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Private company

German Life Saving Association

Logo: Deutsche Lebens-Rettungs-Gesellschaft e.V., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons4

Relief organization for life saving in Germany

The German Life Saving Association (German: Deutsche Lebens-Rettungs-Gesellschaft or DLRG) is a relief organization for life saving in Germany. The DLRG is the largest voluntary lifesaving organization in the world. With around 560,000 members, organised in approximately 2,100 local groups, the DLRG is the largest voluntary water rescue organization in the world.2 It is headquartered in Bad Nenndorf.1 It employed 159 people in 2024.1 Its revenue was €49.3 million in 2024.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

Oct 19, 1913Founded1
  • Industryadvancement of life saving1
  • HeadquartersBad Nenndorf1
  • Founded inLeipzig1
  • Websitewww.dlrg.de
  • Legal formRegistered association (eingetragener Verein)1
  • Kind of organizationAssociation1
  • LEI529900RHRSE70GBDS1843
  • StatusActive3
  • LEI statusIssued and current3
  • Registered addressIm Niedernfeld 1-3, 31542 Bad Nenndorf, Germany3
  • Registered withLocal Court Berlin-Charlottenburg, VR 241983

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The German Life Saving Association (German: Deutsche Lebens-Rettungs-Gesellschaft or DLRG) is a relief organization for life saving in Germany. The DLRG is the largest voluntary lifesaving organization in the world.2

Corporate structure

German Life Saving Association sits at the top of its group. 5 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

  • German Life Saving Association Bad Nenndorf, Germany
    • Deutsche Lebens-Rettungs-Gesellschaft Landesverband Baden e. V. Subsidiary · Baden-Württemberg, Germany
    • German Life Saving Association District Dresden Subsidiary · Germany
    • German Life Saving Society Hof Local Association Subsidiary · Hof, Germany
    • Jugend der Deutschen Lebens-Rettungs-Gesellschaft Subsidiary · Germany

Built from parent and subsidiary links from GLEIF, the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (CC0); subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0). Each entity in the chart links to its source.

The story

On 28 July 1912, a pier in Binz on the island Rügen, Germany, collapsed under the load of 1,000 people waiting for the cruise steamer Kronprinz Wilhelm. Sailors of the German navy were able to save most people, but 16 people died because they could not swim, including two children. This catastrophe led to the foundation of the "Deutsche Lebens-Rettungs-Gesellschaft (DLRG)" (German lifesaving association) on 19 October 1913 in Leipzig.

From Wikipedia’s article on German Life Saving Association, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.5

Leadership

Who has led German Life Saving Association, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Chair

  1. Franz Breithaupt1941–1944
  2. Joachim Pröhl1992–1995
  3. Klaus Wilkens1998–2013
  4. Hans-Hubert Hatje2013–2017
  5. Achim Haag2017–2021
  6. Ute Vogt2021–now
197019801990200020102020

Subsidiaries and ownership

Subsidiaries

  • Deutsche Lebens-Rettungs-Gesellschaft Landesverband Baden e. V.
  • German Life Saving Association District Dresden
  • German Life Saving Society Hof Local Association
  • Jugend der Deutschen Lebens-Rettungs-Gesellschaft

From Wikidata.1

Employees over time

  • 20241591
  • 2018941

Revenue over time

As stated on Wikidata, in the currency reported.

Revenue

German Life Saving Association revenue by year149.3M EUR in 2024+360% since 2014
020.0M EUR40.0M EUR60.0M EUR2014: 10.7M EUR10.7M EUR20142015: 9.9M EUR9.9M EUR2015−8%2016: 13.5M EUR13.5M EUR2016+37%2017: 19.2M EUR19.2M EUR2017+42%2018: 23.9M EUR23.9M EUR2018+24%2019: 22.2M EUR22.2M EUR2019−7%2020: 39.6M EUR39.6M EUR2020+78%2021: 42.8M EUR42.8M EUR2021+8%2023: 45.2M EUR45.2M EUR2023+6%2024: 49.3M EUR49.3M EUR2024+9%
  • 202449.3M EUR1
  • 202345.2M EUR1
  • 202142.8M EUR1
  • 202039.6M EUR1
  • 201922.2M EUR1
  • 201823.9M EUR1

Timeline

  1. Oct 19, 1913Founded Founded in Leipzig1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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