ProVeg Deutschland
In 1867, Eduard Baltzer stood in the town of Nordhausen to establish a new group called the German Association for a Natural Lifestyle. This gathering marked the beginning of an organized vegetarian movement within Germany during the nineteenth century. Baltzer's initiative quickly inspired other local groups to form across the country. By June 1892, two major organizations merged their forces in Leipzig to create the German Vegetarian League. Their shared goal was to significantly reduce meat consumption throughout the nation. The league published a magazine known as the Vegetarian Review to spread its message. Later publications adopted the name Vegetarian Lookout to reach wider audiences.
The Nazi regime forced the association to dissolve itself on the 18th of February 1935 under accusations of promoting pacifism. A conference held in Oranienburg in 1932 had been one of the last gatherings before this political pressure intensified. Member magazines ceased publication entirely after 1933 due to these restrictions. Adolf Briest led efforts to re-establish clubs following the Second World War in 1946. Two distinct groups emerged from the ashes of the old organization within different Allied occupation zones. The Vegetarian Union of Germany formed in Sontra near Kassel on the 29th of May 1946. The German Vegetarian Union operated in the French occupation zone until the 1970s. A new magazine titled The Vegetarian launched in 1956 to reconnect separated communities.
Thomas Schönberger has served as president since 1996 and publishes the member magazine ProVeg Magazin. In 1973, the Vegetarian Union of Germany merged with another group to form the League for Life Renewal. This complex name eventually simplified to Vegetarian League Germany by 2008. An extraordinary member assembly took place in Berlin on the 22nd of April 2017 to approve a final name change. The organization became known as ProVeg Deutschland and joined the international umbrella ProVeg International. The headquarters remains located in Berlin today. The association maintains membership in both the European Vegetarian Union and the International Vegetarian Union.
Before 2008, membership numbers had stagnated at roughly 2,500 members according to meeting protocols from that year. Strong growth occurred after 2008 due to new memberships and the absorption of the Stuttgart Vegetarian Society in 2012. Gustav Struve co-founded that Stuttgart society back in 1868 before it merged decades later. Membership figures climbed steadily through the following years reaching 4,800 by 2011. By 2013, the count hit 10,000 members. As of 2015, the organization held 14,000 members making it the largest group of meat-free living people in the German-speaking world. Numbers remained stable around 14,000 through 2017 despite earlier rapid expansion phases.
ProVeg Deutschland primarily finances itself through membership contributions and donations received from supporters. Income also comes from licensing the European Vegetarian Union's V-Label seal of approval. An Active Fund exists specifically to support public relations efforts within the movement. Since May 2014, the organization has carried a transparency seal requiring disclosure about staff structure and expenses. This standard ensures accountability regarding how funds are spent on operations. The association awards the V-Label to vegetarian and vegan products in Germany. Aldi-Süd began labeling some products with this seal starting in 2014.
The Thursday is Veggieday campaign promotes vegetarian food in restaurants and canteen catering across the country. ProVeg organizes participation in the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale every year alongside meatout campaign days. A quarterly magazine titled ProVeg Magazin reaches about 16,000 copies per issue with 48 pages each. The organization produces Veggie Times newspapers for beginners seeking plant-based lifestyle tips. Regional contacts number over 200 as of 2014 serving local communities directly. The first VeggieWorld fair took place in February 2011 in Wiesbaden with more than 20,000 visitors. Celebrities like Attila Hildmann and Barbara Rütting have appeared at these events since then. A controversial setup occurred in early February 2016 involving a fictional Swiss restaurant called La Table Suisse. Pets were offered for consumption there before media exposure revealed it was a staged action.
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Common questions
When was ProVeg Deutschland founded and by whom?
ProVeg Deutschland traces its origins to 1867 when Eduard Baltzer established the German Association for a Natural Lifestyle in Nordhausen. The modern organization emerged from a merger of two major groups in Leipzig on June 1932, though it officially adopted the name ProVeg Deutschland following an assembly on the 22nd of April 2017.
What happened to the original vegetarian association during the Nazi regime?
The Nazi regime forced the association to dissolve itself on the 18th of February 1935 under accusations of promoting pacifism. Member magazines ceased publication entirely after 1933 due to these restrictions, and a conference held in Oranienburg in 1932 had been one of the last gatherings before this political pressure intensified.
How many members does ProVeg Deutschland have as of 2015?
As of 2015, the organization held 14,000 members making it the largest group of meat-free living people in the German-speaking world. Numbers remained stable around 14,000 through 2017 despite earlier rapid expansion phases that saw membership climb to 10,000 by 2013.
Where is the headquarters of ProVeg Deutschland located today?
The headquarters remains located in Berlin today. The organization joined the international umbrella ProVeg International after its name change was approved at an extraordinary member assembly in Berlin on the 22nd of April 2017.
What campaigns does ProVeg Deutschland run to promote vegetarian food?
ProVeg Deutschland runs the Thursday is Veggieday campaign which promotes vegetarian food in restaurants and canteen catering across the country. The organization also organizes participation in the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale every year alongside meatout campaign days and produces Veggie Times newspapers for beginners seeking plant-based lifestyle tips.