Memorial Plaque Program

The Patriotic Society of 1765 supports the remembrance of outstanding Hamburg personalities and significant historical events through its commemorative plaque program. Since 1986, nearly 50 plaques honoring individuals such as Ida Ehre, Salomon Heine, Carl Hagenbeck, and Helmut Schmidt have been installed at public locations throughout the Hanseatic city. The continuously open grant program is aimed at non-profit organizations, public institutions, and private individuals interested in monument preservation and local heritage within the urban environment. The funding covers cost-sharing for the design, production, and installation of the commemorative plaques and relies on an uncomplicated, informal application process to enable swift project implementation.

Through this initiative, the Society contributes to making local cultural and media projects visible in the long term and embedding Hamburg’s historical diversity within the urban fabric. Stakeholders from the fields of infrastructure & urban development, building and monument conservation, as well as culture, benefit from this unique funding and make a valuable contribution to cultural education. Finally, a book published in 2015 documents the first 40 commemorative plaques and invites interested parties to explore them in greater depth. Further details and application procedures are available on the Patriotic Society’s website.