Wealth is increasing in Germany - so is poverty. While social science research on poverty has long been established, there are hardly any corresponding analyses on the topic of wealth. Based on theoretical considerations of the resource and living conditions approach as well as the capability approach, the author develops a sociologically grounded concept of wealth. The focus is on extensive empirical analyses of the development and distribution of wealth in Germany. They provide answers to the questions of who the wealthy are in Germany and how they live. It becomes clear that private wealth is not solely based on individual factors, but is largely socially structured.