Georg-von-Vollmar-Akademie e.V.

What Georg-von-Vollmar-Akademie e.V. does

Georg-von-Vollmar-Akademie e.V. is a German non-profit political education institution (eingetragener Verein) founded in 1948 and headquartered at the listed (denkmalgeschützt) Schloss Aspenstein estate in Kochel am See, Bavaria. It delivers residential seminars, workshops, and educational programs across seven thematic areas — work and economy, Bavarian perspectives, right-wing extremism prevention and remembrance culture, history and culture, civic participation, international relations, and environment and sustainability — targeting three core segments: adult learners, school groups (Schülerinnen und Schüler), and employees claiming Bildungsurlaub (educational leave) under German federal and state statutes. Operational scale is small, with 12 staff, a network of approximately 315 lecturers, and roughly 170 events annually (2019), supplemented by Bavaria-wide panel discussions, readings, theatre, and specialist conferences.

Name

Georg-von-Vollmar-Akademie e.V.

Legal name

Georg-von-Vollmar-Akademie e.V.

Website

https://vollmar-akademie.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The organization operates with a lean, non-proprietary technology stack built on WordPress with the KuferWeb CMS for course management and registration, self-hosted Matomo for web analytics, and standard integrations (YouTube, Google Maps, Borlabs Cookie consent). Its digital product surface includes two podcasts ("Tatort Geschichte" and "Kontroversen unserer Zeit"), an NSU e-book, and webinar formats distributed through Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and a newsletter; co-organised seminars with Bayerisches Seminar für Politik e.V. extend the in-person footprint to Kloster Benediktbeuern.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Political and Civic Adult Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Civic Education & Community Engagement (Voting, Local Government) (EDAAAFAC)

Keywords

• Political education seminars
• Adult civic education
• Residential workshop programs
• Bildungsurlaub training
• Democracy education

Headquarters

HQ city

Kochel am See

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Seminar fees (Teilnahmebeiträge): Primary revenue from course fees covering participation, full board, and shared-room accommodation. Discounts of 50% for unemployed, students, trainees on presentation of certificate. Single room surcharge of €25/night. Cancellation fees apply.
2. Fördermitgliedschaft (Supporting memberships): Annual supporting memberships generating approximately €150,000 per year, used to sustain operations after public funding cuts in 2019.
3. Public funding and subsidies: Supported by public funds including Bavarian Kultusministerium (Bavarian Ministry of Education). The academy is a recognised education provider (Anerkannter Bildungsträger) eligible for educational leave funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Georg-von-Vollmar-Akademie e.V. delivers residential political education seminars (weekend, half-week, and week formats) at its historic Schloss Aspenstein venue in Kochel am See, Bavaria. Programs cover seven thematic areas — work/economy, Bavarian perspectives, extremism prevention, history/culture, civic participation, international relations, and environment/sustainability — and are eligible for Bildungsurlaub. The academy also runs dedicated school programs (workshops, simulations, eyewitness testimony) and rents the castle as a conference venue.

Product overview

Georg-von-Vollmar-Akademie e.V. is a non-profit political education institution offering a portfolio of in-person seminars and courses (core product) held at its historic Schloss Aspenstein venue, supplemented by school programs, digital formats (podcasts, e-books, webinars), and conference venue rental services. The main product consists of political education seminars across seven thematic areas, with supporting modules for digital engagement, youth/school programs, and venue services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Political Education Seminars and Courses Residential political education seminars delivered on-site at Schloss Aspenstein (Kochel am See) and partner venue Kloster Benediktbeuern. Formats include weekend (2–3 nights), half-week (3 nights), and week-long (5 nights) seminars covering work/economy, Bavarian perspectives, extremism prevention, history/culture, civic participation, international relations, and environment/sustainability. Includes full board and shared-room accommodation; recognized as Bildungsurlaub-eligible by the Bavarian Kultusministerium.
• School Programs (Angebote für Schulen) Educational programs for K-12 school classes covering democracy workshops (Demokratie-Workshop), tolerance training (Toleranztraining), Zweitzeugen (secondary witness testimony), Refugees Welcome!? discussions, Zeitzeugengespräch (eyewitness conversations), and European simulations (Europa und die Flüchtlinge). Delivered at schools across Bavaria or on-site at the academy.
• Conference and Event Venue (Tagungsort Schloss Aspenstein) Schloss Aspenstein offered as a conference and event venue with meeting rooms, guest rooms, dining facilities, and a virtual tour. Available for external events and Urlaubsangebote (vacation offerings). Pricing listed under Tagungspreise.

Quantifiable outcome

• 170 events and 315 instructors (2019)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bayerisches Seminar für Politik e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organises seminars with the academy (e.g., AI-themed week seminars, democracy resilience courses). Programs are listed on both organisations' websites and registered participants are directed to the Bayerisches Seminar's registration portal (baysem.de).
• AdB – Arbeitskreis deutscher Bildungsstätten e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the AdB network of German educational institutions, which promotes political education and quality standards. Listed as 'Mitglied im AdB' (member of AdB) on the website footer.
• Bavarian Kultusministerium (Bavarian Ministry of Education)coreOthersPublic funding body that subsidises the academy's operations as a recognised education provider (Anerkannter Bildungsträger). Enables participants to claim Bildungsurlaub (educational leave) for academy seminars.
• Franken-Akademie (Schloss Schney)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed under 'Programme befreundeter Organisationen' (programmes of partner organisations) on the website footer, alongside Frankenwarte. Mutual cross-promotion of educational programmes.
• Frankenwarte – Akademie für politische BildungminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed under 'Programme befreundeter Organisationen' alongside Franken-Akademie. Mutual cross-promotion of political education programmes.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (bpb): German federal agency for political education funding civic programs nationally. Functions as a dominant funder and content provider whose grants and publications shape the addressable market for academies like Vollmar.
• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (Bildungswerk): Major social-democratic foundation operating an extensive political education program across Germany. Comparable ideological positioning and overlapping curriculum topics at substantially greater scale and resources.

Direct peers

• Bayerisches Seminar für Politik e.V. Munich-based political education provider that co-organises seminars with Vollmar Akademie (e.g., the AI and societal-change week). Overlapping adult civic-education audience and direct programming partnerships.
• Franken-Akademie (Schloss Schney): Castle-based adult education academy in Upper Franconia cross-promoted with Vollmar. Comparable residential seminar model, civic-and-political curriculum, and regional Bavarian footprint.
• Adolf-Reichwein-Bildungsstätte: German political education Bildungsstätte operating residential seminars, school programs, and civic training. Comparable product portfolio and AdB network membership.
• Frankenwarte – Akademie für politische Bildung: Franconian political education academy referenced on Vollmar's site under 'befreundete Organisationen'. Operates a comparable Bildungsstätte model with seminars on democracy and civil society.
• Evangelische Akademie Tutzing: Residential Protestant academy in Tutzing offering political, ethical, and cultural seminars. Comparable Bildungsstätte status, residential format, and Bavaria-based adult education audience.
• Bildungsstätte Anne Frank: Frankfurt-based political education centre focused on democracy, history, and extremism prevention. Comparable school workshops and adult seminar format with a similar civic-resilience mission.
• Akademie für Politische Bildung Tutzing: Bavarian residential political academy in Tutzing offering seminars on politics, society, and history. Directly comparable as a fellow Bavarian Bildungsstätte with residential programming and similar civic-education mandate.

Emerging players

• Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung (Bildungswerk): Green-aligned political foundation with growing civic-education programming. Adjacent peer that competes for the same adult-learner and Bildungsurlaub audience with progressive political content.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC097Cn7bYvDp2azXPtOlADQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/VollmarAkademie
• Instagraminstagram.com/vollmarakademie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/georg-von-vollmar-akademie

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Georg-von-Vollmar-Akademie e.V.