Membership record at the Hochwald Alpine Club: 174 new ones inspire!

Membership record at the Hochwald Alpine Club: 174 new ones inspire!

The annual general meeting of the Hochwald section of the German Alpine Club (DAV) took place in Wadern on May 26, 2025. Chairman Manfred Dillscheider proudly presented the section's increase in membership, which has reached a remarkable 174 members in the last few months. As a result, the total number of members rose from 2,604 to 2,778. The new members live predominantly in northern Saarland and in neighboring municipalities in Rhineland-Palatinate, which contributes to stronger regional cohesion overall. There are a total of two further sections in Saarland: Neunkirchen and Saarbrücken.

During this meeting, the overall number of members of the three Saarland sections was also discussed, which now has over 7,750 members. This development is in line with the general trends of the German Alpine Club, which achieved considerable growth in 2024 with 1,570,602 members in Germany.

Development of membership numbers

According to DAV information referring to the entire organization, there was a 3.30% increase in membership in 2024. This shows that interest in the activities and offers of the Alpine Club remains strong. The proportion of female members is 44.2%, while around 22.6% of the members are children, teenagers and young adults up to the age of 25. Such statistics illustrate the diversity and broad appeal of the club.

The comprehensive offering of the German Alpine Club is manifested not only in the membership structure, but also in the variety of activities. Members have access to over 325 publicly accessible mountain huts and refuges, which record around 890,000 overnight stays annually and attract around 2 million day guests. These figures underline the great popularity of mountain sports activities and people's continued desire to experience nature.

Commitment and values ​​of the Alpine Club

An essential part of the club's work is voluntary work. Around 34,400 volunteers ensure that around 2.4 million hours go into organizing the numerous local and regional events every year. In this way, the DAV not only makes a contribution to nature conservation, but also promotes the community and popular sports. The economic value created through voluntary work is estimated at around 36.9 million euros per year.

These impressive processes and developments strengthen the German Alpine Club and its sections, such as those in Wadern, and promote an active and sustainable mountain culture in Germany. The positive membership numbers are therefore not only a sign of personal interest in mountain sports, but also an expression of the club's continuous focus on community and nature conservation. Further information can be found at Saarbrücken newspaper and Alpine Club.