Heinz-Horst Deichmann initially studied medicine and theology. In 1956, he took over his parents' shoemaking business in Essen and turned it into Europe's largest shoe retail chain. His son Heinrich has been running the company since 1999. According to the Deichmann Group, it has 25,000 employees and 2,200 shops in Germany, 16 European countries and the USA.

Heinz-Horst Deichmann passed away on 2^nd October 2014 at the age of 88.

The corporate mission statement emphasises the entrepreneurial family's Christian view of humanity and formulates it as an overarching corporate goal: "The company must serve people. This means our employees, customers, suppliers and people in need." Customers should receive shoes of good quality at a favourable price. The company offers its employees extended training opportunities and social security. Guidelines of conduct for producers contractually oblige suppliers in Asian countries to comply with socially and environmentally compatible working and production conditions."

Deichmann finances social and charitable projects in Germany and worldwide. In 1977, he founded the private Christian aid organisation "Wort & Tat", which operates and supports schools, hospitals and charitable institutions, primarily in India, Tanzania and Moldova. Deichmann invested many millions of euros of his private fortune in this work.

In his recently published book "Mir gehört nur, was ich verschenke" (I only own what I give away), it becomes clear in what an exemplary way Deichmann - in Germany and internationally - draws on the freedom of a Christian to engage in social welfare work.

For him, being a Christian and an entrepreneur are inseparably linked both in his professional life and in his personal life.