The German Apus Association evolved from Dr. med. vet. Christiane Haupt's „Mobile Bird Aid“ and its successor the "Swift Station".
While initially running the project all alone, Dr. Haupt quickly realized that she had to find fellow activists to be able to handle the steadily increasing workload and keep the project financially affordable. Using the local and regional press, she asked for support and donations for the all-voluntary and donation-financed Swift Station. Especially the enormous cost for insects, needed to feed the swifts, posed a problem for Dr. Haupt, who was a student of veterinary medicine back then. She decided to found an association with the legal form of "eingetragener Verein, e.V.", after someone brought her a swift, donated for its treatment, and asked for a donation receipt. Given that the legal requirements are met, financial authorities certify e.V.s as charitable, which makes donations tax deductable.
Sitting in a desperately small basement flat between boxes full of feathered patients, paper towels, feeding equipment, and medicine as well as a glance at her empty bank account and a pile of bills for insects provided sufficient motivation to work through the legal requirements and regulations to found an e.V.
In early years, Dr. Haupt also benefitted from Erich Kaiser's support. He is a well-known swift expert, who at this time already had a colony with some 40 swifts, whose behavior he hasobserved for over 30 years. Ornithologist and veterinarian revealed to be a winning team for the swifts.
With a couple of fellows, they teamed up to found the "Deutsche Gesellschaft für Mauersegler e.V." on January, 29th 2000 and elected Christiane Haupt as president and Erich Kaiser as Vice President. An attorney from Neuss, who found a juvenile swift that was treated in the station one year before, developed the mandatory statutes. On February, 21st 2000, the association received the status of a charitable organization. Four days later, on February, 25th, the association presented itself to the public: In the community hall in Frankfurt-Zeilsheim, Dr. Haupt gave a presentation on "Swifts under Human Care" and Mr. Kaiser gave a presentation on the breeding behavior of swifts.
Since then, the association grew steadily and developed a network with supporters and swift enthusiats inside and outside of Germany. The swift station moved into an empty flat, provided for free by a member. The website www.mauersegler.com was created to provide relevant and comprehensive information like a guide to "first aid" for swifts and specific information for veterinarians.
The swift station grew, changed its name into swift clinic to meet the high standards of the provided service - and again reached its limits: Public attention increased, and so did the number of patients and as a consequence, the financial needs for their care. Eventually, the flat became too small for the number of volunteers, and even though more of them were desperately needed, there was just no room for their training.
In 2012, the clinic expanded its limits and moved into a larger flat that fits the needs of this unique project. Meanwhile, the association proudly welcomed its 200th member. But funding still remains the major issue of concern: While membership fees provide a rather solid base, they are by no means sufficient to fund the association's operations. So, of course, we welcome all kinds of other financial support, e.g. donations from individuals as well as from public and private institutions. Since we do not receive any regular public funding, we must hope to raise sufficient funds to keep up operations.
