James-Simon-Stiftung

The James-Simon-Stiftung is a charitable foundation (rechtsfähige Stiftung bürgerlichen Rechts) established in 2006 and based in Berlin, Germany. Its stated purpose is the promotion of art, culture and the common good. The foundation is named after James Simon, the Jewish Berlin merchant and patron whose extensive philanthropic and cultural donations — including major gifts to the Berlin museums — had largely faded from public memory after the Nazi era and the division of Germany. By adopting his name, the foundation seeks to bring James Simon back into public consciousness and to encourage contemporary patronage, civic spirit and responsibility for the community. The foundation was endowed at the time of its recognition with a claim to the transfer of 1,000,000 euros in cash. It is governed by a board chaired by Peter Raue, while the founders under its statutes are private individuals from Germany, including Tessen von Heydebreck (who also chairs the board of trustees), Traudl Herrhausen, Hubertus Erlen and Karin von Welck. Around 30 founders from politics, business and culture have signed on. Since its establishment, the foundation has become best known for the James-Simon-Preis, awarded every two years to honour exemplary social and cultural engagement in Germany. The prize money was 50,000 euros until 2010 and has been 25,000 euros since 2012. Recipients have included Werner and Maren Otto (2008), Udo van Meeteren (2010), Carmen and Reinhold Würth (2012), Barbara Lambrecht-Schadeberg (2014), Wilhelm Winterstein (2016) and Christian Dräger (2019). The award ceremony is a festive public event, and in 2008 it took place in the presence of the German Federal President. The foundation also benefits from the renewed public visibility of James Simon's name in Berlin, particularly through the James-Simon-Park and the James-Simon-Galerie, the central entrance building on Museum Island, both of which have helped re-establish his legacy in the city since 2007. The foundation's work is documented in publications such as Bernd Schultz's edited volume "James Simon – Philanthrop und Kunstmäzen" (2006), Olaf Matthes's "James Simon. Die Kunst des sinnvollen Gebens" (2011, reissued as a special edition by the James-Simon-Stiftung in 2019) and Catarina Schmidt-Arcangeli's "James Simon. Berlins größter Kunstmäzen" (2021).

The James-Simon-Stiftung was founded in 2006 as a legally independent charitable foundation under German civil law (rechtsfähige Stiftung bürgerlichen Rechts) with its seat in Berlin. Its purpose is the promotion of art, culture and the common good. At the time of its recognition, the foundation's assets consisted of a claim to the transfer of 1,000,000 euros in cash. The foundation was established by around 30 private founders from German politics, business and culture, among them Tessen von Heydebreck, Traudl Herrhausen, Hubertus Erlen and Karin von Welck. Peter Raue serves as chairman, while Tessen von Heydebreck chairs the board of trustees (Kuratorium). The choice of name was deliberate: the foundation aims to bring James Simon, the Jewish Berlin merchant and patron who supported museums and social causes on a grand scale before the Nazi era, back into public awareness. After decades of neglect following the Nazi period and the division of Germany, James Simon's name returned to Berlin's public consciousness from 2007 onward, notably through the James-Simon-Park and the construction of the James-Simon-Galerie, the central entrance building on Museum Island. Central to the foundation's public profile is the James-Simon-Preis, awarded every two years for exemplary social and cultural engagement in Germany. The prize money was 50,000 euros until 2010 and has been 25,000 euros since 2012. In 2008 the award was presented in the presence of the German Federal President to Werner and Maren Otto. In 2010 it went to Udo van Meeteren, who doubled the prize money and donated it to four aid organisations. In 2012 Carmen and Reinhold Würth were honoured, with laudations by former Baden-Württemberg Minister-President Erwin Teufel and Hermann Parzinger, President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. Barbara Lambrecht-Schadeberg received the prize in 2014, Wilhelm Winterstein in 2016 and Christian Dräger in 2019. The foundation also supports the memory of James Simon through publications. Bernd Schultz edited "James Simon – Philanthrop und Kunstmäzen" (Prestel, Munich, 2006). Olaf Matthes published "James Simon. Die Kunst des sinnvollen Gebens" (Berlin, 2011), which was reissued in 2019 as a special edition of the James-Simon-Stiftung. Catarina Schmidt-Arcangeli's "James Simon. Berlins größter Kunstmäzen" appeared in 2021.

• 2019

  James-Simon-Preis awarded to Christian Dräger; Olaf Matthes's James Simon biography reissued as a special edition of the foundation.

• 2016

  James-Simon-Preis awarded to Wilhelm Winterstein.

• 2014

  James-Simon-Preis awarded to Barbara Lambrecht-Schadeberg.

• 2012

  James-Simon-Preis awarded to Carmen and Reinhold Würth; prize money set at 25,000 euros.

• 2010

  James-Simon-Preis awarded to Udo van Meeteren, who doubled the prize money and donated it to four aid organisations.

• 2008

  James-Simon-Preis awarded to Werner and Maren Otto in the presence of the German Federal President.

• 2007

  James Simon's name regains public presence in Berlin through the James-Simon-Park and the construction of the James-Simon-Galerie on Museum Island.

• 2006

  James-Simon-Stiftung founded in Berlin as a charitable foundation under civil law; endowed with a claim to 1,000,000 euros in cash.

A philanthropic foundation honouring the legacy of James Simon and promoting art, culture and civic engagement in Germany.

1. 1JAMES SIMON STIFTUNG – official websitejames-simon-stiftung.de
2. 2James-Simon-Stiftung – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3James-Simon-Stiftung – Wikidatawikidata.org