What Bundeskanzler-Helmut-Schmidt-Stiftung does

The Bundeskanzler-Helmut-Schmidt-Stiftung is a federal public-law foundation established by unanimous decision of the German Bundestag on 13 October 2016 and operational from January 2017, headquartered at Kattrepel 10 in Hamburg's Kontorhaus district. Named after Chancellor Helmut Schmidt (1918–2015), the foundation preserves his political legacy by operating a permanent exhibition ('Schmidt! Demokratie leben'), a traveling exhibition ('#ChallengingDemocracy'), the Helmut Schmidt Archive (in cooperation with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and Bundesarchiv), guided tours of the Schmidt residence in Hamburg-Langenhorn, educational programs, the Schmidt-Map interactive digital application (60 Hamburg locations), an escape game, oral history projects, and a weekly Schmidtletter newsletter. It also runs youth-focused initiatives including Gen P(eacebuilder) and a Youth, Peace and Security platform.

Its audience spans German citizens, students, educators, researchers, and youth engaged in political education, democratic participation, and contemporary history. The foundation employs approximately 29 staff and operates under the supervision of the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media, with Board of Trustees members nominated by the Federal President, Federal Government, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, ZEIT-Stiftung, and Helmut und Loki Schmidt-Stiftung. All offerings — exhibitions, tours, workshops, publications, and archive access — are provided free of charge to the public.

The business model is non-commercial: the foundation is funded by annual grants from the Federal Government under the Federal Budget Act, with no earned revenue streams, ticketing, or paid services. Distribution is direct through physical sites (Hamburg headquarters and archive), the traveling exhibition, digital platforms (website, newsletter, social channels across LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, Mastodon), and events in Hamburg, Berlin, and other German cities. The foundation does not operate a technology platform product but maintains digital infrastructure including the Schmidt-Map, virtual tours, and online publications.

Name

Bundeskanzler-Helmut-Schmidt-Stiftung

Legal name

Bundeskanzler-Helmut-Schmidt-Stiftung

Website

https://helmut-schmidt.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Bundeskanzler-Helmut-Schmidt-Stiftung is a German federal public-law foundation in Hamburg that preserves Chancellor Helmut Schmidt's legacy through free exhibitions, archive services, educational programs, and publications for the general public, students, and researchers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural and Political Education Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), National Security and International Affairs (9281)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Democratic Governance & Public Administration Reform (BPADAGAJ), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Political education
• Historical archive services
• Public exhibitions
• Civic engagement programs
• Cultural heritage foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Government Funding: The foundation receives an annual grant from the Federal Government according to the Federal Budget Act. As a public-law foundation, it is primarily funded through government appropriations rather than commercial revenue generation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Bundeskanzler-Helmut-Schmidt-Stiftung is a federal public-law foundation that preserves the political legacy of former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt. It operates the Helmut Schmidt Centre in Hamburg with permanent and traveling exhibitions, manages the Helmut Schmidt Archive, runs civic education and youth peace-and-security programs, publishes scholarly works and a weekly newsletter, and convenes public lectures, panel discussions, and guided tours of the Schmidt residence. All offerings are delivered free of charge as part of its mandate to advance democratic education and historical remembrance.

Product overview

The Bundeskanzler-Helmut-Schmidt-Stiftung operates as a public foundation focused on political education and contemporary history preservation. Its portfolio comprises physical exhibitions (the permanent 'Schmidt! Demokratie leben' exhibition and the traveling '#ChallengingDemocracy' exhibition), digital applications (Schmidt-Map interactive map), educational programs (workshops, tours, escape room games), archival services (Helmut Schmidt Archive), publications (BKHS Perspectives, books), events, newsletters, youth engagement programs (Gen P Peacebuilder, YPS platform), and oral history projects. The foundation maintains its headquarters in Hamburg's Kontorhaus district and operates educational outreach from its various thematic divisions covering peace and security, democracy, economy, and history.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Schmidt! Demokratie leben (Permanent Exhibition) Permanent exhibition in Hamburg's Kontorhaus district that takes visitors through a century of German and international contemporary history, focused on democracy and Helmut Schmidt's political legacy. Open to the general public with guided tours and discussion opportunities.
• #ChallengingDemocracy – Von Helmut Schmidt bis heute (Traveling Exhibition) Wandering exhibition that explores democracy through Helmut Schmidt's biography, connecting historical themes from the late 1960s to 1980s with contemporary democratic challenges. Visits multiple locations across Germany.
• Schmidt-Map Interactive digital map application with 60 documented entries showing locations throughout Hamburg connected to Helmut Schmidt's life, childhood, political career, and places of historical significance. Built on OpenStreetMap and available online.
• Unlock Europe – Escape Game zu Frieden und Sicherheit in Europa Educational escape room game focused on European peace and security topics, designed to engage youth in learning about international relations and democratic participation.
• Helmut Schmidt Archive (Helmut Schmidt-Archiv) Archival research service maintaining the extensive collection of Helmut Schmidt's documents, correspondence, and historical materials, managed in cooperation with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and the Federal Archives. Open to researchers and scholars.
• Bildungsangebote (Educational Programs) Comprehensive educational offerings including guided exhibition tours, workshops, walks, and democracy education programs designed to promote civic engagement and understanding of political processes among the general public, students, and youth.
• Publikationen (Publications) Scholarly publications including the BKHS Perspectives series, books, and articles on topics including foreign policy, security, democracy, economy, and contemporary history related to Helmut Schmidt's political legacy.
• Veranstaltungen (Events) Public events including lectures, panel discussions, conferences, and special exhibitions organized by the foundation to promote political education, public discourse, and democratic engagement in Hamburg, Berlin, and other locations.
• Schmidt Letter Newsletter Weekly Saturday newsletter (Schmidt Letter and Schmidt Letter kompakt) providing updates on political topics, contemporary issues, and foundation activities. Distributed free of charge in German via email subscription.
• Das Wohnhaus (The Residence Tour) Free guided tours of Helmut and Loki Schmidt's home in Hamburg-Langenhorn, where they lived for 50 years. Tours are allocated through a prize-draw system due to limited capacity.
• Gen P(eacebuilder) Youth-focused peacebuilding program addressing the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda, including a digital YPS platform to engage young people in peace and security discourse.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016The foundation collaborates with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in archival matters. The Helmut Schmidt Archive is located in cooperation with the Archive of Social Democracy of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung also holds a binding nomination right for one member of the foundation's Board of Trustees.
• Bundesarchiv (Federal Archives)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016The foundation works with the Bundesarchiv (Federal Archives) for archival matters. The Bundesarchiv supports the foundation in performing its tasks, and the foundation's archival work is conducted in cooperation with the Helmut Schmidt Archive in the Archive of Social Democracy.
• Helmut und Loki Schmidt-StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016The Helmut und Loki Schmidt-Stiftung holds binding nomination rights for two members of the foundation's Board of Trustees and one honorary member of the Executive Board. The foundation maintains the Schmidts' residence and works closely with the family foundation on preserving and presenting their legacy.
• ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd BuceriuscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016The ZEIT-Stiftung holds a binding nomination right for one member of the foundation's Board of Trustees, reflecting shared interests in political education and intellectual discourse.
• Bundesverwaltungsamt (Federal Office of Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bundesverwaltungsamt conducts audits of the foundation's accounts, budgetary and economic management in accordance with federal regulations, and provides administrative support.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung: CDU-affiliated political foundation named after Chancellor Adenauer, with political education, scholarship programs, and international offices. Closest comparable in scale and chancellor-legitimacy model to the Helmut Schmidt Foundation.
• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung: Germany's oldest political foundation affiliated with the SPD, focused on political education, democracy, and international cooperation. Direct peer as it is a federal political foundation with similar structures (archival, political education, international programs) and explicitly cited as a core archiving partner of the Helmut Schmidt Foundation.
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik (DGAP): Berlin-based foreign policy think tank combining policy research, events, and education on European and international affairs. Strong topical overlap with the BKHS's European and International Politics programme, led by Dan Krause.
• Stiftung Bundespräsident-Theodor-Heuss-Haus: Foundation at the Stuttgart residence of the first Federal President, Theodor Heuss, combining memorial work with political education. Direct peer as a head-of-state memorial foundation with permanent exhibition, archive, and educational programs.
• Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung: Green-affiliated political foundation with political education, democracy support, and international programs. Comparable in mission (politische Bildung) and structure to the subject foundation.

Broad incumbents

• Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (BpB): Federal Agency for Civic Education operating under the Federal Ministry of the Interior, with nationwide political education programs. Overlaps heavily with the foundation's political education mission and is a likely funder/partner for many of its programs.
• Bundesstiftung Aufarbeitung: Federal foundation for the reappraisal of the SED dictatorship, focusing on contemporary German history, democracy education, and remembrance. Comparable in its federal mandate, thematic proximity to political education, and historical-archive focus.
• Willy-Brandt-Stiftung: Berlin-based foundation named after Chancellor Willy Brandt that focuses on contemporary history and political education. Closest direct chancellor-named analogue to the Helmut Schmidt Foundation; shares a staff alumnus (Wolfgang Schmidt) and overlapping thematic focus on Cold War-era history.

Emerging players

• Körber-Stiftung: Hamburg-based operating foundation with strong civic education and democracy programs. Comparable in size and geographic base; Lisa Querner previously worked at Körber before joining the Helmut Schmidt Foundation as tour manager.
• ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius: Hamburg-based foundation promoting education, science, and international understanding. Holds a binding nomination right on the Helmut Schmidt Foundation's Board of Trustees and shares thematic interests in political education and intellectual discourse.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/privacy
• YouTubepolicies.google.com/privacy?hl=de
• Facebookfacebook.com/policy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bundeskanzler-helmut-schmidt-stiftung
• Instagramde-de.facebook.com/privacy/policy

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Bundeskanzler-Helmut-Schmidt-Stiftung