Schleswig-Holsteinischer Heimatbund

What Schleswig-Holsteinischer Heimatbund does

Schleswig-Holsteinischer Heimatbund e.V. (SHHB) is a registered nonprofit association (eingetragener Verein) headquartered in Molfsee near Kiel, Germany, that serves as the central umbrella organization for regional culture, language, and nature conservation in the state of Schleswig-Holstein. The organization operates across three primary domains: Plattdeutsch (Low German) language preservation, cultural heritage documentation, and environmental landscape management. Its product portfolio includes the PLATTform media platform (daily Low German radio broadcasts on Open Channel Schleswig-Holstein), the biennial Schölers leest Platt reading competition (reaching 160 schools across the state), the Virtuelle Heimatstuben digitization initiative (16 immersive 3D tours of heritage collections), the KuLa cultural landscape research project, the Überhälter-Management financial incentive program for Knick hedge preservation, and the Paludi Rohstoff peatland biomass product initiative. SHHB also manages the administrative operations of the Plattdeutscher Rat Schleswig-Holstein, the officially mandated advisory body for Low German policy.

The organization is funded through a mix of recurring membership fees, individual and corporate donations (including targeted giving for projects such as the Chaussee Altona-Kiel and virtual Heimatstuben), and project-specific grants from public sources including the State of Schleswig-Holstein's Ministry of Education, the Ministry for Energy Transition (MEKUN), and BINGO! – Die Umweltlotterie. Annual state funding of 125,000 EUR supports the PLATTform platform. Distribution is non-commercial: outputs are delivered free of charge through public broadcasting partnerships (NDR), the Open Channel, social media channels, the spraak! podcast, school networks, and on-site events. The organization collaborates with the Sparkassen in Schleswig-Holstein, Stiftung Naturschutz Schleswig-Holstein, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, Europa-Universität Flensburg, and Nordfriisk Instituut across its programs.

Name

Schleswig-Holsteinischer Heimatbund

Legal name

Schleswig-Holsteinischer Heimatbund e.V.

Website

https://heimatbund.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Molfsee

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Individual and association memberships provide ongoing financial support and form the organizational base of the association.
2. Donations: The organization accepts donations for general operations as well as targeted project support (e.g., Chaussee Altona-Kiel, virtual Heimatstuben, Knicks, culture and landscape projects, Plattdeutsch media platform). Donors can direct contributions to specific initiatives.
3. Public institutional funding: Government funding from Schleswig-Holstein for the Plattdeutscher Rat, PLATTform media platform, and project-specific grants from BINGO! Umweltlotterie and other public bodies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Schleswig-Holsteinischer Heimatbund (SHHB) is a nonprofit cultural association that preserves and promotes the regional identity, Plattdeutsch (Low German) language, cultural heritage, and natural landscapes of Schleswig-Holstein. It coordinates an umbrella network of Heimatvereine, manages the Plattdeutscher Rat advisory council, and operates programs including the PLATTform radio/media platform, the Schölers leest Platt reading competition, Virtuelle Heimatstuben digital heritage tours, Knick hedgerow conservation, and the KuLa cultural landscape documentation project.

Product overview

The Schleswig-Holsteinischer Heimatbund is a cultural heritage organization offering a portfolio of cultural preservation, language promotion, environmental conservation, and digital heritage services. The core offerings include the PLATTform media platform for Low German broadcasting, the biennial 'Schölers leest Platt' reading competition for students, and the Plattdeutscher Rat advisory council for language policy advocacy. The organization provides digital heritage services through the Virtuelle Heimatstuben (16 virtualized homeland collections using Matterport 3D technology) and the Digitales Museum der Pinneberger Elbmarschen. Cultural education programs include the Niederdeutsche Theaterwerkstatt for children and the 'Dien Land, Dien Spraak' family language program. Environmental initiatives encompass the Paludi Rohstoff project for peatland biomass products, Knicks conservation with the Überhälter-Management model project, and the KuLa research project documenting Schleswig-Holstein's cultural landscapes. The organization also operates the Niederdeutsche Medienplattform for Low German news broadcasting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PLATTform: A Low German media platform broadcasting news and cultural content, operational since 2023 with funding from the state of Schleswig-Holstein.
• Schölers leest Platt
• Natur- und Kulturlandschaften Projekt (KuLa)
• Knicks in Schleswig-Holstein
• Virtuale Heimatstuben

Products and services

• PLATTform (Low German Media Platform) A Low German media platform broadcasting live radio content Monday through Saturday from 5 PM to 5:30 PM on the Open Channel Schleswig-Holstein and online, providing news and cultural programming in Plattdeutsch for the general public and Plattdeutsch speakers in Schleswig-Holstein.
• Schölers leest Platt (Low German Reading Competition) A biennial Low German reading competition for students in grades 3–10, organized since 1979, featuring approximately 160 school competitions, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and a state-level final with 12 finalists in Kiel.
• Virtuelle Heimatstuben (Virtual Homeland Collections) A digital preservation initiative that creates 3D virtual tours of 16 homeland collections and memorial rooms from displaced persons from former German eastern territories, using 360° photography and Matterport technology to make exhibitions accessible online for the general public, researchers, and descendants of displaced persons.
• Digitales Museum der Pinneberger Elbmarschen A collaborative digital museum project by Heimatverband für den Kreis Pinneberg and Elbmarschenhaus Haseldorf, presenting film contributions and texts about the landscape, nature, and history of the Pinneberger Elbmarschen region for the general public and educational audiences.
• Plattdeutscher Rat Schleswig-Holstein (Low German Advisory Council) An elected advisory council representing Low German speakers in Schleswig-Holstein, advocating for Low German in education, media, care, and public administration, with 7 members serving 4-year terms. The council has a seat on the Landtag's advisory committee.
• Dien Land, Dien Spraak – Plattdüütsch in Familie (Family Language Program) A family-focused program promoting Low German language use in family settings, featuring videos, brochures, and resources to support multilingual upbringing for families with children in Schleswig-Holstein, supported by Sparkassen Schleswig-Holstein.
• Niederdeutsche Theaterwerkstatt (Low German Theater Workshop) An annual theater workshop for children aged 10–13 years, teaching bilingual theater performances in Low German and Standard German, held at the Niederdeutsche Bühne Kiel.
• Natur- und Kulturlandschaften Projekt (KuLa) A 20-month research and documentation project on the change in natural and cultural landscapes of Schleswig-Holstein, examining regions including Eiderstedt, Hüttener Berge, Holsteinische Elbmarschen, Pinneberger Baumschulland, Flensburger Fördküste, Schwentine, and Stapelholm, to be published as an e-book and app.
• Überhälter-Management (Heritage Tree Conservation Program) A model project in Kreis Plön offering financial incentives of 400 EUR per tree to landowners who preserve potential heritage trees on Knicks (hedgerows), helping them grow into legally protected status, with biodiversity monitoring for bats and breeding birds.
• Paludi Rohstoff-Projekt (Paludiculture Biomass Project) A paludiculture project developing products from rewetted peatland biomass (Paludi), including packaging materials, plant substrates as peat substitutes, insulation and building materials, green roofs, biochar, paper industry applications, erosion protection mats, and anti-mud mats.
• Pomarium Anglicum e.V. Mitgliederdienst (Fruit Variety Collection Service) A fruit tree collection maintained by Karin and Meinolf Hammerschmidt in Angeln, featuring approximately 700 fruit varieties, offering guided tours for interested groups and actively seeking lost regional varieties.

Quantifiable outcome

• Schölers leest Platt reading competition reaches 160 school-level competitions, 22 quarter-finals, 5 semi-finals, and a state-level final with 12 finalists every two years.
• +2 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

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Universität Kiel – Abteilung für Regionalgeschichte (Prof. Dr. Oliver Auge)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020The history department of Kiel University joined the Virtualisierung der Heimatsammlungen initiative in 2021 to support the scholarly documentation and digitization of home heritage collections from former German eastern territories.
• Stiftung Naturschutz Schleswig-Holstein (Stiftungsland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SHHB collaborates with the Stiftung Naturschutz Schleswig-Holstein on the Klimafarm pilot project in Erfde, one of four nationwide pilot projects for peat-preserving agriculture. The Klimafarm is part of Stiftungsland and aims to rewet approximately 400 hectares of peatland in the Eider-Treene-Sorge region by 2031.
• Landesamt für Umwelt Schleswig-HolsteincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SHHB co-implements the 'Natur- und Kulturlandschaften und ihr Wandel in Schleswig-Holstein' project with the Landesamt für Umwelt. The project also involves the Archäologisches Landesamt Schleswig-Holstein and examines cultural landscapes across the state.
• Sparkassen in Schleswig-Holstein / Sparkasse WestholsteincoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Sparkassen (savings banks) in Schleswig-Holstein provide primary funding for the 'Schölers leest Platt' reading competition and support the SHHB's Plattdeutsch media initiatives. Sparkasse Westholstein representatives serve on the competition jury.
• Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerNDR supports the Schölers leest Platt competition and provides television and radio coverage of the state finals. The NDR also features the competition in its regional programming.
• Landesverband Bibliotheken Schleswig-Holstein e.V.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Landesverband Bibliotheken SH e.V. collaborates with the SHHB on the Schölers leest Platt competition, hosting quarter-final rounds in libraries across the state.
• Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (CAU)supportingTechnology or IntegrationThe CAU provides scientific monitoring for the Klimafarm project, investigating greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity development on rewetted peatland areas in the Eider-Treene-Sorge region.
• Heimatverband für den Kreis Pinneberg von 1961 e.V.supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThis member association of the SHHB co-developed the Digitales Museum der Pinneberger Elbmarschen in cooperation with the Elbmarschenhaus Haseldorf, creating digital content about the Elbmarschen landscape.
• #RegionalDigital Schleswig-HolsteinsupportingTechnology or IntegrationA regional digital partner that supports the SHHB in making heritage stories digitally accessible through the virtualized Heimatsammlungen project.
• Förderverein Deutsches Baumschulmuseum e.V.supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe supporting association for Germany's only nursery museum, collaborating on the KuLa project's cultural landscape study of Pinneberger Baumschulland.
• Nordfriisk InstituutsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Frisian Institute in Bredstedt serves as an institutional partner for Plattdeutsch language and cultural initiatives, and has been involved in the Plattdeutscher Rat's history.
• Elbmarschenhaus HaseldorfsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe nature education center in Haseldorf, an integrated station of Schleswig-Holstein for the Unterelbe region, co-developed the Digitales Museum der Pinneberger Elbmarschen with the Heimatverband Pinneberg.
• Europa-Universität Flensburg – Prof. Dr. Stephanie StiegelsupportingTechnology or IntegrationResearch group at Europa-Universität Flensburg studies the biomass and CO₂ storage potential of Überhälter trees as part of the Knick conservation program, providing scientific grounding for climate protection.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Landesheimatbund Sachsen-Anhalt e.V. State-level Heimatbund in Saxony-Anhalt with the same structure of coordinating member Heimatvereine and engaging in cultural heritage, building culture, and regional traditions.
• Nordfriisk Instituut: Regional language and cultural institute for North Frisian in Bredstedt; directly comparable institution operating under SHHB's broader umbrella that handles minority language research, documentation, and advocacy.
• Platt-Land e.V. Dedicated Plattdeutsch language preservation organization with programs, events, and resources paralleling SHHB's Niederdeutsch initiatives including family language promotion and educational outreach.
• Ostfriesische Landschaft: Regional cultural umbrella organization in Lower Saxony covering Ostfriesland; comparable in coordinating local heritage associations, cultural programs, and regional identity preservation in northern Germany.
• Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL): Large regional authority in North Rhine-Westphalia combining cultural heritage, museums, and landscape management; comparable structural model of coordinating regional cultural and environmental responsibilities under a single umbrella.
• Heimatbund Mecklenburg-Vorpommern e.V. State-level umbrella for Heimatvereine in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern with a directly analogous mission of regional cultural, linguistic, and environmental preservation in northern Germany.

Emerging players

• Niederdeutsche Bühne Kiel: Low German theater in Kiel that hosts SHHB's PLATTform broadcasts and Niederdeutsche Theaterwerkstatt; comparable as a Plattdeutsch cultural institution with narrower performing-arts focus.

Broad incumbents

• KulturStiftung der Länder: National cultural foundation supporting heritage preservation across German Länder; broader mandate and larger funding capacity than SHHB, with overlapping interest in cultural heritage and digitization projects.
• Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND): Germany's largest environmental NGO with overlapping Knick hedge advocacy, peatland conservation, and biodiversity programs; broader national scope and larger resource base than SHHB's regional environmental work.

Others

• Stiftung Naturschutz Schleswig-Holstein: Active SHHB partner on the Klimafarm project; covers environmental land management across Schleswig-Holstein and provides complementary nature conservation capabilities rather than direct cultural-preservation competition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/heimatbundsh
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCCDg1Lvf1t5AsI5KgXIDBDA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schleswig-holsteinischer-heimatbund
• Instagraminstagram.com/heimatbundsh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Schleswig-Holsteinischer Heimatbund