German War Graves Commission

What German War Graves Commission does

Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V. (doing business as German War Graves Commission) is a registered German non-profit association founded in 1919 and headquartered in Niestetal, Germany, with 11-50 employees and additional offices in Berlin, Kassel, and Moscow. Under mandate from the German Federal Government, it searches for, recovers, and maintains graves of German war dead abroad, operating approximately 840 war gravesites across 45 countries that contain roughly 2.8 million burials.

The organization's technology stack centers on a digital grave search database (Gräbersuche-Online) containing approximately 5.4 million records of war dead and missing persons, complemented by a georeferenced War Gravesites Portal mapping ~840 cemeteries in 45 countries with biographical content, and a Gedenkportal memorial platform. Specialized subsystems include Operation Levi's database identifying ~12,000 German Jewish soldiers from World War I and the PEACE LINE youth engagement platform. Integrations are limited to embedded Google Maps for cemetery directions; no proprietary AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid non-profit model: recurring membership fees from ~192,000 supporters, individual donations (preset tiers of €25/€50/€75), testamentary bequests via the Vorsorge-TV estate-planning webinar channel, modest participant fees for youth programs (€30–€550), and core operational funding from the German Federal Government and Federal Foreign Office. The organization serves four primary constituencies: families of war dead (grave search and fate clarification), youth and educational institutions (~30 international youth projects annually), donors and supporters, and government partners for international diplomatic reconciliation through memorial work.

Name

German War Graves Commission

Legal name

Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e. V.

Website

https://volksbund.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The German War Graves Commission (Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V.) is a German non-profit founded in 1919 that, under federal mandate, searches for, recovers, and maintains graves of German war dead abroad across 45 countries, operating a digital database of 5.4 million records and serving families, youth, donors, and government partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

War graves and memorial services

NAICS

Cemeteries and Crematories (812220), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Historical Sites (71212)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Peace, Security & Arms Control Organizations (BPADAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Emergency Response & Search-and-Rescue (SAR) (BPAGAAAA)

Keywords

• War graves care
• Memorial services
• Humanitarian remembrance
• Youth peace education
• Fate clarification

Headquarters

HQ city

Nettetal

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations: Primary revenue stream from individual donors contributing via online portals, bank transfers, direct debits, and PayPal. One-time and recurring donation options available. Digital collection box and street/door-to-door collections conducted annually with Bundeswehr and reservist support.
2. Membership Fees: Recurring membership revenue from ~192,000 supporters who pay periodic membership dues. Members receive benefits including magazine subscriptions (Zeitschrift 'Frieden') and priority access to events.
3. Government Grants: Core operational funding from the German Federal Government (Bundesregierung) for the mandated task of caring for war graves abroad. Additional support from the Auswärtiges Amt (Foreign Office) for international operations.
4. Testamentary Bequests: Legacy giving through wills and testaments. Dedicated service for inheritance matters and legacy coordination, including partnership with Braun & Kollegen law firm for Vorsorge-TV estate planning webinars.
5. Youth Program Fees: Fees charged for international youth encounters and workcamps ranging from 30€ to 550€ per participant, covering program costs, accommodation, and meals for 2-week camps.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V. (German War Graves Commission) is a humanitarian non-profit organization that searches for, recovers, and maintains the graves of German war dead from World Wars I and II abroad. It operates approximately 840 war gravesites in 45 countries containing roughly 2.8 million buried war dead, maintains a database of approximately 5.4 million records accessible through its online grave search portal, and conducts international youth encounters and peace education programs at memorial sites.

Product overview

The Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V. operates a comprehensive humanitarian service platform centered on war grave site management and commemorative work. The core offerings include the Gräbersuche Online database (approximately 5.4 million searchable records of war dead), Kriegsgräberstätten (approximately 840 cemetery sites across 45 countries with detailed location and biographical data), and the Gedenkportal memorial portal. The organization provides youth engagement programs through International Jugendbegegnungen & Workcamps (approximately 30 annual international youth projects), PEACE LINE (for ages 18-26), and Kid-Camps (for participants under 16). The digital service ecosystem includes online donation and membership systems, Vorsorge-TV webinar platform, educational resources for schools and universities, and the quarterly Zeitschrift Frieden magazine. The organization is structured across 16 regional Landesverbände (state associations) and operates the affiliated Stiftung Gedenken und Frieden foundation. Annual commemorative activities center on the Volkstrauertag (National Day of Mourning) with central ceremonies in the Bundestag. The organization publishes commemorative materials and operates youth encounter and educational centers across Germany.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PEACE LINE: A youth format for 18-26 year olds focusing on peace education and international dialogue
• Vorsorge-TV
• Against Forgetting
• Operation Levi

Products and services

• Gräbersuche Online (Grave Search Online) Online digital database providing access to approximately 5.4 million records of war dead and missing persons from World Wars I and II. Users can search by name and access biographical information. If a deceased person is not found in the database, a search request can be submitted. Targeted at families of war dead and researchers seeking information about missing persons.
• Kriegsgräberstätten (War Gravesites Portal) Comprehensive database and map interface listing approximately 840 German war grave sites across 45 countries. Includes cemetery descriptions, history, occupancy data, biographical information of buried individuals, and location coordinates. Each site has dedicated pages with details about burials, historical context, and visiting information. Targeted at families, visitors, and educational institutions.
• Gedenkportal (Memorial Portal) Online memorial portal available at gedenkportal.volksbund.de providing digital remembrance services for families and descendants of war casualties. Targeted at families seeking to remember and honor fallen relatives.
• Internationale Jugendbegegnungen & Workcamps (International Youth Exchanges and Workcamps) Youth programs bringing young people from across Europe together for peace engagement. Includes international youth exchanges, workcamps (practical work 10-20 hours on war grave sites), and educational projects. Approximately 30 international youth projects are offered annually. Programs feature intercultural exchange, historical education, and reconciliation activities at grave sites. Targeted at young people aged 16 and above.
• PEACE LINE Program format specifically designed for young adults aged 18-26. Features formats like 'Mosaiksteine' (Mosaic Stones) and connects youth across different countries. Includes online registration functionality and community features for participants. Targeted at young adults seeking peace education and intercultural exchange.
• Kid-Camps International camps for participants under 16 years of age promoting international understanding, teamwork, and responsibility. Features workshops, excursions, and creative projects addressing themes of peace and cultural diversity. Pricing ranges from EUR 150 to EUR 350 per person depending on duration and location. Targeted at children and younger adolescents.
• Volkstrauertag (National Day of Mourning Commemoration) Annual commemorative event held on the Sunday before Totensonntag (late November). Features central memorial ceremony in the German Bundestag broadcast live on ZDF, including the ceremonial unveiling of a memorial wreath. Involves cooperation with Bundeswehr and Reservistenverband. Targeted at the German public and remembrance culture participants.
• Mitgliedschaft (Membership Program) Membership program enabling permanent contribution to peace and justice. Members receive benefits including the quarterly magazine Frieden (Peace), memorial publications, and member-specific services. Supports approximately 192,000 members. Targeted at individuals wishing to provide ongoing support for war graves maintenance and peace work.
• Spenden (Donations Service) Online donation system accepting various amounts with preset options (EUR 25, EUR 50, EUR 75) or custom amounts. Supports multiple payment methods including PayPal, credit card, bank transfer, and SEPA direct debit. Offers occasion-based donations, gift donations, and legacy donations. Tax-deductible in Germany. Targeted at individual donors and supporters.
• Schulen und Hochschulen (Schools and Universities Education Programs) Educational programs for schools and universities including historical-political education, educational materials, and teaching resources available through the media library. Programs address themes of democracy, human rights, and historical responsibility. Targeted at educational institutions and students.
• Zeitschrift Frieden (Peace Magazine) Quarterly member magazine covering Volksbund activities, historical topics, commemorative events, and the work at war grave sites. Includes articles on current projects, family stories, and historical research. Distributed to members and supporters.
• Vorsorge-TV Digital service platform offering free online lectures (webinars) on topics of advance directives, patient instructions, inheritance, and testament planning. Conducted in cooperation with law firm Braun & Kollegen. Webinars are typically held Thursdays at 6:30 PM with approximately 60-minute duration. Registration is free. Targeted at individuals interested in estate planning and legacy giving.
• Landesverbände (State Associations Network) Regional organizational structure comprising 16 state associations corresponding to German federal states (Bundesländer). Each association manages local activities, fundraising collections, and commemorative events within their region. Targeted at donors, members, and volunteers across Germany.
• Stiftung Gedenken und Frieden (Foundation Remembrance and Peace) Affiliated foundation supporting the Volksbund's peace work. Provides funding for commemorative events and educational projects. Operates independently with separate governance structure. Targeted at donors seeking to support peace work through foundation-based giving.
• Freiwilligenarbeitseinsätze (Volunteer Work Assignments) Volunteer programs allowing individuals to participate in war grave maintenance work. Includes arrangements for accommodation, travel, and insurance coverage for volunteers. Targeted at individuals seeking hands-on engagement with war graves care and peace work.
• Jugendbegegnungs- und Bildungsstätten (Youth Encounter and Educational Centers) Dedicated facilities for youth education and international encounter programs. Provides accommodation and program spaces for youth groups participating in historical education activities. Targeted at youth groups and educational institutions.
• Operation Levi Initiative Initiative to identify and provide proper Jewish gravestones (Star of David) for approximately 12,000 German Jewish soldiers who died in World War I. The initiative involves research and documentation of graves, with steles installed at war grave sites. Supported by the Alfred Landecker Foundation since 2026. Targeted at honoring Jewish soldiers historically overlooked in German military commemorations.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~840 war gravesites maintained in 45 countries with approximately 2.8 million buried war dead
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.

• Operation BenjaminmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023American-Israeli organization partnered with Volksbund since 2023 to identify American Jewish soldiers buried at wrong locations or under incorrect markers. Successfully resolved approximately 40 cases including Nathan B. Baskind reburial at US cemetery Colleville-sur-Mer.
• German Federal Government (Bundesregierung)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary mandate holder authorizing the Volksbund to search for, recover, and maintain war graves abroad. Provides core operational funding for the organization's humanitarian mission of caring for approximately 2.8 million war dead across 45 countries.
• German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing cooperation on remembrance culture, volunteer work deployments, and annual door-to-door and street collection campaigns. Bundeswehr soldiers participate in collection efforts and maintain youth encounter sites.
• Braun & Kollegen Law FirmsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunich-based law firm specialized in estate planning and inheritance law, providing free Vorsorge-TV webinars on power of attorney, living wills, and estate planning in cooperation with the Volksbund.
• German Red Cross Search Service MunichsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerData sharing partnership for tracing missing persons and identifying war dead. Volksbund transmits search requests and receives support for fate clarification inquiries.
• Bundesarchiv (Federal Archives Germany)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerData sharing for personal information inquiries related to World War I and II, supporting the organization's mission to clarify the fates of missing soldiers.

Scale indicators8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Operation Benjamin Foundation: A US-Israeli organization partnered with Volksbund since 2023 to identify American Jewish soldiers buried at wrong locations. As a documented operational partner of Volksbund, it represents the emerging niche of dedicated Jewish war graves identification organizations with similar mission focus.
• International Tracing Service (Arolsen Archives): An international center on Nazi persecution holding records on over 17.5 million people, focused on documentation of WWII victims. While not operating graves, its mission of documentation and family tracing for WWII victims closely parallels Volksbund's Gräbersuche-Online and Operation Levi research databases.

Direct peers

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission: The CWGC is the most direct peer, serving as the UK government's mandated organization for maintaining war graves of 1.7 million Commonwealth service members across ~23,000 locations in 150+ countries. Like Volksbund, it operates a public grave search database, manages perpetual cemetery care, and engages in remembrance education, making it functionally equivalent at international scale.
• American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC): ABMC maintains 26 permanent American military cemeteries and 31 federal memorials honoring U.S. service members overseas. As another nationally-mandated foreign war graves commission, it shares Volksbund's mission of searching, identifying, recovering, and burying American war dead abroad with similar government funding structure.
• Le Souvenir Français: France's leading association for the maintenance of French war graves and remembrance of those who died for France. Comparable in mission scope, member-driven fundraising model, and historical lineage (founded 1887), serving as the French counterpart to Volksbund's German mandate.

Regional players

• Stiftung Denkmalschutz (German Foundation for Monument Protection): German nonprofit foundation dedicated to preserving cultural monuments in Germany. While focused on architectural heritage rather than war graves specifically, it shares Volksbund's German non-profit status, membership/donation model, and cultural heritage preservation mandate.
• Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge Österreich: The Austrian equivalent organization, formally the "Österreichischer Schwarzenberg-Kuratorium" managing Austrian war graves abroad. While operating under Austrian government mandate, it shares nearly identical mission, structure, and operational model to the German Volksbund.

Broad incumbents

• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): While operating much more broadly in humanitarian aid and armed conflict response, the ICRC shares Volksbund's commitment to the dignified treatment of conflict victims and tracing of missing persons. Its Restoring Family Links program overlaps with Volksbund's grave search and fate clarification services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZ2VuIXq9x6x0zLdHaKJC1w
• Facebookfacebook.com/volksbund
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/volksbund-deutsche-kriegsgraeberfuersorge-ev
• Instagraminstagram.com/international_workcamps

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about German War Graves Commission