A versatile institution with 500 years of history

The Fuggerei is the best-known of the Fugger family's philanthropic projects. The foundation deed of 1521 established the Fuggerei together with the Fugger Chapel in St. Anna and the sermon endowment in St. Moritz. In the course of the 16th century, other foundations were added. Today, the nine foundations are managed by the Fugger Foundation Administration.

The Holz- und Blatternhaus Foundation (wood and smallpox house), house number 40 - 42, was founded in 1548 by Anton Fugger. In these aptly named buildings on the Fuggerei grounds, patients afflicted with syphilis were given wood or mercury treatments as early as Jakob Fugger's day. Emperor Maximilian was among the patients treated there. The foundation financed the buildings, supplies for medical treatment, doctors, nursing staff, and even aftercare.

In the same year, the Waltenhausen Infirmary Foundation was established as an additional foundation under Anton Fugger. The foundation supported 25 female and 25 male needy individuals from the Fugger estates as well as impoverished family members. It was the only Fugger foundation to include members of the family among its beneficiaries.

The Schneidhaus Foundation was established according to Anton Fugger's last will and testament. Starting in 1560, it financed a house that provided free surgical treatment for needy patients. The Schneidhaus was not far from the Fuggerei.

The Fugger family's example was followed by some of their employees who had become wealthy. This resulted in several external endowments that were entrusted to the foundation administrators and are still administered by the foundation today:

•     Veit Hörl Endowment since 1546
•     Dr Simon Scheibenhardt Endowment since 1567
•     Dr Johannes Mylius Endowment since 1595

Today, the endowments are partially non-active and partially used for redesignated purposes. Every foundation is an independent legal entity and owns portions of the forest and thus of the total assets.