Heinz & Nanny Geyer-Stiftung

The Heinz & Nanny Geyer-Stiftung is a charitable foundation established in 2008 in Hanover, Germany, by the donor Nanny Geyer. It pursues two central social goals: to relieve the hardship of poor Hanoverians and to preserve Hanover's cultural heritage. In the year of its founding, Nanny Geyer deliberately sought strong and competent long-term partners to ensure that these goals would be implemented sustainably. On the social side, the foundation works with the Stephansstift, whose facilities support families with children who have fallen into need and often lack the most basic necessities. The foundation's stated conviction is that children from disadvantaged families need every form of support in order to grow into responsible members of society, and that charitable action in a materially oriented society can offset imbalances. It frames private assistance beyond the legal minimum as a social responsibility that should shape the foundation. On the cultural side, the foundation supports projects with the Historisches Museum Hannover that convey important aspects of the city's history. It purchased posters documenting economic history from the periods after the First and Second World Wars, and it was able to acquire, as a rare find, the heavily damaged banner of the old Hanoverian button factory Gompertz & Meinrath, which it then had restored. The foundation describes its emphasis as lying in this area of preserving Hanover's cultural heritage. The foundation is a small, privately constituted philanthropic organization rather than a commercial enterprise. Its public profile is tied to its grant-making and to the stewardship of its endowment. In late 2023 the foundation suffered a significant loss when its chairwoman, Mechthild Berger, died unexpectedly on 24 November 2023; the foundation publicly mourned her as an extraordinary woman, friend and contact person. A memorial service was announced for 28 December 2023 at the Protestant cemetery in Augsburg. The foundation continues to operate from Hanover under its founding charitable purposes.

The Heinz & Nanny Geyer-Stiftung was established in 2008 in Hanover, Germany, by the donor Nanny Geyer. From the outset it was designed around two social goals: relieving the hardship of poor Hanoverians and preserving Hanover's cultural heritage. In the founding year, Nanny Geyer selected strong and competent partners intended to guarantee the long-term implementation of these goals. For its social mission, the foundation partnered with the Stephansstift, which cares for families with children in need in its facilities. The foundation's rationale is that children from disadvantaged families often lack the most basic necessities and need support to become responsible members of society, and that charitable action can offset imbalances in a materially oriented society. It treats private assistance beyond the legal minimum as a social responsibility. For its cultural mission, the foundation works with the Historisches Museum Hannover to fund projects that communicate important aspects of the city's history. It purchased posters documenting economic history from the periods after the First and Second World Wars. It also acquired, as a rare find, the heavily damaged banner of the old Hanoverian button factory Gompertz & Meinrath, and subsequently had it restored. The foundation states that its emphasis lies in this cultural heritage work. In late 2023 the foundation suffered the unexpected death of its chairwoman, Mechthild Berger, on 24 November 2023. The foundation publicly mourned her as an extraordinary woman and as a friend and contact person, and announced a memorial service for 28 December 2023 at the Protestant cemetery in Augsburg. The foundation remains active in Hanover.

• 2023

  Chairwoman Mechthild Berger dies unexpectedly on 24 November; memorial service announced for 28 December in Augsburg.

• 2008

  Foundation established in Hanover by Nanny Geyer.

• 2008

  Nanny Geyer selects long-term partners, including the Stephansstift and the Historisches Museum Hannover.

A private charitable foundation focused on poverty relief and cultural heritage preservation in Hanover.

1. 1Heinz & Nanny Geyer - Stiftung | Soziales & Kultur in Hannover fördern und unterstützengeyer-stiftung.de
2. 2Heinz & Nanny Geyer-Stiftungwikidata.org