German Society for Suicide Prevention

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Suizidprävention – Hilfe in Lebenskrisen (DGS) is a German registered association (eingetragener Verein) headquartered in Berlin. It describes itself as a professional society and umbrella organization (Dachverband) for suicidology and suicide prevention, bringing together institutions and individuals from medicine, psychology, social work and other disciplines who share its goals. Since its founding in 1972, the DGS has worked to ensure that people at risk of suicide are no longer left to themselves and to the prejudicial exclusion of their environment, and to contribute sustainably to a better understanding of suicidal behaviour and suicide and to realistic approaches for effective suicide prevention and crisis intervention. The society's core tasks are the promotion of research, further education and practice in the field, the networking of experience at national and international level, and informative public relations work. To pursue these goals it organizes two specialist conferences each year, has published the journal Suizidprophylaxe since 1974, has developed guidelines for the organization of crisis intervention, and encourages the establishment of new facilities and working groups. It promotes a national suicide prevention programme for Germany, which can be regarded as the most comprehensive undertaking in the field of suicide prevention in Germany since the DGS was founded. Through the Hans-Rost-Preis it honours outstanding achievements in suicide prevention and crisis intervention. The DGS has issued guidelines for crisis intervention and suicide prevention covering seven thematic areas. For each area there are checklists with reflective questions as well as descriptions of minimum standards that represent quality standards now considered indispensable. The experiential knowledge summarized in the guidelines can serve as a basis for all further considerations. The society also provides contacts to counselling and support services for those affected and their relatives, and maintains a help finder (Hilfefinder) giving an overview of support services nationwide and regionally. Internationally it is networked with similarly working societies and institutions, in particular through membership in the International Association for Suicide Prevention and Crisis Intervention (IASP). According to its website, the DGS is an interdisciplinary professional society committed to the protection of people in suicidal crises. It connects professionals from medicine, psychology, social work and other fields in order to develop, research and implement effective approaches to suicide prevention. Through scientific work, public relations and support for prevention projects, the DGS helps to better understand suicidal behaviour and to raise societal awareness of this important issue. Its stated vision is the reduction of suicides through a societal togetherness with needs-based help for all. Each year about 10,000 people in Germany take their own lives; the DGS seeks to convey sound knowledge in order to enable understanding, reduce prejudice and promote a responsible approach to the topic. The 54th autumn conference of the DGS is announced for 25 and 26 September 2026 in Frankfurt am Main.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Suizidprävention – Hilfe in Lebenskrisen (DGS) was founded in 1972 and is a registered association (eingetragener Verein) with its seat in Berlin. It understands itself as a professional association with a specific focus in the field of suicidology and suicide prevention, under whose umbrella institutions and individuals from the most diverse disciplines have joined together, making the goals of the DGS their own task. Since its founding in 1972, the DGS has taken on the task of no longer leaving people at risk of suicide to themselves and to an exclusionary prejudice of their environment, and of contributing sustainably to a better understanding of the phenomena of suicidal behaviour and suicide and to finding realistic approaches for effective suicide prevention and crisis intervention. Its essential tasks are the promotion of research, further education and practice in this field, the networking of experience – including internationally – and informative public relations work. To realize these goals, two specialist conferences are organized annually, the journal Suizidprophylaxe has been published since 1974, the "Leitlinien zur Organisation von Krisenintervention" (guidelines for the organization of crisis intervention) were developed, motivation is given for the establishment of new facilities and working groups, and more. The DGS promotes a national suicide prevention programme for Germany, which represents a society-wide activation in the sense of the DGS's goals. It can be regarded as the most comprehensive undertaking in the field of suicide prevention in Germany since the founding of the DGS. Through the awarding of the Hans-Rost-Preis, special achievements in the field of suicide prevention and crisis intervention are honoured. The society has issued guidelines for crisis intervention and suicide prevention. The guidelines refer to seven thematic areas. For each area there are checklists with "reflective questions" as well as descriptions of "minimum standards" that represent the status of – by now indispensable – quality standards. The experiential knowledge summarized in the guidelines can be used as a basis for all further considerations. The DGS also arranges contacts to counselling and help services for those affected and their relatives. At the international level, the DGS is networked with similarly working societies and institutions, above all through membership in the International Association for Suicide Prevention and Crisis Intervention (IASP). According to its website, the DGS is an interdisciplinary professional society committed to the protection of people in suicidal crises. It connects professionals from medicine, psychology, social work and other fields in order to jointly develop, research and implement effective approaches to suicide prevention. Through scientific work, public relations and the support of prevention projects, the DGS helps to better understand suicidal behaviour and to promote societal awareness of this important topic. Its vision is the reduction of suicides through a societal togetherness with needs-based help for all. The DGS strengthens suicide prevention through targeted networking and, as an umbrella association, promotes professional exchange between actors from medicine, psychology, social work and other fields. It supports those affected and their relatives in finding help; its help finder offers an overview of contact points and support services nationwide and regionally. Each year about 10,000 people take their own lives; the DGS conveys sound knowledge in order to enable understanding, reduce prejudices and promote a responsible approach to the topic. The 54th autumn conference of the DGS is announced for 25 and 26 September 2026 in Frankfurt am Main.

• 2026

  54th Autumn Conference of the DGS scheduled for 25–26 September 2026 in Frankfurt am Main.

• 1974

  The journal Suizidprophylaxe begins publication.

• 1972

  Founding of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Suizidprävention (DGS).

• Development of the "Leitlinien zur Organisation von Krisenintervention" (guidelines for the organization of crisis intervention).

• Publication of guidelines for crisis intervention and suicide prevention covering seven thematic areas.

• Establishment of the Hans-Rost-Preis for outstanding achievements in suicide prevention and crisis intervention.

Interdisziplinäre Fachgesellschaft und Dachverband für Suizidologie und Suizidprävention in Deutschland; trialogisch, fachlich und politisch vernetzt.

• Zeitschrift Suizidprophylaxe

  Journal published by the DGS since 1974, ISSN 0173-458X.

• Leitlinien zur Organisation von Krisenintervention

  Guidelines developed by the DGS for the organization of crisis intervention.

• Leitlinien für Krisenintervention und Suizidprävention

  Guidelines covering seven thematic areas with checklists and minimum standards.

• Nationales Suizid-Präventions-Programm für Deutschland

  A national suicide prevention programme promoted by the DGS.

• Hilfefinder

  Online tool providing an overview of support services nationwide and regionally.

• Hans-Rost-Preis

  Award for special achievements in suicide prevention and crisis intervention.

1. 1Home - Deutsche Gesellschaft für Suizidprävention e.V.dgs-suizidpraevention.de
2. 2Deutsche Gesellschaft für Suizidprävention – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
3. 3Deutsche Gesellschaft für Suizidprävention – Wikidatawikidata.org