Let ${K_t}_{t>0}$ be the semigroup of linear operators generated by a Schrödinger operator -L = Δ - V with V ≥ 0. We say that f belongs to $H{¹}_L$ if $\left|\right|su{p}_{t>0}|K_t{f\left(x\right)\left|\right||}_{L¹\left(dx\right)}<\infty$. We state conditions on V and $K_t$ which allow us to give an atomic characterization of the space $H{¹}_L$.