Schadenprisma

Schadenprisma is a German-language specialist magazine devoted to loss prevention (Schadenverhütung) and loss research (Schadenforschung). It is published by the Verband öffentlicher Versicherer, the association of public insurers in Germany, and serves as a key communication channel for the public insurance sector's prevention and research activities. The publication appears quarterly, with a print run of roughly 15,000 copies, and is also available as a free online edition at schadenprisma.de. Its editorial scope covers fire protection, natural hazards, technical risks, risk communication, and damage investigation, with contributions from experts at institutions such as the Institut für Schadenverhütung und Schadenforschung der öffentlichen Versicherer e. V. (IFS). The magazine traces its origins to the Mitteilungsblatt Brandverhütung – Brandbekämpfung, a bulletin launched in 1951 by the Berliner Feuersozietät together with the Berliner Feuerwehr. From 1972 onward, all public insurers supported the publication alongside the original publishers, and today the Verband öffentlicher Versicherer is the sole publisher. The online archive at schadenprisma.de contains all issues since 1993 and can be searched by issue, topic, or keyword. Because the insights on loss prevention are intended to reach the widest possible audience and are regarded as a public-benefit activity, access to the website and archive is free of charge. Each issue is structured around a thematic focus. Recent issues have addressed topics such as power outages and crisis preparedness, georisks and protection against natural hazards, inclusive fire safety education, and explosions involving gas cartridges. The magazine regularly reports on the work of the IFS, including its fire cause statistics based on more than 2,000 fire cause investigations per year. It also publishes guidance on standards and guidelines, such as the VdS publication 6025 on protection against georisks. In addition to the quarterly issues, special issues have covered themes such as agriculture, fire services, and private households. As a brand, Schadenprisma functions as a trusted, non-commercial knowledge platform for the German public insurance community, fire services, risk managers, and the interested public. Its editorial independence and free access reinforce its role as a public-good information resource rather than a commercial product. The brand is closely tied to the institutional identity of the public insurers and the IFS, and it continues to adapt to digital publishing through its website and online archive.

The history of Schadenprisma begins with its predecessor, the Mitteilungsblatt Brandverhütung – Brandbekämpfung (Bulletin for Fire Prevention – Fire Fighting), which was first published in 1951 by the Berliner Feuersozietät in cooperation with the Berliner Feuerwehr. This bulletin served as a platform for sharing knowledge on fire prevention and firefighting, reflecting the public insurers' early commitment to loss prevention. In 1972, the publication gained broader support: alongside the original publishers, all public insurers (Öffentliche Versicherer) in Germany began backing the journal. This expansion marked a shift from a regional Berlin-focused bulletin to a nationwide publication for the public insurance sector. The journal was renamed Schadenprisma, reflecting its broadened scope in loss prevention and loss research. Over the following decades, Schadenprisma established itself as a quarterly magazine with a print run of approximately 15,000 copies. It became the primary medium for the Institut für Schadenverhütung und Schadenforschung der öffentlichen Versicherer e. V. (IFS) to disseminate its research findings. The IFS, which conducts more than 2,000 fire cause investigations annually, uses the magazine to publish statistics, case studies, and practical guidance. In the 1990s, the magazine began to embrace digital distribution. An online edition was launched, and the website schadenprisma.de now hosts an archive containing all issues since 1993. The archive is searchable by issue, topic, or keyword, making decades of loss prevention knowledge freely accessible. The decision to provide free access was driven by the public-benefit nature of the content: insights on loss prevention should reach the widest possible audience. Today, the Verband öffentlicher Versicherer is the sole publisher of Schadenprisma. The magazine continues to publish quarterly issues, each with a thematic focus, and occasional special issues on topics such as agriculture, fire services, and private households. Recent issues have covered power outages and crisis preparedness, georisks, inclusive fire safety education, and gas cartridge explosions. The publication remains a cornerstone of the German public insurers' prevention communication and a respected resource for fire services, risk managers, and the public.

• 2026

  Issue 3|2026 published, covering topics such as power outages, georisks, and inclusive fire safety education.

• 1993

  Start of the online archive coverage (all issues since 1993 available online).

• 1972

  All public insurers begin supporting the journal; it is renamed Schadenprisma.

• 1951

  Predecessor bulletin Brandverhütung – Brandbekämpfung first published by Berliner Feuersozietät and Berliner Feuerwehr.

A free, public-benefit specialist magazine for loss prevention and loss research, published by the association of public insurers in Germany.

• schadenprisma quarterly journal

  Print magazine with approximately 15,000 copies per issue, published quarterly.

• schadenprisma.de online edition and archive

  Free online access to current and past issues since 1993, searchable by issue, topic, or keyword.

• Special issues

  Occasional special issues on themes such as agriculture, fire services, and private households.

1. 1schadenprisma - Zeitschrift für Schadenverhütung und Schadenforschung der öffentlichen Versichererschadenprisma.de
2. 2Brandschutz in Krankenhäusern - schadenprismaschadenprisma.de
3. 3Tradition mit Blick in die Zukunft - schadenprismaschadenprisma.de
4. 4Inklusive Brandschutzerziehung und -aufklärung - schadenprismaschadenprisma.de
5. 5Schadenprisma - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
6. 6Schadenprisma - Wikidatawikidata.org