Kneipp Association

The Kneipp-Bund e.V. (Kneipp Association) is the umbrella organisation of the German Kneipp movement and, with its network of associations, certified institutions and professional bodies, describes itself as the largest private health organisation in Germany. It is an independent, non-profit registered association (eingetragener Verein) that is neither party-political nor tied to any denomination, though it states a commitment to a Christian-humanist view of humanity. Its headquarters are in Bad Wörishofen in the Unterallgäu district of Bavaria, the town where Sebastian Kneipp (1821–1897) worked as a priest and developed his holistic naturopathic healing method. The association promotes the "Kneippsche Naturheilverfahren" — Kneipp naturopathy — built on five pillars: water, exercise, medicinal plants, nutrition and balance of life (Lebensordnung). It supports a network of local Kneipp clubs (Kneipp-Vereine), certifies kindergartens, schools, spa businesses, guest houses, health farms, senior facilities, campsites and swimming/sauna operations that follow its guidelines, and runs a shop for health articles. It also operates two educational institutions in Bad Wörishofen: the Sebastian-Kneipp-Akademie for further training in Kneipp naturopathy and the Sebastian-Kneipp-Schule, a vocational school for massage and physiotherapy. A Berlin office represents the association's prevention interests in national policy circles. The organisation publishes the member magazine "Kneipp-Journal" and organises annual action days around the five elements. It is a member of Kneipp Worldwide, the international confederation of the Kneipp movement founded in 1962, which links national associations from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and other countries. In December 2015, "Kneippen" — the traditional knowledge and practice according to Sebastian Kneipp's teachings — was added by the German UNESCO Commission to the national inventory of intangible cultural heritage. As a non-profit umbrella body, the Kneipp-Bund is not a commercial manufacturer but a brand-like health organisation whose name and certification marks (Gütesiegel) carry weight in the German prevention and health-promotion market. It works with public health bodies, sports organisations and welfare associations, and has funded academic work, including a endowed professorship at the Charité in Berlin from 2010 to embed naturopathy more firmly in university medicine.

The Kneipp-Bund was founded on 24 August 1897, about ten weeks after the death of Sebastian Kneipp (17 May 1821 – 17 June 1897). Initially there were two parallel organisations: a Kneipp-Bund in Berlin and a Kneipp-Verband in Wörishofen. During the First World War, association and club activities almost completely ceased. In 1921 the Wörishofen and Berlin associations merged. By the 1930s the Kneipp movement already had around 50,000 members. Between 1940 and 1945, after several renamings, the Kneipp-Bund was incorporated into the 'Reichsarbeitsgemeinschaft der Verbände für naturgemäße Lebens- und Heilweise' and later the 'Deutscher Gesundheitsbund'. After the end of the war, the occupying powers dissolved all associations and clubs. The Kneipp-Bund was re-founded in October 1949, with its headquarters again in Bad Wörishofen. The movement revived only slowly, but by the end of the 1950s it again had around 50,000 members. After another move to Munich in 1968, the Kneipp-Bund has been based in Bad Wörishofen again since 1987. German reunification opened a new field of activity: numerous Kneipp clubs were founded in the new federal states, with nearly 6,000 members. In 2002 the association opened its capital representation, the 'Büro für Gesundheit und Prävention', now the Berliner Büro. In December 2015, 'Kneippen als traditionelles Wissen und Praxis nach der Lehre Sebastian Kneipps' was added by the German UNESCO Commission to the nationwide inventory of intangible cultural heritage; the Kneipp-Bund had submitted a joint application with the town of Bad Wörishofen and the association of Kneipp health resorts and spas. The association marks its five-element philosophy with five action days per year; for the element 'Lebensordnung' it proclaimed a 'Tag der Ausgewogenheit', first held on 20 November 2024. Since 1962 the international Kneipp movement has been organised in Kneipp Worldwide, comprising the Kneipp associations of Germany and Switzerland, other European countries and individual members from a total of 27 countries.

• Kneipp-Bund founded about ten weeks after Sebastian Kneipp's death

• Wörishofen and Berlin associations merge

• Kneipp movement reaches around 50,000 members

• Kneipp-Bund incorporated into Nazi-era health organisations

• Kneipp-Bund re-founded with headquarters in Bad Wörishofen

• Membership recovers to around 50,000

• International Kneipp movement organised as Kneipp Worldwide (IKK)

• Headquarters moves to Munich

• Headquarters returns to Bad Wörishofen

• Berlin office for health and prevention opens

• Endowed professorship at Charité Berlin established

• Kneippen added to German intangible cultural heritage list

• First Tag der Ausgewogenheit (Day of Balance) held

Non-profit umbrella association and certification body for the Kneipp health movement, positioning itself as Germany's largest private health organisation promoting holistic naturopathy and prevention.

• Kneipp-Journal

  Member magazine produced at the Kneipp-Zentrum

• Gütesiegel (quality seal)

  Certification mark for institutions following Kneipp guidelines

• Sebastian-Kneipp-Akademie

  Training and further education in Kneipp naturopathy

• Sebastian-Kneipp-Schule

  Vocational school for massage and physiotherapy

• Online-Shop

  Shop for health articles

1. 1Herzlich willkommen beim Kneipp-Bund e.V., dem Dachverband für Kneipp-Vereinekneippbund.de
2. 2Kneipp Association - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Kneipp-Bund - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org