Katholische Friedensstiftung

The Katholische Friedensstiftung (Catholic Peace Foundation) was a German Catholic foundation established in 2010 as a fiduciary foundation (Treuhandstiftung) under the umbrella of the Katholische Soldatenseelsorge (Catholic Military Chaplaincy). Its initial endowment was 800,000 euros. The foundation was exclusively grant-making and not operational; its purpose was to promote the Institute for Theology and Peace (Institut für Theologie und Frieden, ithf) in Hamburg, which for over 30 years has researched the ethical foundations of peace and brought them into current political and church debates. The foundation's guiding principle was "Peace begins in the mind" ("Frieden beginnt im Kopf"). Its office was located in the House of the Catholic Academy in Hamburg, in the premises of the ithf. The foundation aligned its work as a member of the Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen (Association of German Foundations) with its "Principles of Good Foundation Practice" and the "Principles of Good Church Foundation Practice." At the end of 2024, on the initiative of Catholic Military Bishop Overbeck, the fiduciary foundation was merged into its umbrella foundation (Katholische Soldatenseelsorge) and has since ceased to operate with its own profile. Supporters included Peter Frey (ZDF editor-in-chief), Wolfgang Ischinger (chairman of the Munich Security Conference), General ret. Karl-Heinz Lather (former chief of staff at NATO Headquarters), Elke Hoff (MP, FDP security policy spokeswoman), Karin Kortmann (vice president of the Central Committee of German Catholics), Josef Winkler (former MP, Alliance 90/The Greens), and Andreas Schockenhoff (MP, deputy chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group; died 2014).

The Katholische Friedensstiftung was established in 2010 as a fiduciary foundation (Treuhandstiftung) under the umbrella of the Katholische Soldatenseelsorge. Its initial endowment was 800,000 euros. The foundation was exclusively grant-making and not operational; its purpose was to promote the Institute for Theology and Peace (Institut für Theologie und Frieden, ithf) in Hamburg, the only Catholic think tank in Europe for peace ethics. The ithf has researched the ethical foundations of peace for over 30 years and brought them into current political and church debates. The foundation's goal was the conception of a new peace order in which the strength of law replaces the law of the stronger. Its guiding principle was "Peace begins in the mind" ("Frieden beginnt im Kopf"). The office was located in the House of the Catholic Academy in Hamburg, in the premises of the ithf. As a member of the Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen, the foundation aligned its work with the "Principles of Good Foundation Practice" and the "Principles of Good Church Foundation Practice." At the end of 2024, on the initiative of Catholic Military Bishop Overbeck, the fiduciary foundation was merged into its umbrella foundation (Katholische Soldatenseelsorge) and has since ceased to operate with its own profile. Supporters included Peter Frey (ZDF editor-in-chief), Wolfgang Ischinger (chairman of the Munich Security Conference), General ret. Karl-Heinz Lather (former chief of staff at NATO Headquarters), Elke Hoff (MP, FDP security policy spokeswoman), Karin Kortmann (vice president of the Central Committee of German Catholics), Josef Winkler (former MP, Alliance 90/The Greens), and Andreas Schockenhoff (MP, deputy chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group; died 2014).

• 2024

  On the initiative of Catholic Military Bishop Overbeck, the fiduciary foundation was merged into its umbrella foundation and ceased to operate with its own profile.

• 2010

  Foundation established as a fiduciary foundation under the Katholische Soldatenseelsorge with an initial endowment of 800,000 euros.

Catholic grant-making foundation for peace ethics research

1. 1Katholische Friedensstiftungde.wikipedia.org
2. 2Katholische Friedensstiftungwikidata.org