Portrait of the Foundation
The Joachim Herz Stiftung owes its existence to Joachim Herz, an entrepreneur of Hamburg origin, who died in May 2008, and to his wife Petra Herz. Both of them provided for the generous and significant financial strength of the foundation. The approval of the Joachim Herz Stiftung situated in Hamburg was obtained on 24 July, 2008. The assets of the foundation are predominantly invested in several corporations including an indirect stake in Beiersdorf AG via maxingvest ag among others.
Joachim Herz was standing for a liberal constitutional order forming the basis of a free, individualized, committed and self-determined, but self-responsible life. Across national borders he appreciated people with interest in new findings. Beside the respective individual potential the willingness to take advantage of and to develop one’s capabilities was of particular importance to the founder. The Joachim Herz Stiftung feels obliged to these basic values.
The purpose of the Joachim Herz Stiftung laid down in the articles of the foundation comprises the sponsorship of education, science and research in economics and business administration, jurisprudence, medicine, chemistry, physics and biology as well as disciplines considered to belong to the aforementioned areas under an objective point of view. Furthermore, the sponsoring of schools and pupils within the scope of the general education is included in the purpose of the foundation. Whether it will be from a political or a confessional point of view the foundation will act as an independent institution in every respect and will make a contribution of its own to sponsoring education, science and research.
Taking this field of activities into consideration the Joachim Herz Stiftung is aiming to develop programs and projects of its own and to be predominantly active in the operation of these projects. However, this will not exclude co-operations with other non-profit organizations as well as educational, science and research institutions concerning their current projects. With respect to co-operations with public institutions the Joachim Herz Stiftung will insist on not replacing public financing by its sponsorship.
In accordance with the specific interest of its’ founder the Joachim Herz Stiftung will particularly emphasize topics in the area of economics and business administration concerning the development of its’ operating activities. Another focus, which will be realized in the near future, is the organization of autonomous scholarship programs. It has always been the particular interest of Joachim Herz to dedicate the funds of the foundation partly to directly chosen people in order to sponsor their individual capabilities and motivation. The Joachim Herz Stiftung will gradually pursue the implementation of independent scholarship programs. Therefore, it would be too early to give detailed information as to the beginning of such programs or the selection criteria, which will be applied in the future.
Moreover, the Joachim Herz Stiftung will accept applications for sponsoring individual third party projects. However, unlike the operation of its’ own projects this kind of sponsorship will not become a special focus of the foundation’s activities. The quality of the projects as well as matters of topical interest will determine whether the sponsoring of third party projects will be approved at all and to what amount.
Hamburg, 31 August 2009