Wikimedia Deutschland

Wikimedia Deutschland (also known as WMDE, Wikimedia Germany, and the Society for the Promotion of Free Knowledge) is a German non-profit association based in Berlin. It was founded in 2004 and recognized that year as the first national chapter of the Wikimedia Foundation, which funds and supports Wikipedia and other projects.^{[citation needed]}

In 2025, according to its records, it had over 110,000 dues-paying members and employed around 180 people, working on projects ranging from public relations to technical development of Wikidata to community support for contributors to Wikipedia and sister projects. It has its own fundraising team and is supported in part by dues from its membership. It also directly supports free knowledge access and development beyond Wikimedia projects, and hosts the annual summit of Wikimedia affiliates.

The association is involved in software development for Wikimedia projects, supporting projects by volunteers from Wikimedia projects, and cooperating with educational, scientific and cultural institutions on the subject of free knowledge, "to promote equal opportunities in access to knowledge and education."

Its statutes specify that the association should fulfill the tasks of the Wikimedia Foundation, using wikis for collecting and distributing knowledge, and that its activities include:

At the 27th general assembly in May 2022, the chapter decided on a framework of values of "participation, diversity, free and open access, justice, sustainability and respectful cooperation".

Wikimedia Deutschland was founded on June 13, 2004 by 34 Wikipedians, and entered into the national register of associations on October 25, 2004 under the number VR 23855 in the district court of Berlin-Charlottenburg. The tax office for corporations in Berlin has recognized the activities of the association as a non-profit under the tax number 27/029/42207 for its promotion of education.

Wikimedia Fördergesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung was registered on November 8, 2004 under the number HRB 130183. The tax office for corporations in Berlin has recognized the activities of the association as a non-profit under the tax number 27/029/42215 for its promotion of education.

The governing bodies of the association are the General Assembly, the Honorary Executive Committee and the full-time Executive Board.