Förderverein
Culture in all its manifestations is an important element of our society. The evolution of the one is closely interwoven with developments in the other. Today, we can no longer rely on the public sector to maintain a vibrant cultural life. As many states and municipalities have been compelled to shift resources toward other important spending objectives, they find it difficult to live up to their cultural commitments. So the private sector must do its part to preserve our wealth of cultural opportunities.
In 1992, on the occasion of its one-hundredth anniversary, Deutsche Bank established a foundation to benefit the Lenbachhaus, with an initial endowment of DM 750 000. A year later, the energetic initiative of Dr. Soltmann, then president of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Munich and Upper Bavaria, Dr. Reinhard Wieczorek, head of the Munich Department of Labor and Economic Development, and Dr. Michael Endres, member of the management board of Deutsche Bank, led to the creation of the Förderverein Lenbachhaus e.V., the Society of the Friends of the Lenbachhaus. The initiators saw an opportunity to create close and lasting ties between Munich-based businesses as well as private patrons and a municipal cultural institution.
The foundation and the Förderverein work to help the Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus present its treasures in the best light by improving its facilities and to expand its collections. The Förderverein also expects to provide grants for the realization of exhibitions and the production of publications. Needless to say, all activities of the Förderverein serve its nonprofit purpose, and so all donations are tax-deductible.
Important items in the Lenbachhaus's collection were contributed by the Förderverein, whose wide range of activities in support of the museum includes financial assistance for the purchase of additions to the collections. In 1992, Deutsche Bank established a foundation to benefit the Lenbachhaus, the Jubiläumsstiftung der Deutsche Bank AG, and in 1993, the Förderverein Lenbachhaus e.V. was created. Both seek to strengthen the identification of Munich’s citizenry and business community with the Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus. The foundation and the Förderverein work to improve the Lenbachhaus's presentation facilities and lend financial support to its efforts to expand its collections. They have been especially committed to the innovative lighting design based on LED technology in the New Lenbachhaus.
The Förderverein's collection is on permanent loan to the Lenbachhaus, where it enriches the museum's own holdings. Its focus is on international contemporary art and on works revolving around the theme of light. The Förderverein also provides grants for the realization of exhibitions and the production of publications. Last but not least, individual members of the Förderverein have given particularly generous assistance to the Lenbachhaus’s services for our young visitors, defraying the expenses associated with opening the museum to student groups outside regular hours and sponsoring art education programs especially designed for children.
Purchases by the Förderverein, donations from members and friends to the organisation and permanent loans to the Lenbachhaus:
After a major Kandinsky retrospective, the Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus closed its doors in March 2009: the former villa of the prince of painters Franz von Lenbach urgently needed major renovations. After four years of work, the museum reopened on May 8, 2013. As part of the comprehensive refurbishment, the building has been brought up to contemporary standards. It now has all the features required for an international-grade exhibition operation and yet has lost none of its particular charm. The internationally renowned architectural practice Foster + Partners, which designed the spectacular dome on the Reichstag in Berlin as well as other prominent projects, drew up the plans for the comprehensive renovation. The Munich city council approved the project, budgeted at €56 million, in its plenary session on October 5, 2006. In a letter to the mayor of Munich dated November 7, 2006, the executive board of the Förderverein responded by pledging to raise contributions in the amount of €2.5 million. Thanks to private donations by ten members of the Förderverein and two friends of the Lenbachhaus, this goal was met little more than a year later, demonstrating the strong commitment of the Munich citizenry to the city's artistic and cultural life.The Förderverein’s contribution has been used to pay for part of the new and pioneering LED-based exhibition lighting technology and for the works commissioned from Olafur Eliasson and Thomas Demand. Additional donations raised in the meantime help the Lenbachhaus optimize its facilities and improve the design of the galleries.The mayor of the City of Munich, Christian Ude, has publicly expressed his deep appreciation of the engagement of the Förderverein and its members.
Renovation work completed with financial assistance from the Förderverein:
- Restoration and reconstruction of the original color design of the balcony railing (1997) and the front wrought iron gate (1998) on the main building
- 8 shell limestone benches for the historic garden (seating ensemble around the central fountain)
- Works purchased by the Jubiläumsstiftung der Deutsche Bank AG zugunsten des Lenbachhauses as a member of the Förderverein:
- Sculpture "o.T.," 1987, by Ulrich Rückriem (b. 1938)
- Sculpture "Rosebud," 1991, by Raimund Kummer (b. 1954)
- Sculpture "empire vampire V," 2003, by Isa Genzken (b. 1948)
- Fountain for the museum plaza "Raum in Bewegung / Bewegung im Raum," 2002, by Jeppe Hein (b. 1974)
Financial assistance for special opening hours and art education programming:
- Reimbursing the museum for additional personnel expenses for attendants during special opening hours for school groups on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays starting at 9am (since September 1, 2001)
- Art education programming for children in the exhibitions of works by Erwin Wurm, Maria Lassnig, Gabriel von Max, Piet Mondrian, Egon Schiele, and Marcel Duchamp as well as "Kunst ist schön, macht aber viel Arbeit"
- Free admission to the Lenbachhaus's permanent collections
- Free admission to all special exhibitions at the Lenbachhaus and the Kunstbau
- Invitations to exhibition openings
- Organized art tours 1994 Barcelona, 1995 Madrid, 1996 London, 1997 Rome, 1998 New York, 1999 Naples, 2000 Prague, 2001 Turin, 2002 Istanbul, 2003 Palermo, 2004 Lisbon, 2005 Stuttgart and Baden-Baden, 2006 Genoa and Florence, 2008 Flanders, 2009 Paris, Baden-Baden, New York, 2010 The Hague, 2011 Moscow, 2012 Italy, 2014 Italy / South Tyrol, 2015 Baden-Baden, 2016 Florence, 2017 Athens, 2018 Copenhagen, 2019 Venice
- Invitations to special events and festivities (previews, visits to the studios of Munich artists, summer fête, guided tours, concerts, etc.)
- Reduced prices on artists’ editions (e.g., Rupprecht Geiger’s Rotbuch)
Annual membership fees (prorated fees available for members who join during the year):
- Individual membership (young members, 25 and younger): €100 a year
- Individual membership (junior members I, 26–35 years): €150 a year
- Individual membership (junior members II, 36–40 years): €250 a year
- Individual membership (40 and older): annual donation €500
- Partner membership: annual donation €750
- Corporate membership: €1,250 a year
and €2,550 one-time admission fee
Information and applications
- Bylaws (PDF, in German)
- Membership application (PDF, in German)
- Gift Membership (PDF)
- Inform us of changes in your personal information (PDF, in German)
Needless to say, all activities of the Förderverein serve its nonprofit purpose, and so all donations are tax-deductible.
Executive Board
Chairman Alexander Mettenheimer
Vice Chairman Dr. Ulrich Schürenkrämer
Treasurer Dr. Catharina Recker
Secretary to the Board Prof. Dr. Klaus Sachs
Urso Hirschberg
Dr. Matthias Mühling
Walter Storms
Lucia Titgemeyer-Heck
Dr. Petra Wibbe
Eva Tillig
Honorary Chairman
Dr. Dieter Soltmann
Honorary Members
Prof. Dr. Helmut Friedel
Renate Küchler
Georg Oswald
Gerhard Richter
Dr. Hans-Gerd Riemer
Lothar Schirmer
Dr. Reinhard Wieczorek
Auditors
Thomas Carl Mösch
Dr. Isabelle Liegl
Förderverein Lenbachhaus e.V.
Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus und Kunstbau
Luisenstr. 33
80333 München
Germany
Office
Nicola Nonhoff, Head of Office
Arzu Erkal, Assistant
Tel. +49 89 233 320 80
Fax +49 89 233 320 03
info(at)fv-lenbachhaus.com
Eva Tillig, Services Young Members
jungefreunde(at)fv-lenbachhaus.com
Bank details
Deutsche Bank AG
IBAN DE76 7007 0024 0166 5454 00
Please click here for the privacy policy of the Förderverein (in German).
