1957
Gottfried Müller founded the SALEM Brotherhood in Stuttgart.

until 1965
SALEM began to help the homeless and ex-convicts around the city train stations in Stuttgart, Munich, Nürnberg, Frankfurt and Berlin.
The first children’s homes were begun in Munich, Nuernberg and surrounding areas.

1969
The first SALEM children’s and youth village was created in Stadtsteinach and became the headquarters of SALEM’s work.

1972
The SALEM Research Institute and the SALEM Animal Help project were founded in Munich.

1972/73
The second SALEM children’s and youth village was set up in Höchheim/ Northern Bavaria.

1975
The SALEM children’s orchestra performed concerts in England and Greece.

1976
The third SALEM children’s village opened in Kovahl/Northern Germany.
The SALEM children’s orchestra successfully gave concerts in Israel, as well as Austria and Switzerland .

1978
In the USA, SALEM Maryland and SALEM New England were founded following the example of SALEM Germany.
The SALEM children’s orchestra gave concerts for the UN in New York and throughout the USA.

1980
SALEM-Uganda was founded in Mbale with the construction of the first children’s home. Several wells were drilled signalling the beginning of the agricultural project. In addition a clinic was opened which later became the SALEM hospital.

1981
The SALEM holistic spa and clinic opened in Stadtsteinach.
The SALEM Research Institute was transferred from Munich to Stadtsteinach. It’s primary focus was to research alternatives to animal testing.

1985
SALEM initiated several irrigation projects in the Kalahari desert in Namibia (South West Africa).

1990
The first South American SALEM project began for street children in Bogotá, Colombia.

1993
SALEM-Russia is founded. 4 houses for refugees were built in the Oblast Kaliningrad region.

1994
SALEM helped refugees during the civil war in Rwanda.

1995
SALEM began to support a children’s home as well as a school for the blind in Rajahmundry/Andra Pradesh, South East India.

1997
Due to a famine in Uganda SALEM began a tree planting project.
In Russia the “Fond SALEM RUS” was officially founded and registered.
The first SALEM children’s village west of Königsberg came into being.

1998
Aldea (community) SALEM was founded in Ecuador.

1999
SALEM-Togo helped to support a clinic in Agou-Nyogbo-Agbetiko in Southern Togo.

2000
SALEM-Togo began to teach environmental education and initiated reforestation programmes in Bassar in Northern Togo.

2002
The first children’s home in SALEM-Russia was finished and the first children arrived.

2003
Due to a fire attack on the SALEM village in Uganda numerous buildings were burned to the ground. The reconstruction of the houses started immediately. SALEM received substantial help and empathy from the local population.

2004
The new part of the SALEM children’s village in Uganda, which has been planned for years, was inaugurated. The German ambassador was among the many guests.

Gottfried Müller celebrated his 90th birthday.

The second children’s home, an ecological wooden house, was inaugurated in the SALEM children’s village “Raduga” (rainbow) in Russia.

After an earthquake the well in the children’s village dried up and had to be redrilled, delaying the construction of the third children’s home.

Together with Anamed (Action for Natural Medicine) the first SALEM Nature Conference was held in Bassar/Togo. Environmental protection, the growth of desert, reforestation, and especially independence through natural medicine, were among the primary topics discussed.

The children’s home in SALEM-Ecuador was finished and the first children move in.

2005
In SALEM-Neestahl (Germany) a community of life was launched and the first inhabitants moved in.

In SALEM-Uganda they started building a nursery school where about 30 nursing students can be trained.

In SALEM-Ecuador a water tank and a domestic water installation guaranteed the water supply.

In the SALEM head office in Stadtsteinach the first photovoltaic array was installed, further ones in Höchheim and Kovahl followed.

2006
SALEM’s governing principles were refined and published.

At the end of the year a ship container began its long journey from Germany to Uganda, with important equipment for the operating theatre at the SALEM health centre.

2007
Finally, in March the much longed for container arrived in Uganda and was eagerly unloaded.
During the harvest-time Uganda was afflicted by the strongest and most persistent floods for decades, SALEM appealed for donations.

SALEM celebrated its 50th anniversary with a week of festivities from 7th to 16th September together with numerous guests from home and abroad and a colourful and varied celebration programme.

2008
SALEM became a member of „Climate Alliance“ and several other NGO network organisations in Bavaria and Germany.

SALEM won a German solar prize and a regional environmental prize.

2009
The reforestation programmes in Uganda and Togo were extended. In September the first operation in the new operation theatre of SALEM-Uganda took place.

On 26th September the founder of SALEM, Gottfried Johannes Müller, died after a long and fulfilled life in the bosom of his family, at the age of 95 years. The SALEM Trust was founded and helps to continue his legacy.



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