Niedersächsischer Heimatbund

The Niedersächsischer Heimatbund (NHB) is a registered association (eingetragener Verein) based in Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany. It serves as the umbrella organisation (Dachverband) for local heritage associations and Lower Saxon municipalities, and receives institutional funding from the state of Lower Saxony. Its statutory purpose is the preservation and shaping of the naturally and historically rooted diversity and traditions of Lower Saxony. The NHB works through advice and activities to influence public opinion and state legislation, and is recognised under § 3 of the Environmental Appeals Act (Umwelt-Rechtsbehelfsgesetz), giving it a formal role in nature conservation procedures. The association traces its origins to the organisational committee of the Niedersachsentag, a regional heritage festival first initiated in 1902 by the Heimatbund Niedersachsen. On 6 October 1905 this committee — then called the Vertretertag niedersächsischer Vereine — held its constitutive meeting. It was renamed the Niedersächsischer Ausschuss für Heimatschutz in 1908, became the leading heritage body for the wider Lower Saxon region by the late 1920s, and took over sole organisation of the Niedersachsentag in 1929. It was entered in the register of associations in 1934 and has borne the name Niedersächsischer Heimatbund e.V. since 1937. Dissolved by the NSDAP Gauleitung Süd-Hannover-Braunschweig on 9 May 1943, it was re-authorised by the British military government on 15 September 1945. The NHB celebrated its 100th anniversary in Hannover in 2005. The NHB maintains a office in Hannover with several staff and organises specialist working groups (Fachgruppen) on archaeology, monument preservation, history, cultural landscape, nature and environmental protection, and Low German and Sater Frisian. Since 1960 it has published the annual Rote Mappe report on the state of heritage work in Lower Saxony, presented to the state government; since 1977 the government has responded in the Weisse Mappe. The NHB also publishes the journal Niedersachsen and numerous books on regional history, cultural and monument preservation. In 2022 its statutes explicitly rejected anti-democratic uses of the concept of Heimat.

The Niedersächsischer Heimatbund (NHB) grew out of the organisational committee of the Niedersachsentag, a regional heritage festival first initiated in 1902 by the Heimatbund Niedersachsen. On 6 October 1905 this committee — then called the Vertretertag niedersächsischer Vereine — held its constitutive meeting in order to ensure that the event could be held annually. In 1908 it was renamed the Niedersächsischer Ausschuss für Heimatschutz. By the end of the 1920s it had become the umbrella organisation for heritage work across the entire Lower Saxon region — which at that time did not yet exist as a federal state, since Lower Saxony was only founded in 1946 — and in 1929 it took over sole organisation of the Niedersachsentag. In 1934 the committee was entered in the register of associations under the name Niedersächsischer Ausschuß für Heimatschutz, and at the same time it was integrated into the Reichsbund Volkstum und Heimat. In 1934 the Niedersachsentag did not take place because of the reorganisation of heritage protection under the Nazi regime. In 1937 the committee was renamed Niedersächsischer Heimatbund. On 9 May 1943, the anniversary of the founding of the Heimatbund Niedersachsen, the NHB was dissolved by the NSDAP Gauleitung Süd-Hannover-Braunschweig; the Heimatbund Niedersachsen, dissolved at the same time, had previously had to rename itself Hannoversche Heimatfreunde. On 15 September 1945 the NHB was re-authorised by the military government of the British occupation. In the 1980s the president of the NHB was the manufacturer Heinrich Reimers, a partner in the Himly, Holscher & Co. glassworks Wilhelmshütte in Nienburg/Weser. In 1982 specialist working groups (Fachgruppen) were introduced for the individual fields and funding priorities of the NHB, serving as expert advisory bodies that bring together scientists and laypeople, professionals and volunteers. In 1960 the NHB began publishing the Rote Mappe, its annual report on the state of heritage work in Lower Saxony, presented at the Niedersachsentag; since 1977 the state government has responded in the Weisse Mappe. The NHB celebrated its 100th anniversary on 7–8 October 2005 in Hannover at the Niedersachsentag, and a commemorative volume entitled Zukunft Heimat Niedersachsen was published for the occasion. In 2022 the association amended its statutes to include an explicit rejection of anti-democratic uses of the concept of Heimat. The NHB currently works on developing a Heimatnetz, intended to become a virtual learning centre for heritage work and regional research in the sense of citizen science.

• 2022

  Statutes amended to reject anti-democratic uses of the concept of Heimat.

• 2005

  100th anniversary celebrated in Hannover on 7–8 October.

• 1987

  Bausteine zur Heimat- und Regionalgeschichte book series launched.

• 1982

  Specialist working groups (Fachgruppen) introduced.

• 1977

  State government begins responding in the Weisse Mappe.

• 1960

  First publication of the Rote Mappe annual report.

• 1945

  Re-authorised on 15 September by the British military government.

• 1943

  Dissolved on 9 May by the NSDAP Gauleitung Süd-Hannover-Braunschweig.

• 1937

  Renamed Niedersächsischer Heimatbund.

• 1934

  Entered in the register of associations; integrated into the Reichsbund Volkstum und Heimat; Niedersachsentag cancelled.

• 1929

  Takes over sole organisation of the Niedersachsentag.

• 1908

  Renamed Niedersächsischer Ausschuss für Heimatschutz.

• 1905

  On 6 October the Vertretertag niedersächsischer Vereine holds its constitutive meeting.

• 1902

  The Niedersachsentag is initiated by the Heimatbund Niedersachsen.

Umbrella heritage and nature conservation association for Lower Saxony, institutionally funded by the state, acting as a bridge between volunteers, scientists and government.

• Rote Mappe

  Annual report on the state of heritage work in Lower Saxony, published since 1960 and presented to the state government.

• Weisse Mappe

  The state government's response to the Rote Mappe, issued since 1977.

• Niedersachsen journal

  Journal published by the NHB, originally founded in 1895 by the brothers Friedrich and August Freudenthal.

• Schriften zur Heimatpflege

  Book series published by the NHB, formerly titled Bausteine zur Heimat- und Regionalgeschichte (from 1987).

• Handbuch Plattdeutsch im Kindergarten

  Handbook on Low German and Sater Frisian in kindergartens.

1. 1Startseite - Niedersächsischer Heimatbundniedersaechsischer-heimatbund.de
2. 2Unsere Geschichte - Niedersächsischer Heimatbundniedersaechsischer-heimatbund.de
3. 3Geschichte - Niedersächsischer Heimatbundniedersaechsischer-heimatbund.de
4. 4Bausteine zur Heimat- und Regionalgeschichte und Schriften zur Heimatpflege - Niedersächsischer Heimatbundniedersaechsischer-heimatbund.de
5. 5Niedersächsischer Heimatbund - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Niedersächsischer Heimatbund - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org