a German non-profit missionary organization (eingetragener Verein, e.V.) founded in 1920 in Wernigerode and currently headquartered in Korntal-Münchingen near Stuttgart. Its core function is the production and distribution of Bibles and Christian literature in 30 languages across 10 countries, carried out through a network of 11 partner organizations and an annual logistics operation that transports more than 200 tonnes of literature and aid.
The organization's product portfolio centers on two flagship periodicals: TROPINKA, a children's magazine with approximately 1.5 million readers across 65 countries, and FAITH AND LIFE, an adult magazine with over 500,000 readers. Beyond print, the organization operates XFM radio broadcasting in Lithuania, signaling a deliberate channel diversification into audio ministry. HQ staff are reported at 11-50 employees, indicating a lean central team that coordinates content production, donor relations, and multi-country logistics rather than running country offices directly.
The business model is donation-funded: as an eingetragener Verein, the organization does not sell content to beneficiaries and has no commercial pricing model. Income is sourced entirely from charitable contributions, primarily within the German Protestant donor ecosystem, and is deployed into content production, translation, print runs, shipping logistics, partner grants, and the XFM radio operation. The organization is in its second century of continuous operation.
LICHT IM OSTEN firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LICHT IM OSTEN
- Legal name
- LICHT IM OSTEN e.V.
- Website
- https://lio.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1920
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- LICHT IM OSTEN is a German non-profit missionary organization that produces and distributes Bibles and Christian literature in 30 languages across 10 countries, anchored by the TROPINKA children's magazine (1.5M readers in 65 countries), the FAITH AND LIFE adult magazine (500K+ readers), and XFM radio in Lithuania.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LICHT IM OSTEN industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Religious Publishing and Missionary Services
- NAICS
- Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Religious & Spiritual Print-on-Demand (Bibles, Devotionals) (MPAJANAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Children’s Book Print-on-Demand (Picture Books, Early Readers, YA) (MPAJANAC), Religious Education & Catechetical Publishing (Sunday School, Catechism, Study Guides) (MPAJAHAC)
Keywords
Where LICHT IM OSTEN is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Korntal-münchingen
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
LICHT IM OSTEN business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations: LICHT IM OSTEN is funded entirely by voluntary donations from individuals, churches, and mission-minded organizations. No commercial revenue streams. The organization also receives collections from mission-minded churches and church groups. Founded the LICHT IM OSTEN Förderstiftung (beneficiary trust) in 2001 for long-term support.
- Literature Distribution (Free): Bibles, books, magazines, and faith courses are distributed free of charge. No revenue is generated from sales; all materials are provided at no cost to recipients, funded through donations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free literature and media distribution funded by donations |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels9 records
Marketing channels11 records
LICHT IM OSTEN product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LICHT IM OSTEN is an independent non-profit missionary organization that publishes and distributes Bibles, Christian magazines, and books in 30 languages across Russia, Eastern Europe, the Baltic States, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Slavic diaspora communities. Its portfolio includes the TROPINKA children's magazine, FAITH AND LIFE adult magazine, regional magazine adaptations, Bibles, Christian books, audio recordings for the visually impaired, and radio programming. The organization also runs social programs including school ethics classes, literacy education for Roma children, aid for the blind, senior citizen support, and humanitarian relief distribution.
Product overview
LICHT IM OSTEN is an independent non-profit missionary organization founded in 1920 that operates as a publishing house and social ministry. Its core products include religious literature (Bibles, Christian books) and magazines published in eastern languages (TROPINKA for children, FAITH AND LIFE for adults, and the German-language LICHT IM OSTEN Magazine). These publications span multiple languages and formats including print, digital, audio, and radio. The organization also runs humanitarian aid and social programs including ethics education, literacy programs for Roma children, aid for the blind and elderly, and indigenous missionary support. The portfolio includes regional variants of magazines (ARACHET in Armenia, PROSOREZ in Bulgaria, GYVIEJI ŠALTINIAI in Lithuania, FELINARUL in Romania, STESHINKA in Ukraine, AKIKAT TANI in Kazakhstan) and musical programs (TROPINKA Festival, Children's Choir, Male-Voice Ensemble). An online library (liolib.org) provides digital access to all published materials.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- TROPINKA Children's Magazine
- FAITH AND LIFE Magazine
- LICHT IM OSTEN Magazine (German)
Quantifiable outcome
- 1.5 million readers access TROPINKA magazine in 65 countries
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use LICHT IM OSTEN
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
LICHT IM OSTEN technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
LICHT IM OSTEN partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- LICHT IM OSTEN ArmeniacoreIndigenous partner organization in Armenia distributing Christian literature, operating ARACHET children's magazine (Armenian version of TROPINKA, 5,000 copies), supporting Yezidi missionaries, translating and printing Christian books in Armenian. 10 team members.
- SWETLINA NA BALKANITE (LICHT IM OSTEN Bulgaria)corePartner in Bulgaria producing PROSOREZ magazine (2,500 copies), PETETSCHKA children's magazine (2,500 copies), running literacy programs for Romani children, soup kitchens, evangelistic ministries, and theological college with correspondence/online courses.
- VALGUS ESTONIA (LICHT IM OSTEN Estonia)coreLocated in Narva, working with Baptist churches, running TROPINKA holiday camps for 20+ years, mobile children's playgrounds, youth clubs, collaborating with Radio Eli for Russian-language broadcasts.
- ŠVIESA RYTUOSE (LICHT IM OSTEN Lithuania)core16 full-time staff operating XFM radio station (round-the-clock, 7 cities, 50% population coverage), publishing 'Little Evening Star' magazine (5,000 copies with CD), LIVING SOURCES/GYVIEJI SALTINIAI magazine (7,000 copies, 4x yearly to 1,300 libraries), Christian books, and organizing Sielosą Christian music festival.
- SCHYGHYS SEULESI (LICHT IM OSTEN Kazakhstan)core7 staff members producing AKIKAT TANI adult magazine (4x yearly) and SHARAPAT children's magazine (6x yearly) in Kazakh language, organizing children's camps, youth clubs, and social projects.
- LUMINA RASARITULUI (LICHT IM OSTEN Moldova)core16 staff (3 missionaries, 3 office, 10 teachers) teaching ethics in schools (25,000+ students annually), running Christian clubs, organizing camps, distributing FAITH AND LIFE/STESHINKA/FELINARUL/TROPINKA magazines, sports evangelism, food parcels for needy families, and church planting.
- SWITLO NA SHODI (LICHT IM OSTEN Ukraine)core29 permanent staff and 6 freelance workers running children's clubs, puppet theatres, tent evangelistic meetings (50+ venues, 5 teams annually), recording audio Bible for blind, operating mission library, social ministry, online projects, and distributing STESHINKA, FAITH AND LIFE magazines in Ukrainian/Romanian/German/Russian.
- LIGHT IN THE EAST Inc. (USA)coreBased in California, reaching Slavic and post-Soviet peoples in diaspora with Gospel, distributing FAITH AND LIFE and TROPINKA in Russian and Ukrainian, supporting work in Eastern Europe.
- HILKA (Hilf Kasachstan)coreSwiss organization cooperating with LICHT IM OSTEN on HOUSE OF HOPE Kazakhstan - humanitarian aid and socio-evangelistic ministry with 4 full-time and 5 part-time staff plus volunteers, serving poor families, handicapped children, large families, and people in crisis.
- Diakonisches Werk der evangelischen Kirche in Württemberg (DWW)minorMember organization - Diaconal work of the Evangelical Church in Württemberg.
- Deutsche Evangelische Allianz (DEA)minorMember organization - German Evangelical Alliance.
- Arbeitsgemeinschaft Evangelikaler Missionen (AEM)minorMember organization - Working group of evangelical missions.
- Arbeitsgemeinschaft Missionarische Dienste (AMD)minorMember organization - Working group for missionary services.
- Arbeitskreis für Mission, Kultur und Religion (AfeM)minorMember organization - Working group for mission, culture and religion.
- SOL Church (USA)minorPartnership with SOL Church in USA for Slavic diaspora ministry in California, helping immigrants with friendship, support, and integration while sharing the Gospel.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
LICHT IM OSTEN competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- American Bible Society: US-based Bible society distributing free and subsidized Scripture globally, including engagement with diaspora and non-English markets. Highly comparable in mission (free Scripture distribution, translation, donor-funded model) though structurally focused on the Americas and digital-first.
- Biblica: One of the world's largest Bible publishers and distributors, operating globally and producing Scripture translations across 100+ languages. Directly comparable to LIO's Bible-publishing and free-distribution mission, though at much larger scale and broader geographic reach.
- Slavic Gospel Association (SGA): US-based mission focused specifically on supporting evangelical churches and ministry across Russia, the former Soviet Union, and Eastern Europe. Highly comparable geographic focus and indigenous-partner model; primarily operating through church support rather than publishing.
- Gideons International: Global association best known for free Bible placement in hotels, schools, prisons, and hospitals. Comparable in the free-Bible-distribution model and donor-funded structure, though Gideons focus on placement rather than indigenous publishing.
- Bibles For The World: US-based ministry distributing free Bibles and Christian literature globally, including significant engagement with Eastern European and Central Asian populations. Comparable in free-distribution model and donor-funded structure, though smaller scale.
- Mission Eurasia (formerly Russian Ministries): US-based mission serving Russia and the former Soviet Union through church planting, children's programs, education, and humanitarian aid. Directly comparable geographic focus, target audience, and indigenous-partner approach; serves overlapping populations in FSU.
Regional players
- Russian Bible Society: Russia-based Bible society distributing Scripture across the Russian-speaking world. Directly comparable product (Bibles in Russian and CIS languages) and geographic overlap, though operating under more restrictive Russian legal constraints since 2016.
- Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft: German Bible Society that publishes the Luther Bible and supports translation work globally. Directly comparable as a German-registered Scripture publisher, but primarily focused on German-language editions and academic translation rather than FSU distribution.
Emerging players
- Wycliffe Global Alliance: Global alliance focused on Bible translation into the world's remaining languages, with significant work among minority-language groups. Comparable in the Scripture-translation mission and indigenous-language focus, but specialized in translation rather than distribution.
Broad incumbents
- United Bible Societies: Global fellowship of 146 national Bible societies coordinating worldwide Scripture translation and distribution. Comparable as the umbrella body for Bible-publishing missions, providing translation infrastructure LIO can leverage; much larger scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
LICHT IM OSTEN social profiles
Digital presenceLICHT IM OSTEN financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LICHT IM OSTEN leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
LICHT IM OSTEN subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries8 records
LICHT IM OSTEN funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LICHT IM OSTEN M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LICHT IM OSTEN
What does LICHT IM OSTEN do?
LICHT IM OSTEN is an independent non-profit missionary organization that publishes and distributes Bibles, Christian magazines, and books in 30 languages across Russia, Eastern Europe, the Baltic States, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Slavic diaspora communities. Its portfolio includes the TROPINKA children's magazine, FAITH AND LIFE adult magazine, regional magazine adaptations, Bibles, Christian books, audio recordings for the visually impaired, and radio programming. The organization also runs social programs including school ethics classes, literacy education for Roma children, aid for the blind, senior citizen support, and humanitarian relief distribution.
Is LICHT IM OSTEN a public or private company?
LICHT IM OSTEN is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was LICHT IM OSTEN founded?
LICHT IM OSTEN was founded in 1920. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is LICHT IM OSTEN based?
LICHT IM OSTEN is headquartered in Korntal-münchingen, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does LICHT IM OSTEN make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are literature Distribution (Free).
Who are LICHT IM OSTEN's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are American Bible Society, Biblica, Slavic Gospel Association (SGA), Gideons International, Bibles For The World and Mission Eurasia (formerly Russian Ministries). Regional players are Russian Bible Society and Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft. Wycliffe Global Alliance is listed as an emerging player. United Bible Societies is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does LICHT IM OSTEN have an API?
No public API is recorded for LICHT IM OSTEN.
What industry is LICHT IM OSTEN in?
LICHT IM OSTEN's product category is Religious Publishing and Missionary Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJANAG, Religious & Spiritual Print-on-Demand (Bibles, Devotionals), with a secondary code of MPAJANAC, Children’s Book Print-on-Demand (Picture Books, Early Readers, YA). Its NAICS code is 813 and its SIC code is 8300.