The promotion of charitable and non-profit purposes by donors and patrons experienced a boom during the Empire. In the traditionally foundation-rich city of Hamburg, both the old merchant bourgeoisie and many economic upstarts were involved. Michael Werner illustrates the impact of war and inflation, as well as the intensified state welfare policy in the Weimar Republic, on the culture of foundations. The totalitarian state ideology of National Socialism significantly altered the conditions for foundations once again. Consequently, strategies had to be developed to evade complete appropriation by the state.