Privacy Policy

General Information

To provide better readability, I have divided the privacy policy. The first, general part contains the necessary information about the operation of the website. The second, specific part mainly concerns the use of specialized components such as social media, plug-ins, as well as comment and newsletter functions.

Protection of Your Data

I am pleased about your interest in my website and my work and want you to feel safe when visiting my website regarding the protection of your personal data. I take the protection of your personal data very seriously. Compliance with data protection laws is a matter of course for me.

Personal Data

Personal data are information about your identity. This includes, for example, details such as name, address, telephone number, e-mail address. In principle, it is not necessary for you to disclose personal data to use my websites. However, in certain cases I need your name and address as well as other information to provide the desired services. Where this is necessary, I will point this out accordingly. In addition, I only store and process data that you voluntarily provide to me and, if applicable, data that is automatically collected anonymously by my internet service provider when you visit my website.

Purpose of Personal Data Processing

The personal data you provide is used to answer your inquiries, process your concerns, or provide you access to certain information on my website. I do not sell data to third parties and do not link data either. Disclosure to authorized state institutions and authorities only takes place within the framework of the relevant laws or if I am obliged to do so by a court decision.

Automatically Collected Data (Server Log Files)

When using my website, the following data is stored for organizational and technical reasons: names of the pages you call up, the browser and operating system you use, date and time of access, search engines used, names of downloaded files, and your IP address. These data are collected and analyzed anonymously by my service provider. They are stored separately from other personal information on secure systems. No conclusions are drawn about individual persons.

Cookies

When you visit my website, information in the form of a cookie may be stored on your computer. Cookies are small text files sent by a web server to your browser and stored on your computer's hard drive. No personal user data is stored except for the IP address. This information is used to automatically recognize you on your next visit to my website and to facilitate navigation for you. Cookies allow, for example, a website to be adapted to your interests.

Of course, you can view my website without cookies. If you do not want me to recognize your computer, you can prevent cookies from being stored on your hard drive by selecting "do not accept cookies" in your browser settings. Please refer to your browser manufacturer's instructions for details. However, if you do not accept cookies, this may lead to functional limitations of my offers or information. The same applies if you delete already stored cookies.

If I use third-party plugins, especially Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube, the corresponding consents are obtained via the integrated cookie settings. These can be revoked at any time. More information can be found in the specific part of this privacy policy and in the cookie settings on my website.

Special Note on Third Countries

Some tools may originate from data protection law perspectives in non-secure third countries. Secure third countries are those to which the European Commission has confirmed an adequate level of data protection by adequacy decision. There, national laws ensure protection of personal data comparable to EU law. Secure third countries include Andorra, Argentina, Canada (commercial organizations only), Faroe Islands, Guernsey, Israel, Isle of Man, Jersey, New Zealand, Switzerland, Uruguay, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Data transfer to these is expressly permitted.

With the Schrems II judgment of July 16, 2020 (Case C-311/18), the ECJ declared Commission Implementing Decision EU 2016/1250 invalid with immediate effect. Data transfers to the USA therefore cannot rely on the Privacy Shield. Transfers to the USA require other guarantees under Art. 44 et seq. GDPR to ensure an adequate level of data protection.

Note on Data Transfer to the USA and Other Third Countries

I use tools from companies based in the USA or other non-secure third countries under data protection law. If these tools are active, your personal data may be transferred to these third countries and processed there. I point out that no data protection level comparable to the EU can be guaranteed in these countries. For example, US companies are obliged to disclose personal data to security authorities without you as the data subject being able to take legal action against it. It cannot therefore be ruled out that US authorities (e.g., intelligence services) process, analyze, and permanently store your data located on US servers for surveillance purposes. I have no influence on these processing activities.

Security

I have taken technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal data against loss, destruction, manipulation, and unauthorized access. Data is transmitted in encrypted form to prevent misuse by third parties. My security measures are continuously revised in line with technological developments.

SSL/TLS Encryption

This site uses SSL/TLS encryption for security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential content that you send to me as the site operator. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the browser's address line changing from "http://" to "https://" and the lock symbol in your browser bar. If SSL/TLS encryption is activated, the data you transmit to us cannot be read by third parties.

Changes to Privacy Provisions

I reserve the right to change or supplement my security and data protection measures if this is necessary due to technological developments. In such cases, I will also adapt my data protection notices accordingly.

Links

If you use external links offered as part of my website, this privacy policy does not extend to these links. If I provide links, I assure that no violations of applicable law were apparent on the linked websites at the time the links were set. However, I have no influence on compliance with data protection and security provisions by other providers, including my service provider. Please therefore also inform yourself on the websites of other providers about the privacy policies provided there.

Your Rights in Brief

Under data protection laws, you have the following rights:

Access to stored data

Deletion of stored data

Rectification of stored data

Right to object to the use of data

Right to restriction of data use

In all cases, a short notification to me is sufficient. Your asserted right will be implemented within a reasonable period, usually 24 hours.

In addition, under data protection rights, you have the right to data portability. However, since my services are generally analog, hardly any additional digital data is collected, and if so, only temporarily stored. If you wish to transfer such collected data, I would provide it both digitally and analogously within a reasonable time.

DPA under Data Protection Law

In the context of the hosting contract for my website, an order processing agreement has been concluded with my service provider, STRATO AG, Pascalstraße 10, 10587 Berlin. This is a data protection law-required contract ensuring that it processes the personal data of website visitors only according to my instructions and in compliance with data protection rights. The use of STRATO is based on data protection rights. I have a legitimate interest in the most reliable presentation possible of my website. If consent has been obtained, processing is exclusively based on GDPR; consent can be revoked at any time. Further information can be found in STRATO's privacy policy: https://www.strato.de/datenschutz.

Specific Information

For the sake of simplified readability, the following are now specific information on the use of social media, plug-ins, and other specialized services.

Contact Form

If you send inquiries to me via contact form, your details from the inquiry form including the contact details you provided there will be stored by me for the purpose of processing the inquiry and for follow-up questions. I do not pass on this data without your consent. Processing is based on data protection law if your inquiry relates to contract fulfillment or pre-contractual measures. Otherwise, it is based on my legitimate interest in effectively processing directed inquiries or your consent if obtained. Data entered in the contact form remains with me until you request deletion, revoke consent to storage, or the purpose for data storage ceases (e.g., after completing processing of your inquiry). Mandatory statutory provisions—especially retention periods—remain unaffected.

Inquiry by E-Mail, Phone, or Fax

If you contact me by e-mail, phone, or fax, your inquiry including all resulting personal data (name, inquiry) will be stored and processed by me for the purpose of processing your concern. I do not pass on this data without your consent. Processing is based on data protection law if your inquiry relates to contract fulfillment or pre-contractual measures. Otherwise, it is based on my legitimate interest or your consent if obtained. Data sent to me via contact inquiries remains with me until you request deletion, revoke consent, or the purpose ceases. Mandatory statutory provisions—especially retention periods—remain unaffected.

Comment Function on this Website

For the comment function on this site, in addition to your comment, details on the time of creation, your e-mail address, and—if not posting anonymously—the username you chose are stored. IP addresses of users writing comments are stored, as comments are not pre-moderated, to take action against legal violations like insults or propaganda.

Subscription to Comments

Users can subscribe to comments after registration, receiving a confirmation e-mail to verify ownership. Subscription data is deleted unless used for other purposes like newsletters. Comments and related data remain until the commented content is fully deleted or comments must be deleted for legal reasons. Storage is based on your consent, which can be revoked at any time via informal e-mail.

Social Media

Facebook Plugins

This website integrates plugins from the social network Facebook. Provider: Facebook Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Dublin 2, Ireland. Data collected is also transferred to the USA and other third countries according to Facebook. Plugins are recognized by the Facebook logo or "Like" button.

When visiting, a direct connection to Facebook servers is established via the plugin, informing Facebook of your visit via IP. If logged into Facebook and clicking "Like," content can be linked to your profile, allowing Facebook to assign the visit to your account. As site provider, I have no knowledge of transmitted data content or use by Facebook. See Facebook's privacy policy: https://en-en.facebook.com/privacy/explanation.

To prevent assignment, log out of Facebook. Use based on legitimate interest in social media visibility or consent (revocable).

Joint Responsibility with Facebook

For data captured via the tool and forwarded to Facebook, I and Facebook Ireland Limited are jointly responsible, limited to capture and transfer. Processing agreement details at https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum. I handle privacy info and secure implementation; Facebook handles product security. Rights can be asserted directly with Facebook; I forward if asserted with me. Data transfer to USA based on EU standard contractual clauses.

Twitter Plugin

Functions of the Twitter service are integrated (Twitter International Company, Dublin). Using Twitter/Re-Tweet links visited sites to your account, notifying others and transferring data to Twitter. No knowledge as provider of data content or use. See Twitter privacy: https://twitter.com/en/privacy. Based on legitimate interest or consent. Data transfer to USA via EU clauses: https://gdpr.twitter.com/en/controller-to-controller-transfers.html. Manage privacy settings at https://twitter.com/account/settings.

Instagram Plugin

Instagram functions integrated via Facebook Ireland Limited. If logged in, clicking button links content to profile, allowing assignment. No knowledge of data or use. Storage based on legitimate interest or consent. Joint responsibility similar to Facebook. Instagram privacy: https://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy.

Newsletter

Newsletter Data

To receive the newsletter, I need your e-mail address and info to verify ownership and consent. No additional or only voluntary data collected. Used exclusively for sending requested information and not shared with third parties. Processing based solely on consent, revocable via unsubscribe link. Data stored until unsubscription or purpose ceases, then deleted. I may blocklist e-mails to prevent future mailings (legitimate interest). Blacklist used only for this purpose, no merging. Contradiction possible if your interests prevail.

Plugins and Tools

YouTube with Extended Data Protection

Videos embedded via Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. Used in extended protection mode: no visitor info stored before video play per YouTube, but DoubleClick connection established. Starting video connects to YouTube servers, notifying of visited page. If logged in, behavior assignable to profile (prevent by logging out). May set cookies or device fingerprinting for stats, UX, and fraud prevention. Use for appealing online offers (legitimate interest or consent). YouTube privacy: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en.

Questions, Suggestions, Complaints

For further questions or improvement suggestions, simply send me a message.