In 2017, the association “Forum Anja Niedringhaus – Verein für künstlerische und journalistische Fotografie e.V.” was founded in Höxter. The goal: creation of a cultural place for meeting and exchange.
Constitution Forum Anja Niedringhaus
§ 1 Name and seat
The association is called „Forum Anja Niedringhaus – Verein für journalistische und künstlerische Fotografie“. It is to be entered in the register of associations and will then bear the suffix “e.V.”. The seat of the association is Höxter.
§ 2 Business year
The business year is the calendar year.
§ 3 Purpose of the asociation
The association exclusively and directly pursues charitable purposes within the meaning of the section “Tax-privileged purposes” of the German Tax Code.
The purpose of the association is the promotion of art and culture as well as the promotion of the memory of persecuted persons and victims of war. The purpose of the statutes is realized in particular through the documentation and communication of the life and work of the photographer Anja Niedringhaus, who was born and grew up in Höxter and was murdered in Afghanistan in the course of her journalistic work. Changing presentations of her multiple award-winning photographs from crisis areas as well as from the fields of sports and politics, which are represented in the Art Collection Deutsche Börse, one of the most important collections of international contemporary photography, are a focal point of the association. In addition, an exhibition forum is to be offered to photographers who work in their spirit and with their aspirations. Furthermore, in cooperation with existing culture-bearing associations in the region, especially the Jacob Pins Society in Höxter, the memory of persecutees and war victims is to be promoted and awareness is to be awakened for the topics that were close to Anja Niedringhaus’ heart. Against this background, events are offered that encourage artistic and scientific examination of the causes and consequences of crises, conflicts and wars, of flight and migration.
§ 4 Selfless activity
The association is selflessly active and does not primarily pursue its own economic purposes.
§ 5 Use of funds
The Association’s funds may only be used for the purposes set out in the Articles of Association. The members do not receive any shares in the profits and, in their capacity as such, also no donations from the funds of the association.
§ 6 Prohibition of favors
No person may benefit from expenses that are alien to the purpose of the association or from disproportionately high remuneration.
§ 7 Acquisition of membership
Natural persons or legal entities can become members of the association. The application for membership must be submitted in writing. The board of directors makes the final decision on the application for membership.
§ 8 Termination of membership
Membership ends by resignation, exclusion, death or dissolution of the legal entity.
Resignation shall be effected by written declaration to a member of the Executive Board authorized to represent the company. The written declaration of resignation must be submitted to the Executive Board with a notice period of one month to the end of each business year.
Exclusion can only occur for good cause. Important reasons are, in particular, conduct detrimental to the objectives of the association, violation of statutory obligations or arrears in contributions of at least one year. The board of directors decides on the exclusion. The member has the right to appeal against the exclusion to the general meeting, which must be submitted in writing to the board within one month. The general meeting makes the final decision within the framework of the association.
§ 9 Dues
Dues are collected from the members. The amount of the annual fee and its due date are determined by the general meeting.
§ 10 Organs of the association
Organs of the association are
the general meeting
the board
the advisory board
§ 11 General meeting
The general meeting is the highest organ of the association. Its tasks include, in particular, the election and deselection of the Executive Board, discharge of the Executive Board, acceptance of the reports of the Executive Board, election of the auditors, determination of contributions and their due dates, passing of resolutions on amendments to the Articles of Association, passing of resolutions on the dissolution of the Association, as well as other tasks, insofar as these result from the Articles of Association or according to the law.
An ordinary general meeting shall be held in the first quarter of each business year.
The board is obliged to convene an extraordinary General Meeting if at least one third of the members request this in writing, stating the reasons.
The General Meeting shall be convened by the Executive Board in writing with 14 days’ notice, stating the agenda. The period begins with the day following the dispatch of the invitation letter. The invitation letter shall be deemed to have been received by the members if it was addressed to the last address known to the Association.
The agenda must be supplemented if a member requests this in writing no later than one week before the scheduled date. The addition must be announced at the beginning of the meeting.
Motions concerning the deselection of the Executive Board, the amendment of the Articles of Association and the dissolution of the Association, which have not already been sent to the members with the invitation to the General Meeting, can only be decided at the next General Meeting.
The General Meeting shall constitute a quorum regardless of the number of members present.
The General Meeting shall be chaired by a member of the board
A secretary is to be elected at the beginning of the general meeting.
Each member has one vote. The right to vote can only be exercised in person or for a member upon presentation of a written proxy.
In the case of voting, a simple majority of the votes cast to be taken into account shall be decisive. Abstentions and invalid votes are not taken into account.
Amendments to the Articles of association or the dissolution of the association may only be resolved by a majority of ⅔ of the members present.
All votes and elections shall be open by show of hands. If a request is made for a secret ballot, the General Meeting shall decide on this. A secret ballot shall be held if requested by at least ⅓ of the eligible voters present.
Minutes shall be taken of the resolutions of the General Meeting and shall be signed by the chairman of the meeting and the secretary.
§ 12 Board
The executive committee in the sense of § 26 BGB consists of the 1st and 2nd chairmen and the treasurer. They represent the association judicially and extrajudicially. Two members of the board represent jointly.
The board is elected by the general meeting for a period of two years. Only members of the association can become members of the board. Re-election is permitted. The board remains in office until a new board is elected. Upon termination of membership in the association, the office as a member of the board also ends.
§ 13 Advisory board
In addition to the members of the Board of Directors, the Advisory Board includes up to 20 other members of the Association with special responsibilities, who are elected by a simple majority of votes at the General Meeting for a period of three years. The chairman of the association chairs the advisory board. The Advisory Board advises and supports the Executive Board in its work. It is to be consulted in an advisory capacity on all questions of fundamental importance.
§ 14 Cash audit
The General Meeting shall elect two cash auditors for a period of two years. These auditors may not be members of the board. Re-election is permitted.
§ 15 Association rules
Unless the Articles of Association provide otherwise, the Executive Board is authorized to adopt the following regulations by resolution:
Contribution rules
Business rules
Financial rules
The regulations are not part of the constitution.
§ 16 Dissolution of the club
The dissolution of the association can only be decided in an ordinary general meeting with the majority of votes specified in § 12 of the statutes.
Unless the general meeting decides otherwise, the 1st chairperson, the 2nd chairperson and the treasurer are appointed as liquidators. Two liquidators represent the association jointly. The rights and duties of the liquidators shall otherwise be determined in accordance with the provisions of the BGB on liquidators (§§ 47 ff BGB).
In the event of the dissolution or annulment of the Association or in the event of the discontinuation of its previous purpose, the assets of the Association remaining after the end of the liquidation shall be transferred to the non-profit Photography Foundation of Deutsche Börse, which shall use them directly and exclusively for non-profit purposes within the meaning of the purposes and tasks of the Association formulated under § 2.
The Articles of Association were established at the founding meeting on February 5, 2017. The version presented here was adopted at the General Meeting on August 21, 2020.
Höxter, August 21, 2020