Karg-Stiftung

The Karg-Stiftung is a German non-profit foundation founded in 1989 by Adelheid and Hans-Georg Karg, the childless son of Hertie department-store entrepreneur Georg Karg, and his wife. Its mission is to promote the development of the abilities and skills of highly gifted children and young people. The foundation's target group is highly gifted children and young people of pre-school and school age, and it supports them through projects and institutions focused on holistic gifted education. The foundation works close to people and everyday educational life, seeking good ideas and accompanying practice-oriented new paths in gifted education. It operates a foundation portal, a specialist portal on giftedness (Karg Fachportal Hochbegabung) and a learning portal (Karg Lernportal) for qualification offerings. Its activities span early childhood education, school development, counselling and diagnostics, and teacher and educator training. Since 2009, its 20th anniversary, the foundation has awarded the Karg-Preis every two years, endowed with 50,000 euros, to support outstanding initiatives in gifted education. The foundation has been a major advocate for gifted education in Germany, working to reduce prejudices about giftedness and to make the education system more permeable for highly gifted students. It cooperates with model, transferable and qualified partners and projects to achieve the broadest possible impact, and uses its overview of the field to network all participants, responsible parties and interested persons.

The Karg-Stiftung was founded in 1989 by Adelheid and Hans-Georg Karg, the childless son of Hertie department-store entrepreneur Georg Karg, and his wife, to specifically promote the development of abilities and skills of highly gifted children and young people. A decidedly Christian view of humanity was decisive for them, placing mutual understanding and responsibility for one another at the centre. In 1990, cooperation began with the Christliches Jugenddorf CJD Braunschweig. The Deutsche SchülerAkademien were supported for the first time in 1991. The Hans-Georg Karg-Grundschule opened in Braunschweig in 1991. In 2000, school psychologists qualified in Hesse. In 2001, the Altensteiger Sommermusik was supported for the first time. In the same year, numerous cooperations and support for counselling centres began. In 2002, the first Karg-Forum was founded and the internet portal on the topic of giftedness was launched. The Impulsschulen were introduced from 2003. The early study programme at the University of Würzburg was scientifically accompanied. The 'Sehstern' project began in 2007 at the Pinakotheken, Munich. 'Begabtenförderung in den Ländern' was published in 2008. Since 2009, the 20th anniversary of the foundation, the Karg-Preis, endowed with 50,000 euros, has been awarded every two years. It serves to support outstanding initiatives in gifted education. The 2009 Karg-Preis went to the youth-founded association Quod Erat Demonstrandum e. V.; in 2011, the Hochbegabten-Zentrum Rheinland in Brühl and the Wilhelm-Ostwald-Gymnasium in Leipzig were awarded for their commitment in the area of underachievers. The 2013 prize went to the Evangelische Schule Berlin Mitte/Zentrum (ESBZ) for its model of participatory and personality-building inclusive gifted education. Around 150 educators have earned the 'Begabtenpädagoge' qualification initiated by the Karg-Stiftung since 2004. Since April 2009, this qualification has been offered at the Evangelische Hochschule Dresden. The 'Impulskreise' method developed by the Karg-Stiftung serves to train teachers. The foundation continues to operate its foundation portal, specialist portal and learning portal, and in 2026 it launched the podcast 'Karg Perspektiven – Bildung, Begabung, Potenziale'.

• 2026

  Podcast 'Karg Perspektiven – Bildung, Begabung, Potenziale' launched; 15 new consultation centres in Saxony; contributions at the 20th ECHA Congress in Dublin.

• 2013

  Karg-Preis awarded to Evangelische Schule Berlin Mitte/Zentrum (ESBZ).

• 2011

  Karg-Preis awarded to Hochbegabten-Zentrum Rheinland in Brühl and Wilhelm-Ostwald-Gymnasium in Leipzig.

• 2009

  20th anniversary; Karg-Preis awarded for the first time (50,000 euros, biennial); Begabtenpädagoge qualification offered at Evangelische Hochschule Dresden from April.

• 2008

  'Begabtenförderung in den Ländern' published.

• 2007

  'Sehstern' project begins at the Pinakotheken, Munich.

• 2004

  Begabtenpädagoge qualification initiated; around 150 educators have earned it since.

• 2003

  Impulsschulen introduced.

• 2002

  First Karg-Forum founded; internet portal on giftedness launched.

• 2001

  First support for Altensteiger Sommermusik; numerous cooperations and support for counselling centres begin.

• 2000

  School psychologists qualify in Hesse.

• 1991

  First support for Deutsche SchülerAkademien; Hans-Georg Karg-Grundschule opens in Braunschweig.

• 1990

  Cooperation begins with Christliches Jugenddorf CJD Braunschweig.

• 1989

  Foundation established by Adelheid and Hans-Georg Karg.

Advocate for gifted education in Germany, promoting a holistic concept of giftedness based on a Christian view of humanity, opposing a one-dimensional performance concept or purely economic exploitation of knowledge and talent.

• Karg Fachportal Hochbegabung

  Specialist portal providing extensive information on giftedness and gifted education.

• Karg Lernportal

  Platform for all qualification offerings.

• Karg-Preis

  Biennial award endowed with 50,000 euros to support outstanding initiatives in gifted education.

• Impulsschulen

  Programme introduced from 2003.

• Impulskreise

  Method developed by the Karg-Stiftung for training teachers.

• Begabtenpädagoge

  Qualification initiated by the Karg-Stiftung; around 150 educators have earned it since 2004; offered at Evangelische Hochschule Dresden since April 2009.

• Karg Perspektiven podcast

  Podcast 'Karg Perspektiven – Bildung, Begabung, Potenziale' launched in 2026.

1. 1Startseite - Karg Stiftungsportalkarg-stiftung.de
2. 2Karg-Stiftung - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
3. 3Karg-Stiftung - Wikidatawikidata.org