German Life Saving Association

The German Life Saving Association^[1][2] (German: Deutsche Lebens-Rettungs-Gesellschaft or DLRG) is a relief organization for life saving in Germany. The DLRG is the largest voluntary lifesaving organization in the world.^[3]

German Life Saving Association

Deutsche Lebens-Rettungs-Gesellschaft
Abbreviation	DLRG
Formation	October 19, 1913; 111 years ago (1913-10-19)
Founded at	Leipzig, Deutschland
Type	NGO
Legal status	Registered
Headquarters	Bad Nenndorf, Germany
Region	Germany
Membership	551,664 (2020)
Official language	German
Key people	Ute Vogt (President)
Parent organization	International Life Saving Federation
Website	www.dlrg.de

Rescue boat of the DLRG

A German lifeguard

A rescue station of the DLRG

With around 560,000 members, organised in approximately 2,100 local groups, the DLRG is the largest voluntary water rescue organization in the world. More than one million regular donors support the work of the DLRG.

Tasks

The most urgent goal of the DLRG is the creation and promotion of all activities used to fight drowning. Additional tasks are:

• Teach swimming and self-rescue to the public
• Educate people about the dangers of swimming and how to avoid them
• Teach and train rescue swimming
• Basic and advanced training in First Aid
• Help and technical safety support for water related activities
• Providing lifeguards at public places
• Perform rescue related exercises and water sports competitions
• Environmental protection at, on and in waters.
• Cooperation with German civil defense, especially concerning floods.
• International Response Units
• International Operations (Lifeguards in Spain are often trained by DLRG members)

Qualifications

The DLRG trains interested members as qualified technical personnel in the following ranges:

• Swimming
• First aid / Advanced First aid
• Boating
• Rescue diver
• Swift water rescue
• Radio and Communication Systems

History

Two uniformed lifeguards of the DLRG routinely patrolling a public bathing area of a lake in Munich using stand-up paddleboards in summer 2022

On 28 July 1912, a pier in Binz on the island Rügen, Germany, collapsed under the load of 1,000 people waiting for the cruise steamer Kronprinz Wilhelm. Sailors of the German navy were able to save most people, but 16 people died because they could not swim, including two children. This catastrophe led to the foundation of the "Deutsche Lebens-Rettungs-Gesellschaft (DLRG)" (German lifesaving organization) on 19 October 1913 in Leipzig.

See also

• Wasserwacht
• Lifeguard
• German rescue swimming badge