It was founded, as it says on its website, with the goal to lead the intellectual debate with the 'cultural revolution of 1968' in the spirit of a 'liberal, Christianity-oriented conservatism' on the 'foundations of the liberal ('freiheitlich') state and the rule of law'. The SZW emphasises that it is based, unreservedly, on the foundations of a liberal, democratic and social state and the rule of law and that it seems itself as an 'independent voice of a civil movement ('Bürgerbewegung') beyond the obsolete political polarisation of "left" and "right"'.

The SZW was founded on Schloss Weikersheim and sees itself as a 'Christian-conservative think tank'. It organises conferences and seminars in particular on the topics of European and German politics.

Over the decades, funding came from federal and Land coffers, from private individuals and from large corporations. The charitable foundation Stiftung zur Förderung christlichen, vaterländischen und humanistischen Gedankengutes in Wissenschaft, Wirtschaft, Kunst und Politik, is one of the main sponsors. The foundation was established to honour Hans Filbinger, a conservative CDU politician, Nazi-party member and military judge between 1943 and 1945.