Pflegen & Wohnen Hamburg

Pflegen & Wohnen Hamburg GmbH is a Hamburg-based care provider and the largest operator of inpatient elderly care in the city. It runs 14 care facilities across the Hamburg city area, offering around 2,400 nursing places and employing roughly 2,000 staff from 84 nations. The company describes itself as being there for senior citizens as well as younger adults with support and care needs, combining professional nursing with a strong emphasis on community life, therapy, and everyday companionship. The organisation traces its origins to the municipal poor relief of the early 17th century. A workhouse and house of correction was built on the southern shore of the Binnenalster between 1619 and 1622, and over the following centuries it evolved through various municipal welfare institutions. In 1991 the city's old-age and nursing homes were brought together in the state enterprise "pflegen & wohnen", which became a public-law institution (Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts) in 1997. In 2007 the business was privatised and sold to the Berlin-based Vitanas Group and the Hamburg-based Franke Group, operating as Pflegen & Wohnen Hamburg GmbH with 12 homes at 13 locations and more than 2,800 beds. After a period of private ownership that included a controversial sale process and a spell under Deutsche Wohnen, the City of Hamburg bought the company back. Since 1 October 2025 Pflegen & Wohnen Hamburg has belonged to the municipal holding company Hamburger Gesellschaft für Vermögens- und Beteiligungsmanagement mbH (HGV), opening a new chapter under municipal ownership. The company positions itself as an innovative and modern employer in Hamburg's care sector, investing in new buildings and the revitalisation of its facilities through its "Initiative Zukunftspflege". Its services centre on inpatient care and support, with additional group companies handling cleaning and personnel services. The brand promise is "Der Mensch im Mittelpunkt" — the person at the centre — with professional care delivered with empathy, respect, and a sense of home.

The roots of Pflegen & Wohnen Hamburg lie in Hamburg's municipal poor relief. Between 1619 and 1622 a workhouse and house of correction (Werk- und Zuchthaus) was built on the southern shore of the Binnenalster, near today's Thalia Theatre. It took in impoverished people who had to work in return for accommodation and care, as well as beggars, vagrants and criminals who were committed there. By 1726 the institution, also called Armenhaus (poorhouse), housed 2,500 residents — about 3% of Hamburg's population at the time. In 1842 the poorhouse fell victim to the Great Fire of Hamburg and was rebuilt near the site of today's home. The former workhouse developed into a municipal relief institution, placed under the state welfare administration in 1897. In 1902 a branch institution was established in Farmsen. In 1919 the workhouse and poorhouse was renamed Versorgungsheim (relief home), and from 1920 it was administered by the newly created welfare office, the predecessor of Hamburg's social authority. In 1929 the state relief homes became Staatliche Wohlfahrtsanstalten (state welfare institutions), and in the same year another home was created in Groß Borstel to meet increased demand, especially from the consequences of war. From 1933 the Hamburg welfare institutions were also affected by National Socialist exclusion and racial policies, resulting in increasing forced or preventive welfare, guardianship removals, forced sterilisation and knowing assistance to euthanasia. As part of the Aktion T4 programme, from summer 1940 numerous home residents were transferred to other institutions where they were murdered. In July 1943 the Oberaltenallee welfare institution was almost completely destroyed in bombing raids, though most residents had previously been housed elsewhere. In total, roughly 3,500 to 3,700 places in old-age and nursing homes were lost during the Second World War. In the post-war period, people in need of care were initially housed in barracks and later in former barracks buildings. The laying of the foundation stone for a nursing home at the Barmbek site in 1952 marked a new beginning. In addition to the so-called Ehepaarhaus, seven further nursing homes were built on Oberaltenallee, so that during the 1960s a total of 900 bed places were created. Comparable facilities followed in Lokstedt, Bergedorf and Wilhelmsburg. In the 1980s Horn and Altona — districts previously under-supplied with home places — were added as new municipal care locations. Together with residential accommodation and integration assistance facilities, the municipal old-age and nursing homes were transferred in 1991 into the new state enterprise "pflegen & wohnen". This coincided with the dissolution of the Office for Homes of the Authority for Labour, Health and Social Affairs. In 1997 the state enterprise was converted into an Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts (public-law institution) to counter structural annual deficits and the changes triggered by the second stage of long-term care insurance. With the privatisation of the company in 2007, the municipal care sector was sold to the Berlin-based Vitanas Group and the Hamburg-based Franke Group. As Pflegen & Wohnen Hamburg GmbH the private company started with 12 nursing homes at 13 locations and a capacity of more than 2,800 beds. The management was exercised jointly by Thomas Flotow and Torsten Wenzel from September 2014 to early 2016; from 1 January 2016 Flotow was sole managing director, supported by Nicol Wittkamp and Christian Kopka as authorised signatories. Wenzel moved to the management of the Korian Group in February 2016. The Vitanas Group had acquired its stake in Pflegen und Wohnen Hamburg together with the Andreas Franke Unternehmensgruppe in January 2007 for 65 million euros; under the privatisation contract the shares could not be sold for 10 years, i.e. until 2017. In May 2017 a press release about the owners' ongoing sale explorations caused public criticism. Hamburg's health senator Cornelia Prüfer-Storcks (SPD) declared: "Alten- und Pflegeeinrichtungen sollten keine Spekulationsobjekte sein" (care homes should not be speculation objects). Shortly afterwards the former shareholders agreed to sell to the hedge fund Oaktree. During 2018 Oaktree in turn sold Pflegen & Wohnen Hamburg GmbH, with a minority stake, to Deutsche Wohnen. From 1 January 2019 Deutsche Wohnen, headquartered in Berlin, was the sole owner of Pflegen & Wohnen Hamburg GmbH, its subsidiaries and the properties. The subsidiaries included Pflegen und Wohnen Service GmbH and Pflegen und Wohnen Textil GmbH; the company's own personnel-services subsidiary was integrated into Pflegen & Wohnen Hamburg GmbH as part of the restructuring of temporary employment. Katja Lohmann became managing director on 1 October 2023. Under the "Initiative Zukunftspflege", five locations were brought to building-permit maturity within two years; a new building opened in autumn 2023, and three further projects were ready for occupancy in autumn 2025 and spring 2026. Since 1 October 2025 Pflegen & Wohnen Hamburg has belonged to the municipal holding company Hamburger Gesellschaft für Vermögens- und Beteiligungsmanagement mbH (HGV) of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, opening a new chapter under municipal ownership. Today the company operates 14 facilities in Hamburg with around 2,400 nursing places and roughly 2,000 employees.

• 2025

  On 1 October the City of Hamburg buys the company back; it joins the municipal HGV holding. Three further new-build projects are ready for occupancy in autumn 2025 and spring 2026.

• 2023

  Katja Lohmann becomes managing director on 1 October; a new building opens in autumn under the Initiative Zukunftspflege.

• 2019

  From 1 January Deutsche Wohnen is sole owner of the company, its subsidiaries and properties.

• 2018

  Oaktree sells Pflegen & Wohnen Hamburg GmbH with a minority stake to Deutsche Wohnen.

• 2017

  In May, sale explorations trigger public criticism; shareholders agree to sell to the hedge fund Oaktree.

• 2016

  From 1 January Flotow is sole managing director; Wenzel moves to the Korian Group in February.

• 2014

  Thomas Flotow and Torsten Wenzel jointly lead the management from September.

• 2007

  Privatisation: sold to the Vitanas Group and the Franke Group for 65 million euros; starts as Pflegen & Wohnen Hamburg GmbH with 12 homes at 13 locations and over 2,800 beds.

• 1997

  The state enterprise is converted into an Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts (public-law institution).

• 1991

  Municipal old-age and nursing homes are transferred into the state enterprise "pflegen & wohnen".

• 1980

  Horn and Altona are added as new municipal care locations.

• 1960

  During the 1960s a total of 900 bed places are created at Oberaltenallee and comparable facilities follow in Lokstedt, Bergedorf and Wilhelmsburg.

• 1952

  Foundation stone laid for a nursing home at the Barmbek site, marking a new beginning.

• 1943

  The Oberaltenallee welfare institution is almost completely destroyed in bombing raids.

• 1940

  From summer, residents are transferred under the Aktion T4 programme to institutions where they are murdered.

• 1929

  State relief homes become Staatliche Wohlfahrtsanstalten; another home opens in Groß Borstel.

• 1919

  The workhouse and poorhouse is renamed Versorgungsheim.

• 1902

  A branch institution is established in Farmsen.

• 1897

  The institution comes under the state welfare administration.

• 1842

  The poorhouse is destroyed in the Great Fire of Hamburg and rebuilt near today's site.

• 1726

  The Armenhaus houses 2,500 residents, about 3% of Hamburg's population.

• 1619

  Construction of the workhouse and house of correction on the southern shore of the Binnenalster begins (completed 1622).

Hamburg's largest inpatient care provider, combining four centuries of tradition with modern, person-centred care and municipal ownership.

• Inpatient care places

  Around 2,400 nursing places across 14 Hamburg facilities.

• Professional nursing and Betreuung

  Individual nursing and support for seniors and younger adults with care needs.

• Therapy and activation programmes

  Music groups, singing, creative activities and seated gymnastics led by therapists and everyday companions.

• Cleaning services

  Provided through subsidiaries APUW and PUW Service.

• Personnel services

  Provided through a group subsidiary, later integrated into the parent company.

1. 1PFLEGEN & WOHNEN HAMBURG | Professionelle Pflegepflegenundwohnen.de
2. 2Wer wir sind | PFLEGEN & WOHNEN HAMBURGpflegenundwohnen.de
3. 3Unser Profil | PFLEGEN & WOHNEN HAMBURGpflegenundwohnen.de
4. 4Unsere Partner | PFLEGEN & WOHNEN HAMBURGpflegenundwohnen.de
5. 5Pflegen & Wohnen Hamburgwikidata.org
6. 6Pflegen & Wohnen Hamburgde.wikipedia.org