1. Who we are
2. Collection and storage of personal data as well as type and purpose of use

“Personal data” shall describe individual information about personal or factual matters relating to an identified or identifiable individual.

Personal data will only be collected, saved, modified, transferred and used to the extent to which this is permitted on the basis of the law or to the extent to which you agree to this. You may revoke, at any time, any authorisation which you have already granted, with immediate effect.

When contacting us (such as by using the contact form on our website, by e-mail or by phone), we are going to save personal data for the purpose of processing your request and for being able to deal with any subsequent questions which might arise.

Data processing for the purpose of contacting us is carried out in accordance with paragraph 6 (1) sentence 1 a and b GDPR.

We would like to point out to the fact that that transfer of data through the internet (such as in the case of e-mail communication) is not entirely secure. It is impossible to provide protection of data from third-party access without any gaps.

3. Duration of storage

We process and store your personal data as long as it is necessary for the fulfillment of our contractual and legal obligations. If the data is no longer required, it will be deleted unless further processing (storage) is required by law. The periods of storage and documentation specified there range from two to ten years.

4. Cookies

Our website makes use of what is referred to as “cookies”. These cookies enable us to recognize your internet browser as well as to save any information and inputs relating to you in any way and to read this information out again both during the use and at your later visit of our website.

Cookies are small text files which, at our instigation, will be stored on your final device until you actually delete them.

If need be, your internet browser offers you a possibility to restrict the use of cookies; however, when using cookies, the functionalities of our website may be restricted to some extent.

The data processed by cookies is required for the aforementioned purposes in order to protect our legitimate interests and those of third parties pursuant to paragraph 6 (1) sentence 1 f GDPR.

5. Google Analytics

In order to provide demand-oriented design and continuous optimisation of our pages we use “Google Analytics”, an internet analysis service offered by Google Inc., USA. Tracking measures are carried out on the basis of paragraph 6 (1) sentence 1 f GDPR.

Google Analytics uses “cookies” (see above). Any information as to the way in which you use a website generated by such cookies will generally be transferred by Google to the United States where this information will be stored. However, in the case of activated IP anonymization, Google is going to shorten the respective IP address within an EU Member State or within a European Economic Area contracting state and transfer this to the United States only after it was shortened. Only in particular cases will the complete IP address be transferred to a US-based Google servers and be stored there. On our behalf, Google is going to use this information for the purpose of evaluating the manner in which you make use of our website, for preparing website activity reports and for providing other services related to the use of both the website and the internet.

If need be, you may generally object to cookies being saved on your computer and, as a consequence, also to the use of Google Analytics. If you want to do this, you need to adjust your browser software settings accordingly (see above).

Independent of this, you may prevent both any data being collected and these data being processed by Google by downloading and installing the browser plug-in which is made available at http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de.

6. Google Adwords Conversion Tracking

We also use Google Conversion Tracking to statistically record and evaluate the use of our website to optimise it for you. Google Adwords inserts a “cookie” on your computer if you have accessed our website via a Google ad.

These cookies expire after 30 days and are not used for personal identification. If the user visits certain pages of the Adwords customer’s website and the “cookie” has not yet expired, Google and the customer can recognize that the user has clicked on the ad and has been redirected to this page.

Each Adwords customer receives a different “cookie”. Therefore, “cookies” cannot be traced via the websites of Adwords customers. The information collected using the “conversion cookie” is used to generate conversion statistics for Adwords customers who have opted for conversion tracking. Adwords customers see the total number of users who clicked on their ad and were redirected to a page with a conversion tracking tag. However, they will not receive any information that personally identifies users.

If you do not wish to participate in the tracking process, you can also reject the setting of a “cookie” required for this – for example using a browser setting that generally deactivates the automatic setting of “cookies”. You can also deactivate “cookies” for conversion tracking by setting your browser to block “cookies” from the “www.googleadservices.com” domain. Google’s privacy policy for conversion tracking can be found here: https://services.google.com/sitestats/de.html.

7. Google Webfonts

This page uses so-called web fonts to display the font. They are provided by Google (http://www.google.com/webfonts/). To do this, your browser loads the required web font into your browser cache when you visit our site. This is necessary, so that your browser can show you an optically improved representation of our texts. If your browser does not support this feature, your computer will use a standard font for display.

For more information about Google Web Fonts, please visit https://developers.google.com/fonts/faq?hl=de-DE&csw=1

General information on data protection at Google can be found at http://www.google.com/intl/de-DE/policies/privacy/

8. Embedded Youtube

We use YouTube for the integration of videos. YouTube is operated by YouTube LLC, headquartered at 901 Cherry Avenue, San Bruno, CA 94066, USA. YouTube is represented by Google Inc. based at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

On some of our websites we use plugins from YouTube. When you access the pages on our website that are provided with such a plugin – for example our community pages – a connection to the YouTube servers is established and the plugin is displayed. The YouTube server receives the information which of our internet pages you have visited. If you are logged in as a YouTube member, YouTube assigns this information to your personal user account. When using the plugin, e.g. clicking the start button of a video, this information is also assigned to your user account. You can prevent this assignment by logging out of your YouTube account and other user accounts of YouTube LLC and Google Inc. and deleting the corresponding “cookies” of the companies before using our website.

The purpose and scope of the data collection and the further processing and use of the data by YouTube as well as your relevant rights and setting options for the protection of your privacy can be found in the YouTube data protection information: www.google.de/intl/de/policies/privacy/

9. Embedded Vimeo

For the integration of videos we use the provider Vimeo. Vimeo is operated by Vimeo, LLC, headquartered at 555 West 18th Street, New York, New York 10011.

On some of our websites we use plugins from the provider Vimeo. When you access the pages of our website provided with such a plugin – for example our community pages -, a connection to the Vimeo servers is established and the plugin is displayed. The Vimeo server receives the information which of our web pages you have visited. If you are logged in as a member of Vimeo, Vimeo will assign this information to your personal user account. When using the plugin, e.g. clicking the start button of a video, this information is also assigned to your user account. You can prevent this assignment by logging out of your Vimeo account and deleting the corresponding Vimeo cookies before using our website.

The purpose and scope of data collection and the further processing and use of the data by Vimeo as well as your rights in this regard and the setting options for the protection of your privacy can be found in Vimeo’s data protection information: https://vimeo.com/privacy

10. Information about your rights

Upon your request according to paragraph 15 GDPR, we will provide you with free-of-charge information about any personal data saved by us, their origin and recipients and the purpose and duration of storage.

In accordance with Art. 16 GDPR, you can request the correction of incorrect data or the completion of your personal data stored by us.

You may request the blocking and deletion of your data stored by us in accordance with paragraph 17 GDPR, provided that there is no legal obligation to store such data.

You may demand the restriction of the processing of your personal data in accordance with paragraph 18 GDPR if the accuracy of the data is disputed by you, the processing is unlawful, but you refuse to delete it and we no longer need the data or you have lodged an objection to the processing in accordance with paragraph 21 GDPR.

According to paragraph 7 (3) GDPR, you may also withdraw your consent regarding the use and collection of your data at any time and without giving reasons; for this purpose, please refer to the contact address indicated in our imprint. The revocation of consent shall not affect the legality of the processing carried out on the basis of the consent until revocation.

According to paragraph 77 GDPR, you have the right to complain to the supervisory authority. You can contact the supervisory authority of your place of residence or work.

If your personal data is processed on the basis of legitimate interests pursuant to paragraph 6 (1) sentence 1 f GDPR, you have the right to object to the processing of your personal data pursuant to paragraph 21 GDPR, provided that there are reasons for this arising from your particular situation or the objection to direct advertising. In the latter case, you have a general right of objection, which we will implement without specifying a particular situation. If you would like to exercise your right of revocation or objection, please contact us via the details in our imprint.