Fürst Donnersmarck-Stiftung zu Berlin

The Fürst Donnersmarck-Stiftung zu Berlin (FDST) is a German charitable foundation dedicated to enabling people with disabilities to lead self-determined lives. It was established in 1916 by the industrialist Guido Henckel von Donnersmarck, who donated roughly 250 hectares of land in Berlin-Frohnau together with four million gold marks to care for wounded soldiers of the First World War and to fund research into the medical experiences gathered during the conflict. Because of war, inflation and political upheaval, the foundation only began operating actively in the early 1950s, when it reoriented itself toward the rehabilitation, care, support and advancement of people with disabilities. Today the FDST works across three main fields: neurological rehabilitation, housing and assistance; tourism and travel; and leisure, education and counselling. Its flagship facility is the P.A.N. Zentrum für Post-Akute Neurorehabilitation in Berlin-Frohnau, complemented by an outpatient service and supported living arrangements in decentralised housing units across Berlin. It also operates two barrier-free hotels — the Seehotel Rheinsberg and the Heidehotel Bad Bevensen — and the Villa Donnersmarck in Berlin-Zehlendorf, an inclusive meeting, education and counselling centre for people with and without disabilities. The foundation employs several hundred staff, including subsidiaries, and manages assets in the range of roughly 180 million euros, which underpin its financial independence. The foundation's motto, "Mittendrin, so wie ich bin" (roughly, "right in the middle of life, just as I am"), reflects its inclusion-focused mission. Since 2006 its board has awarded the International Research Prize of the Fürst Donnersmarck-Stiftung for neurological rehabilitation. It also publishes the WIR magazine, which has appeared since 1952 and is edited by a volunteer team of people with disabilities and foundation staff. The FDST celebrated its 110th anniversary in 2026 with events including a historical audio guide through Frohnau and a special anniversary issue of WIR.

The origins of the Fürst Donnersmarck-Stiftung lie in Berlin-Frohnau. In 1907 Guido von Donnersmarck acquired part of the Stolper Heide to develop the "Gartenstadt Frohnau", and before the First World War the first streets, houses and the Frohnau railway station were built. Immediately after the outbreak of the war he set up a military hospital for wounded soldiers there, aiming not only to care for them but to prepare them for as self-determined a life as possible through therapies, training and job placement. As the war continued it became clear that medical care for the wounded would remain urgent after the war ended. Guido von Donnersmarck therefore decided to make a lasting contribution by founding a foundation, seeking support from his personal physician Max Berg and Otto von Schjerning, head of the Prussian field medical service, and approaching Kaiser Wilhelm II. The notarial founding took place on 8 May 1916. He endowed it with roughly 250 hectares of land in Berlin-Frohnau and four million gold marks, intended for a "Kur- und Heilanstalt für die verwundeten und erkrankten Krieger" (a spa and healing institution for wounded and sick warriors) and a research centre for the scientific processing and therapeutic use of the medical experiences gathered in the First World War. In the early post-war years the foundation remained inactive under the chairmanship of Otto von Schjerning because hyperinflation destroyed its endowment capital. Only the publication it supported — the nine-volume "Handbuch der ärztlichen Erfahrungen im Weltkriege" — dates from this period. During the Nazi era there were attempts to dissolve the foundation; it survived only through cooperation with the Reich Ministry of Aviation, to which it transferred part of its Frohnau land. After the Second World War the FDST broke with its military-medical tradition. Under its first post-war constitution of 1949 it adopted the goal of "rehabilitation, care, support and advancement" of people with disabilities. To realise this purpose the board gradually sold off the Frohnau woodland property; in 1973/74 a large part of the Frohnau forest area was sold to the State of Berlin. The proceeds were reinvested in residential real estate, which to this day guarantees the foundation's financial independence. Income from this assets base funds its activities in leisure, education and counselling, rehabilitation, and tourism. The "Leisure, Education and Counselling" field is the oldest. It grew out of socio-pedagogical group work begun in Berlin neighbourhood centres in the early 1950s. In summer 1960 the FDST acquired the property in Berlin-Zehlendorf that became known as Villa Donnersmarck; after a barrier-free conversion it serves as an inclusive leisure, education and counselling centre for people with and without disabilities. In 1980 the "blisse 14", Berlin's first fully barrier-free café, opened, operated by the foundation until 2000 and linked to a socio-therapeutic centre offering artistic and therapeutic courses. The WIR magazine has appeared since 1952, edited by a volunteer team of people with disabilities and foundation staff. The tourism field began in 1955, when Paul Neukirchen organised the first "Fahrt des guten Willens", a holiday trip for people with disabilities to Oerlinghausen near Bielefeld. Difficulties in finding barrier-free accommodation led the FDST to create its own barrier-free guest houses from the mid-1960s; the Heidehotel Bad Bevensen opened in 1972, and since 2001 the foundation has also run the Seehotel Rheinsberg, a second barrier-free hotel in the new federal states. To raise awareness of the concerns of people with disabilities, the foundation organised several long-distance trips in the 1960s, including to Israel, Greece and the USA. Today the FDST implements its purpose through three working areas: neurological rehabilitation/housing/assistance, tourism/travel, and leisure/education/counselling. It operates the P.A.N. Zentrum für Post-Akute Neurorehabilitation in Berlin-Frohnau, an outpatient service and supported living in decentralised housing units in Berlin, two barrier-free hotels in Rheinsberg and Bad Bevensen, and Villa Donnersmarck in Berlin-Zehlendorf. Since 2006 its board has awarded the International Research Prize of the Fürst Donnersmarck-Stiftung for neurological rehabilitation. The foundation employs around 650 staff and holds assets of roughly 180 million euros. In 2026 it marks its 110th anniversary.

• 2026

  FDST celebrates its 110th anniversary.

• 2006

  The board establishes the International Research Prize of the Fürst Donnersmarck-Stiftung for neurological rehabilitation.

• 2001

  Seehotel Rheinsberg opens as the foundation's second barrier-free hotel.

• 1980

  "blisse 14", Berlin's first fully barrier-free café, opens (operated until 2000).

• 1973

  Large part of the Frohnau forest land sold to the State of Berlin; proceeds reinvested in residential property.

• 1972

  Heidehotel Bad Bevensen opens as a barrier-free guest house.

• 1960

  FDST acquires the property in Berlin-Zehlendorf that becomes Villa Donnersmarck.

• 1955

  First "Fahrt des guten Willens" holiday trip for people with disabilities, organised by Paul Neukirchen.

• 1952

  The WIR magazine begins publication.

• 1949

  First post-war constitution sets the goal of rehabilitation, care, support and advancement of people with disabilities.

• 1916

  Notarial founding of the Fürst Donnersmarck-Stiftung on 8 May; endowment of ~250 hectares in Frohnau and four million gold marks.

• 1907

  Guido von Donnersmarck acquires part of the Stolper Heide to develop the Gartenstadt Frohnau.

A charitable foundation providing inclusive rehabilitation, housing, travel and leisure services for people with disabilities, guided by the motto "Mittendrin, so wie ich bin".

• P.A.N. Zentrum für Post-Akute Neurorehabilitation

  Flagship neurorehabilitation facility in Berlin-Frohnau.

• Ambulanter Dienst

  Outpatient care service for people with disabilities.

• Ambulant Betreutes Wohnen

  Supported living in decentralised housing units in Berlin.

• Villa Donnersmarck

  Inclusive leisure, education and counselling centre in Berlin-Zehlendorf.

• Seehotel Rheinsberg

  Barrier-free hotel operated since 2001.

• Heidehotel Bad Bevensen

  Barrier-free hotel opened in 1972.

• WIR magazine

  Magazine published since 1952, edited by volunteers with disabilities and foundation staff.

1. 1Fürst Donnersmarck-Stiftung zu Berlin – official websitefdst.de
2. 2Die Geschichte der Fürst Donnersmarck-Stiftungfdst.de
3. 3Fürst Donnersmarck-Stiftung – Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Fürst Donnersmarck-Stiftung – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org