GeoUnion Alfred Wegener Foundation

The GeoUnion Alfred Wegener Foundation (German: GeoUnion Alfred-Wegener-Stiftung) is a non-profit civil-law foundation (Stiftung des bürgerlichen Rechts) based in Potsdam, Germany. It was founded in 1980 as the Alfred Wegener Foundation for the Promotion of Geosciences (Alfred-Wegener-Stiftung zur Förderung der Geowissenschaften, AWS) through the merger of twelve geoscientific societies, and adopted its current name in 2004. The foundation is named after the German scientist Alfred Wegener (1880–1930), whose hypothesis of continental drift laid the foundation for the modern geoscientific view of a dynamic Earth. The foundation functions as an umbrella association of geoscientific associations and research institutes in Germany. As of February 2015 it was supported by 36 geoscientific organisations, known as sponsoring institutions, representing more than 50,000 members. Its member associations span the full breadth of the geosciences, including the German Soil Science Society (DBG), the German Geophysical Society (DGG), the German Meteorological Society (DMG), the German Mineralogical Society (DMG), the German Society for Geosciences (DGG), the German Society for Polar Research (DGP), the German Hydrographic Society (DHyG), the German Hydrological Society (DHG), the German Quaternary Association (DEUQUA), the German Volcanological Society (DVG), the German Association for Applied Geography (DVAG), the German Association for Surveying (DVW), the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, Resource and Environmental Technology (GDMB), the Geographical Society of Berlin (GfE), the German Geothermal Association (GtV), the Palaeontological Society, and many others. Institutional members include the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam – German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), the Leibniz Institute for Marine Sciences IFM-GEOMAR, the Senckenberg Natural Research Society, the Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics, the Museum of Natural History in Berlin, and the State Museum of Natural History in Stuttgart. The foundation pursues charitable interests. Its stated goal is to promote science, research and teaching in the geosciences, to communicate their results to the general public, and to foster interdisciplinary collaboration among more than a hundred individual disciplines. Drawing on the expertise available in its sponsoring organisations, GeoUnion focuses primarily on tasks related to the use of natural resources and environmental protection. It is financed by income from the foundation's assets, donations from the Association for the Promotion of GeoUnion e.V., and donations from members and third parties. Among its most visible public roles, the foundation is responsible for awarding the title of National GeoPark. In September 2026, the President of the GeoUnion Alfred-Wegener-Stiftung, the Karlsruhe geology professor Frank Schilling, presented the Geopark Vogtland with the certificate designating it a National GeoPark, making it the 20th National GeoPark in Germany. Geoparks are described as nature parks with a geoscientific focus, covering medium-sized regions that display special geological attractions and present them to the public; their aims include protecting geological heritage, communicating geoscientific knowledge to society, and promoting regional development through geotourism to geotopes. The Geopark Vogtland, at 388 km² the smallest of the German geoparks, lies in the south-east of the Vogtland district and centres on the Topaswelt Schneckenstein, which links the unique topaz rock of the Schneckenstein with the richly endowed Vogtland-Bohemian Mineral Centre and the Grube Tannenberg visitor mine. The foundation also awards the Karl-Heinrich-Heitfeld Prize, the Georgi Prize, and the Alfred Wegener Medal in silver.

The GeoUnion Alfred Wegener Foundation was established in 1980 as the Alfred Wegener Foundation for the Promotion of Geosciences (Alfred-Wegener-Stiftung zur Förderung der Geowissenschaften, AWS). It was created through the merger of twelve geoscientific societies, bringing together a fragmented landscape of German geoscientific associations under a single umbrella. The foundation was named after Alfred Wegener (1880–1930), the German scientist whose hypothesis of continental drift provided the basis for the modern geoscientific understanding of a dynamic Earth. In 2004 the organisation changed its name to the current GeoUnion Alfred-Wegener-Stiftung, reflecting its role as a union of geoscientific associations and research institutes. By February 2015 the foundation was supported by 36 geoscientific organisations, referred to as sponsoring institutions, collectively representing more than 50,000 members. Its headquarters are in Potsdam, at the Institute of Geosciences of the university. Throughout its existence the foundation has served as a coordinating and representative body for the German geoscientific community. It pursues charitable interests, aiming to promote science, research and teaching in the geosciences, to communicate results to the general public, and to foster interdisciplinary collaboration among more than a hundred individual disciplines. Drawing on the expertise of its sponsoring organisations, GeoUnion concentrates on tasks related to the use of natural resources and environmental protection. It is financed by income from the foundation's assets, donations from the Association for the Promotion of GeoUnion e.V., and donations from members and third parties. A central public function of the foundation is the awarding of the title of National GeoPark. In September 2026, the foundation's President, the Karlsruhe geology professor Frank Schilling, presented the Geopark Vogtland with the certificate designating it a National GeoPark, making it the 20th National GeoPark in Germany. The foundation also awards the Karl-Heinrich-Heitfeld Prize, the Georgi Prize, and the Alfred Wegener Medal in silver.

• 2026

  On 18 September 2026, President Frank Schilling presents Geopark Vogtland with the National GeoPark certificate, making it Germany's 20th National GeoPark.

• 2015

  As of February 2015, the foundation is supported by 36 geoscientific organisations representing more than 50,000 members.

• 2004

  The foundation changes its name to GeoUnion Alfred-Wegener-Stiftung.

• 1980

  The Alfred Wegener Foundation for the Promotion of Geosciences (AWS) is founded through the merger of twelve geoscientific societies.

Umbrella foundation and awarding body for the German geoscientific community, promoting geoscience research, education and public communication.

• National GeoPark designation

  Awarded by the foundation to qualifying regions in Germany; Geopark Vogtland became the 20th National GeoPark in September 2026.

• Karl-Heinrich-Heitfeld Prize

  A prize awarded by the foundation.

• Georgi Prize

  A prize awarded by the foundation.

• Alfred Wegener Medal in silver

  A medal awarded by the foundation.

1. 1GeoUnion | Alfred-Wegener-Stiftung: GeoUniongeo-union.de
2. 2GeoUnion Alfred Wegener Foundation – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3GeoUnion Alfred-Wegener-Stiftung – Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org