PRIVACY POLICY
Last updated: May 2026
1. Privacy at a glance
General information
The following information provides a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit this website. Personal data means any data by which you can be personally identified. Detailed information can be found in the privacy policy below.
Data collection on this website
Data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator. The operator’s contact details can be found in the section “Information on the controller” in this privacy policy.
Your data is collected, on the one hand, when you provide it to us, for example by entering information in a contact form or by contacting us by e-mail or telephone. Other data is collected automatically or after you have given your consent when you visit the website by our IT systems. This mainly includes technical data, such as your internet browser, operating system or the time at which the page was accessed.
Some of the data is collected to ensure that the website is provided without errors and securely. Other data may be used to process your enquiries and to optimise the website. Your browsing behaviour is only analysed for advertising purposes if a corresponding tool is used for this purpose and valid consent has been obtained.
Your rights
You have the right at any time to receive information free of charge about the origin, recipients and purpose of your stored personal data. You also have the right to request the rectification or deletion of this data, the restriction of processing and, under certain conditions, data portability. You may withdraw any consent you have given at any time with effect for the future. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.
2. Hosting
Hetzner
We host the content of our website with Hetzner Online GmbH, Industriestr. 25, 91710 Gunzenhausen (“Hetzner”). Details can be found in Hetzner’s privacy policy: https://www.hetzner.com/de/legal/privacy-policy/.
Hetzner is used on the basis of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in providing our website as reliably, securely and efficiently as possible. Where corresponding consent has been requested, processing is additionally carried out on the basis of Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and Section 25(1) TDDDG; consent may be withdrawn at any time.
We have concluded a data processing agreement with Hetzner to the extent required under data protection law.
3. General information and mandatory information
Data protection
The operators of this website take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We treat your personal data confidentially and in accordance with statutory data protection regulations and this privacy policy.
Please note that data transmission over the internet, for example when communicating by e-mail, may be subject to security vulnerabilities. Complete protection of data against access by third parties is not possible.
Information on the controller
The controller responsible for data processing on this website is:
Forschungsstelle August Seidel
Prof. Dr. Ing. Robert H. Schmucker
Klenzestraße 14
80469 Munich
Telephone: 089 260523-0
E-mail: info@forschungsstelle-august-seidel.de
The controller is the natural or legal person who, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.
Storage period
Unless a more specific storage period is stated in this privacy policy, your personal data will remain with us until the purpose for the data processing no longer applies. If you assert a legitimate request for deletion or withdraw your consent, your data will be deleted unless there are other legally permissible reasons for storing your personal data, such as tax or commercial law retention periods.
Legal bases for data processing
If you have consented to data processing, we process your data on the basis of Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR. If the storage of cookies or access to information on your device is concerned, processing is additionally carried out on the basis of Section 25(1) TDDDG. Where processing is necessary for the performance of a contract or to take steps prior to entering into a contract, it is carried out on the basis of Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR. Where we are legally obliged to process data, processing is carried out on the basis of Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR. In other cases, processing may be carried out on the basis of our legitimate interest pursuant to Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR.
Recipients of personal data
In the course of our business activities, we work with external parties. Personal data is only transferred if this is necessary for the performance of a contract, if we are legally obliged to do so, if there is a legitimate interest, or if another legal basis permits the transfer. Where processors are used, data is transferred on the basis of a data processing agreement.
Data transfer to third countries
If we use services whose providers are based outside the European Union or the European Economic Area, or process data there, personal data may be transferred to third countries. Such a transfer only takes place if the legal requirements are met, in particular if an adequacy decision, suitable safeguards such as EU standard contractual clauses, or explicit consent are in place.
Withdrawal of your consent
Many data processing operations are only possible with your consent. You may withdraw consent you have already given at any time with effect for the future. The lawfulness of processing carried out up to the time of withdrawal remains unaffected.
Right to object under Art. 21 GDPR
If data processing is carried out on the basis of Art. 6(1)(e) or (f) GDPR, you have the right at any time to object to the processing of your personal data on grounds relating to your particular situation. If your personal data is processed for direct marketing purposes, you have the right at any time to object to the processing of your personal data for such marketing purposes.
Right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority
In the event of breaches of the GDPR, data subjects have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority. This right to lodge a complaint is without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedies.
Access, rectification, deletion and restriction of processing
Within the scope of the applicable legal provisions, you have the right at any time to access, rectify, delete and restrict the processing of your personal data. You may contact us at any time regarding this and other questions relating to personal data.
SSL or TLS encryption
For security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential content, this website uses SSL or TLS encryption. You can recognise an encrypted connection by “https://” and the lock symbol in your browser’s address bar.
Objection to advertising e-mails
We hereby object to the use of contact details published as part of the legal notice obligation for the purpose of sending unsolicited advertising and information materials.
4. Data collection on this website
Cookies
Our websites use so-called cookies. Cookies are small data packets that may be stored on your device. Session cookies are automatically deleted after the end of your visit. Permanent cookies remain stored until you delete them or until they are automatically deleted by your browser.
Technically necessary cookies are stored on the basis of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, unless another legal basis is specified. Where consent to the storage of cookies or comparable technologies has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of this consent pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and Section 25(1) TDDDG. Consent may be withdrawn at any time.
You can configure your browser so that you are informed about the setting of cookies, allow cookies only in individual cases, exclude the acceptance of cookies, or automatically delete cookies when you close your browser. If cookies are disabled, the functionality of the website may be restricted.
Cookie consent with Complianz
This website uses Complianz | GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent to obtain and document consent for the storage of certain cookies or the use of certain technologies. Complianz may set technically necessary cookies to store your consent decision. Processing is carried out on the basis of Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR to fulfil legal documentation obligations and Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, as we have a legitimate interest in legally compliant consent management. Where the consent itself concerns the storage of cookies or access to end devices, this is carried out on the basis of Section 25(2) TDDDG or, in the case of non-essential services, on the basis of your consent pursuant to Section 25(1) TDDDG.
Contact form with WPForms Lite
If you contact us via a contact form, the data you enter, such as your name, e-mail address, message and any other form details, will be processed for the purpose of handling your enquiry. The data will not be passed on without your consent unless this is necessary to process your enquiry.
Processing is carried out on the basis of Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR if your enquiry is related to the performance of a contract or pre-contractual measures. In all other cases, processing is carried out on the basis of our legitimate interest in the effective handling of your enquiry pursuant to Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR or on the basis of your consent pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR, if such consent has been requested.
The data you provide will remain with us until you request deletion, withdraw consent, or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies, for example after your enquiry has been fully processed. Statutory retention periods remain unaffected.
Enquiries by e-mail, telephone or fax
If you contact us by e-mail, telephone or fax, your enquiry, including all personal data resulting from it, will be stored and processed for the purpose of handling your request. Processing is carried out on the basis of Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR if your enquiry is related to a contract or pre-contractual measures. In all other cases, processing is based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR or on your consent pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR, if such consent has been requested.
E-mail delivery via WP Mail SMTP
This website uses WP Mail SMTP for the technical delivery of e-mails triggered via the website, in particular for enquiries submitted via contact forms. The transmitted data is sent to the e-mail address info@forschungsstelle-august-seidel.de and processed for the purpose of handling the respective enquiry.
In particular, your name, e-mail address, message content and technical delivery information may be processed. WP Mail SMTP is used exclusively to ensure reliable delivery of e-mails via the mail server we use. It is not used for advertising or analytics purposes.
Processing is carried out, where the enquiry is related to the performance of a contract or pre-contractual measures, on the basis of Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR. In all other cases, processing is carried out on the basis of our legitimate interest in reliable communication with website visitors pursuant to Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR.
5. Plugins and tools
Google Fonts (local hosting)
This website uses locally embedded Google Fonts for the uniform display of fonts. No connection to Google’s servers is established in this context.
Elementor and Essential Addons for Elementor
This website uses Elementor and Essential Addons for Elementor for the design and technical presentation of the website. The plugins are used in particular to build pages, layouts and content elements. They do not independently analyse user behaviour for advertising purposes. Where personal data is transmitted via forms or content elements embedded with Elementor, it is processed in accordance with the relevant sections of this privacy policy.
Advanced Custom Fields and Custom Post Type UI
This website uses Advanced Custom Fields and Custom Post Type UI to manage and display website content, custom fields and content types. These plugins are used for the internal structuring of the website and, to the best of our knowledge, do not set their own analytics or tracking cookies for website visitors. Personal data may only be processed if personal content is published or managed in corresponding fields.
Rank Math SEO
Rank Math SEO is used for search engine optimisation. The plugin supports the technical display of search engine metadata, sitemaps and structured data. According to our configuration, this does not result in any independent analysis of user behaviour for advertising purposes and no tracking cookies are set for website visitors.
Google Search Console
We use Google Search Console, a service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, for the technical monitoring and optimisation of the findability of our website. Google Search Console does not set any cookies on our website for visitors and is not used for the personal analysis of individual website visitors. The legal basis is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, as we have a legitimate interest in the technical optimisation and error analysis of our website.
LiteSpeed Cache
This website uses LiteSpeed Cache to optimise loading speed and the technical delivery of the website. Technically necessary cookies or temporary technical information may be processed in order to deliver cached content correctly. This does not involve any personal analysis of user behaviour for advertising purposes. The legal basis is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR; our legitimate interest lies in a fast and technically stable website.
Polylang
This website uses Polylang to display content in multiple languages. Polylang may store a technically necessary cookie to remember the language you have selected. The legal basis is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR; our legitimate interest lies in providing a user-friendly multilingual website. Where a cookie is set, it is necessary for the requested language function.
EWWW Image Optimizer
This website uses EWWW Image Optimizer to optimize image files, in particular to compress, resize and, where applicable, convert images into modern file formats such as WebP. Image processing generally takes place locally on the server of this website. Image files are not transferred to an external service provider unless additional cloud features such as Easy IO or external optimization services are activated.
If images containing personal content are uploaded, they may contain personal data. The use of EWWW Image Optimizer is based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, as we have a legitimate interest in maintaining a high-performing website, reducing loading times and optimizing image delivery.
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WP File Manager
This website uses WP File Manager for the technical management of files in the administration area. The plugin is not intended to collect data from website visitors. Where personal data is processed in the course of administrative file management, this is done for the secure management of the website on the basis of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR.