What Stiftung Topographie Des Terrors does

Stiftung Topographie des Terrors is a non-profit foundation under public law (selbständige Stiftung öffentlichen Rechts), founded in 1992 and jointly funded by Land Berlin and the Federal Republic of Germany under the 1995 Stiftungsgesetz. It operates a documentation center on the historical site of the former Gestapo, SS, and Reich Security Main Office headquarters in Berlin, presenting permanent and temporary exhibitions on National Socialism and the crimes of the SS and police apparatus. The institution is led by Director Dr. Andrea Riedle and overseen by a Foundation Council chaired by State Secretary Alexander Straßmeir.

The foundation's core offering is a unified platform of in-person and digital educational programming anchored on the historic grounds. The physical product consists of three in-situ exhibitions — the permanent building exhibition "Topographie des Terrors," the open-air trench exhibition "Berlin 1933–1945," and the 15-station outdoor site tour (Geländerundgang) — supported by a 30,000-volume specialized library, a public program of guided tours and seminars, and a network of traveling exhibitions. Digital infrastructure is built on TYPO3 CMS with self-hosted, cookie-less Matomo analytics, YouTube and Vimeo for video delivery, and OBS for livestreaming; the website runs in 13 languages and the audioguide in 22, including Easy Language and German Sign Language variants. The Gedenkstättenreferat, established 1993, functions as the federal coordination hub for Germany's 300+ memorial sites on Nazi crimes, operating the GedenkstaettenForum.de portal and the GedenkstättenRundbrief journal.

The business model is dominated by public sector grants from the two governmental trustees, supplemented by group guided tour fees (80 EUR for 60 minutes, 112.50 EUR for 90 minutes; free for certified school and adult education groups), publication sales from the on-site and online shop (~110+ titles), and traveling exhibition rentals. Admission is free for all visitors, with reported visitation exceeding one million annually in 2017 and 2018. Since 2005, the foundation has also managed the Dokumentationszentrum NS-Zwangsarbeit in Berlin-Schöneweide as a second operating site. Customer segments include school and university groups, professional groups (police, judiciary, educators), general public and international tourists, researchers, and the broader population of German memorial site operators served through the Gedenkstättenreferat.

Name

Stiftung Topographie Des Terrors

Legal name

Stiftung Topographie des Terrors

Website

https://topographie.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Stiftung Topographie des Terrors is a publicly funded Berlin foundation that operates a documentation center and memorial site on the former Gestapo, SS, and Reich Security Main Office headquarters, serving school groups, professional cohorts, tourists, and researchers through exhibitions, seminars, and a national memorial-site network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historical Memorial Museum and Documentation Center

NAICS

Historical Sites (71212), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Libraries and Archives (519210)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Archaeological Sites & Heritage Interpretation Centers (THAJADAG), History, Heritage & Museum-Focused Study Tours (THAKAGAN)

Keywords

• Holocaust education
• Memorial documentation
• Historical exhibitions
• Civic remembrance
• Educational seminars

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Funding: The foundation receives joint funding from the Land Berlin and the Federal Republic of Germany, established by law in 1995. This constitutes the primary operational funding.
2. Publication Sales: Sale of catalogs, books, DVDs, and educational materials through the on-site shop and online shop. Revenue from publication orders including international orders.
3. Guided Tour and Seminar Fees: Fees charged for group guided tours (80 EUR for 60 min, 112.50 EUR for 90 min) and seminars. Free for school and adult education groups with valid certification. Bookings handled via Kulturprojekte Berlin GmbH.
4. Free Admission Model: The center operates on a free admission model for all visitors, with funding from public sources rather than ticket sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The foundation operates a documentation center and memorial site in Berlin whose primary offering is a unified platform of in-person and digital educational products anchored on the historical grounds of the former Nazi terror central sites. Its core products are three in-situ exhibitions (permanent building exhibition, open-air trench exhibition, and 15-station outdoor site tour) supplemented by special and traveling exhibitions, guided tours, seminars, a 30,000-unit library, an online publication shop, multilingual audio guides in 22 languages, and digital offerings including livestreams and virtual tours.

Product overview

Stiftung Topographie des Terrors operates a documentation center and memorial site in Berlin whose primary offering is a unified platform of in-person and digital educational offerings anchored around the historic grounds of the former Nazi terror central sites. The core visitor experience consists of three in-situ exhibition products: the permanent building exhibition (Dauerausstellung 'Topographie des Terrors'), the open-air exhibition trench along Niederkirchnerstraße ('Berlin 1933–1945'), and the outdoor 15-station site tour (Geländerundgang). These are supplemented by a special touring exhibition program (Wanderausstellungen), a German-language and international seminars program, a public library with ~30,000 media units, an online shop with ~110 publications, and a suite of digital offerings (Geschichte Digital) including livestreams, audio guides in 22 languages, virtual 3D tours, and film content. The Gedenkstättenreferat network hub provides federal-level coordination services for Germany's memorial site landscape. All offerings share a unified educational mission around documenting and commemorating the crimes of National Socialism.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gedenkstättenreferat: Central networking hub for Germany's memorial site landscape dedicated to Nazi crimes, operating information portal GedenkstaettenForum.de and publishing the GedenkstaettenRundbrief journal.

Products and services

• Dauerausstellung "Topographie des Terrors" (Permanent Exhibition) The permanent exhibition inside the documentation center building, presenting the central institutions of the SS and police in the Third Reich and the crimes they committed across Europe. Bilingual in German and English. Free admission.
• Geländerundgang – Der historische Ort "Topographie des Terrors" (Outdoor Site Tour) A self-guided outdoor site tour in 15 stations covering the grounds of the former Nazi terror central sites. Information pillars with photos, documents, and 3D graphics provide orientation. Audioguide available in German and English.
• Ausstellung "Berlin 1933–1945" im Ausstellungsgraben (Open-Air Trench Exhibition) An open-air exhibition along the excavated cellar walls of the Niederkirchnerstraße trench, presenting the history of Berlin under National Socialism between 1933 and 1945. Topics include Berlin during the Weimar Republic, the establishment of the dictatorship, Berlin and the Volksgemeinschaft, Berlin at war, and the consequences of Nazi rule.
• Sonderausstellung "Der Holocaust – Was wussten die Deutschen?" (Special Exhibition) A special exhibition (March 25, 2026 – January 31, 2027) exploring what information about the Holocaust was accessible in the German Reich, what Germans perceived, how rumors and unofficial news spread, and how individuals used their knowledge. Presented in the special exhibition hall of the Documentation Center.
• "Ein weites Feld" Travelling Exhibition at Tempelhof Airport A travelling exhibition produced by the foundation, displayed at the former Tempelhof Airport. Focuses on the history of the Tempelhof field from the 19th century through the Nazi period and Cold War. Part of the 'Ein weites Feld' series.
• Wanderausstellungen (Travelling Exhibitions Programme) Travelling exhibitions available for loan and presentation at other venues in Germany and abroad. Current offerings include exhibitions on the Reichsarbeitsministerium, the Volksgerichtshof, Kristallnacht, the Euthanasia murders, and related topics.
• Gruppenführungen und Öffentliche Führungen (Group and Public Guided Tours) Guided tours for groups (from 7 persons) in multiple languages, with fees of 80 EUR (60 minutes) or 112.50 EUR (90 minutes); free for school and adult education groups with certification. Weekend public tours in German and English are offered free of charge.
• Seminare für Jugend-, Erwachsenen- und Berufsgruppen (Seminars) Seminars for youth, adult, and professional groups (police, educators, judiciary) covering topics such as the terror apparatus of SS and police, the Aryan Volksgemeinschaft, propaganda and violence, perpetrators/victims/bystanders, photography under National Socialism, Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Wehrmacht, and the Holocaust.
• Gedenkstättenreferat – Netzwerkstelle (Memorial Sites Networking Hub) Since 1993 the central networking hub for Germany's memorial site landscape concerning Nazi crimes. Maintains GedenkstättenForum.de, publishes the quarterly GedenkstättenRundbrief, organizes annual GedenkstättenSeminare and GedenkstättenKonferenzen, and provides information on training, consultation, and funding opportunities.
• Online-Shop / Publikationen (Publication Shop) Online shop selling publications including exhibition catalogs (in German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Polish), DVDs, audio guides, memorial site newsletters (Gedenkstätten-Rundbrief), and foundation reports (Stiftungsberichte). Approximately 110 publications are listed; international shipping available (US orders suspended due to customs regulations).
• Digitale Angebote – Geschichte Digital (Digital Offerings) Digital offerings including livestreams and video recordings of events, audio recordings of selected lectures and panel discussions, a 3D animation of the Gestapo house prison, a 3D/360° virtual exhibition tour of the former Reichsarbeitsministerium, a curator-led video tour of the permanent exhibition, and film contributions about the historic site.
• Bibliothek der Stiftung (Foundation Library) A public scientific special library with approximately 30,000 media units and about 130 current and 100 ceased journals. Core collection focuses on SS, Gestapo, and police in National Socialism. Topics include state and society under Nazism, persecution and murder of Jews and other victim groups, World War II, legal aftermath of Nazi crimes, and commemoration culture. Open to the public; accessible via systematic open shelves and online catalog (OPAC).

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million visitors annually (2017, 2018)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kulturprojekte Berlin GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManages guide services for group bookings at the documentation center. Handles coordination of guided tours for groups. Provides professional tour guides for educational programs.
• FALK IT Audit & Consulting GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides data protection officer services for the foundation, with Prof. Dr. Jonas Tritschler serving as the appointed Data Protection Officer.
• GedenkstättenForum.decoreTechnology or IntegrationInformation portal operated by the foundation as central networking hub for 300+ memorial sites in Germany. Part of the Gedenkstättenreferat's offerings.
• Lebens-Hilfe Berlin e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in developing the seminar 'Wie war das damals? Seminar zur Geschichte des Nationalsozialismus in Leichter Sprache' (Seminar on the history of National Socialism in Easy Language).
• Wall AGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in creating memorial site installations in Berlin public spaces, including bus shelter documentations at Gedenkort Synagoge Grunewald and Mahnort SS-Wirtschafts-Verwaltungshauptamt.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Imperial War Museums: Imperial War Museums in London is a broader incumbent: a multi-site museum organization covering 20th-century conflict including the Holocaust, offering exhibitions, educational programs, and a research library on a comparable institutional scale.
• Deutsches Historisches Museum: Berlin's German Historical Museum is a broader incumbent: a national museum covering broader German history with overlapping exhibition and educational programming in Berlin, including significant Holocaust and National Socialism content.

Direct peers

• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: The US federal Holocaust memorial museum in Washington DC is the most direct global peer: a publicly funded documentation and education institution dedicated to Holocaust remembrance, research, exhibitions, and digital programming for an international audience.
• Stiftung Gedenkstätten Buchenwald und Mittelbau-Dora: The Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora Memorials Foundation in Thuringia is a direct peer: a publicly funded German memorial foundation managing exhibitions, educational seminars, and research services at former Nazi concentration camp sites.
• Gedenkstätte Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz: The House of the Wannsee Conference memorial and educational site in Berlin is a direct peer: a publicly funded German memorial site focused on Nazi crimes, offering exhibitions, guided tours, and educational seminars for school and professional groups.
• Anne Frank House: The Amsterdam-based Anne Frank House operates a museum and educational center at a Holocaust-related historical site with similar exhibition, library, and educational programming, targeting international visitors, schools, and researchers.
• Stiftung Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas: The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin is a direct local peer: a federally funded foundation operating a major memorial and 'Ort der Information' exhibition/documentation center in Berlin with an overlapping educational and remembrance mission.
• Yad Vashem – The World Holocaust Remembrance Center: Israel's official Holocaust memorial and museum combines documentation, research library, exhibitions, and educational programs on a comparable scale, serving as a global reference institution for Holocaust history and remembrance.
• Jüdisches Museum Berlin: Berlin's Jewish Museum is a direct peer operating exhibitions, educational programming, and digital content focused on Jewish history and the Holocaust in Germany, sharing both audience and curatorial overlap with the Topography of Terror.
• Gedenkstätte und Museum Sachsenhausen: The Sachsenhausen Memorial in Brandenburg is a direct peer: a German memorial site offering exhibitions, guided tours, seminars, and a research library on Nazi persecution at a former concentration camp, sharing an overlapping audience and educational mandate.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/topographie.de
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCtAOqJOMqzTvh2LrUvVS36g
• Facebookfacebook.com/topographiedesterrors
• Instagraminstagram.com/topographiedesterrors
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stiftung-topographie-des-terrors

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Stiftung Topographie Des Terrors