Malteser Hilfsdienst e.V.
Malteser Hilfsdienst e.V. is a Catholic relief and social service organisation in Germany founded in 1953 by the German association of the Order of Malta. Based in Cologne, it provides first-aid training, civil protection, disaster response and other social and health services.
History
Malteser Hilfsdienst early overseas work included refugee assistance during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 and a major medical relief programm in South Vietnam. In 2005 its international activities were reorganised as Malteser International, designated the worldwide relief agency of the Order of Malta.
Organisation and activities
Organization operates nationwide through regional and local branches, delivering first-aid education, emergency medical cover at events, and volunteer civil protection units, alongside social programs such as support for refugees, the homeless, and people without health insurance.