Internationale Martin Luther Stiftung

The daily Luther

28th March

And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.

Interpretation of Martin Luther ...

Dirk Ippen - Awardee of the LutherRose 2011

Curriculum vitae

Dirk Ippen began studying law in 1960, which he successfully completed in 1967 with a doctorate in law. After graduating, he dedicated himself to his career as a publisher. He laid the foundation for this at the "Westfälischer Anzeiger" in Hamm as a junior partner. Just two years after completing his doctorate, he was promoted to managing partner of Merkur-Adressenverlag. In the years that followed, he acquired several local newspapers and advertising publishers and founded a number of newspapers, particularly in the new federal states. His publishing conglomerate is the fifth largest newspaper group in Germany.

Entrepreneurial responsibility

If you ask Dirk Ippen about the future of his company, he replies: "I want the newspaper group to be run by people who act like entrepreneurs in the next generation, not by a foundation. Good entrepreneurs combine creative power with sustainability." This attitude, which consistently combines entrepreneurial freedom and entrepreneurial responsibility, is what the International Martin Luther Foundation calls "entrepreneurial courage". Despite his success, one of Germany's largest newspaper publishers is modest and reserved. "When I'm a country priest in Langenselbold, I don't talk about whether I'd like to be Pope. Of course, I would have liked to be responsible for a 'Frankfurter Allgemeine' or a 'SĂĽddeutsche' in the past, but that's a completely different league."

Voluntary commitment

After an extremely successful entrepreneurial life, Ippen established the "Ippen Foundation" in 2000 to promote civic involvement and strengthen public spirit at a regional level. This foundation supports particularly innovative projects in the fields of science, education, landscape conservation and nature conservation, as well as local history and heritage. He also sits on various university boards of trustees.

His North German firmness, his adherence to the principles of a Protestant and the resulting values of an honourable businessman formed the foundations of his multifaceted commitment in both his private and business life.