Volunteerism serves as a vital pillar of German society

Volunteering plays a critical role in German society, ranging from local sports clubs to essential disaster relief services. In the Hildesheim region, the Kreissportbund Hildesheim recently honored three individuals for their exceptional commitment to sports through the ‘Ehrenamt überrascht’ initiative.

Award recipients included Jörg Steinfurth of SC Harsum, recognized for decades of multifaceted service as a youth leader and equipment manager, and Thomas Nowak of TuS Hoheneggelsen, who has served as a referee and official for 18 years.

On a national scale, volunteerism serves as a backbone for public safety. In Germany, the volunteer fire service provides protection for approximately 70 percent of the population, with over one million volunteers compared to roughly 40,000 professional firefighters. Similarly, the Technical Relief Agency (THW) relies heavily on a volunteer-to-professional ratio of approximately 40 to 1, ensuring high operational efficiency during crises such as floods or forest fires.