Reemts­ma Begab­ten­för­de­rungs­werk (Foun­da­ti­on for the Pro­mo­ti­on of the Gifted)

A quality education is never free, but it should not depend solely on the income of one’s parents. At Reemtsma, we believe that education is a fundamental social good that should be accessible to everyone. That is why since 1957, the Reemtsma Begabtenförderungswerk (Foundation for the Promotion of the Gifted) has been providing monthly scholarships to high school and university students from low-income families in Germany who are achieving their high school diploma, pursuing their studies, or aspiring to attend university. The foundation was established over 65 years ago by Hermann F. Reemtsma and his brother Philipp, who believed that "a society that does not provide every talented young person with a genuine opportunity for advancement must be flawed."

Since then, the Reemtsma Begabtenförderungswerk has supported thousands of young and talented people in Germany, well over 2,000 since 2005 alone. And contrary to what the name might suggest, scholarships are not only awarded to particularly gifted talents. Even without a perfect grade point average, it is possible to receive a scholarship, for example, if the applicant displays special social commitment.

To found the Reemtsma Begabtenförderungswerk, the Reemtsma company donated one million German marks in 1957. Since then, the association's capital has been continuously expanded through further corporate donations in line with the founding purpose. The Foundation is organised as a non-profit association. All committees work on a voluntary basis and are made up of employees of the Reemtsma company.