Poor care (Germany)
The care of the poor heard, together with the welfare and social assistance , for arms supply . In Germany , it is generally understood to be a task, the provisions and objectives of which are incumbent on the state and its institutions and are laid down in Book XI and XII of the Social Code . Generally speaking, poor relief is part of the public sector and goes hand in hand with welfare and social work . Care for the poor also includes the duty of care and help ; it is not only understood as physical and material-financial support, but also as a pastoral obligation.
Poor relief today
In relation to Germany, the situation of poor relief does not yet present itself as a model solution. Nonetheless, a tendency towards improvement can be identified, but this is constantly changing depending on the situation. At least until today:
“The task of social welfare is to enable those entitled to benefits to lead a life that corresponds to human dignity. The achievement should enable them as far as possible to live independently of it; The beneficiaries must also work towards this to the best of their ability. In order to achieve these goals, the beneficiaries and the social assistance providers have to work together within the framework of their rights and obligations. "
Thus, the Social Security Code XII describes the task of social assistance, there is no distinction between poor, old or handicapped, one speaks comprehensively of the beneficiaries. Local, regional and supra-regional jurisdiction is defined in this code of law. For the “poor relief” dealt with in this article, reference can be made to Sections 41 and 61 to 66 of SGB XII.
Religious foundations for poor relief
The central concern of religions is to spread salvation , which includes redemption , awakening and liberation . The religions also enable an opening to fellow human beings and they lead to the harmonization of human beings with their realities of life. The basic religious ideas determine the values and provide the moral and ethical requirements for charity and mutual help. It offers answers to questions about living together, helping others, needs and political developments. In their basic features, many religions describe and practice caring for and caring for the poor.
Old Testament sources
In the fifth book of Moses , a collection of laws is described and laws and rights presented, on which is to be respected. Moses goes into "the renunciation of demands every seventh year" and says: "But actually there should be no poor ..." ( Deuteronomy 15.4 EU ), it then goes on: "If a poor person lives with you, any of your brothers in any of your urban areas in the land that the Lord your God is giving you, then you shall not be hard-hearted and you shall not close your hand to your poor brother ”(Deut. 15.7 EU ). In the further text, duties are imposed: “The poor will never completely disappear from your country. That is why I make it your duty: You should open your hand to your poor brother who is in need and who lives in your country ”. (5. Mos 15.11 EU ) and on the "payment of wages to the day laborer" it says: "You shall not withhold the wages of a needy and poor among your brothers or among strangers who live in your country within your urban areas" ( 5. Moses 24,14 EU ).
New Testament Basics
Caring for the poor is, based on the Old Testament , rooted in Christianity and compulsory. Regardless of religious affiliation, it includes the elderly, the sick, widows and beggars . The Christian-Biblical approach to poor relief can also be found in the New Testament at Mt 25, 40 and 45 25.40 EU with the statement: “What you did for one of the least of my brothers, you did to me”. Jesus connects with the mandate to identify himself with “his least brother”, but also to preach the Gospel to them (Mt 11,5 11,5 EU ). On the poor, Jesus goes on to say that “the poor will remain”, but “we will not have him forever”. (Compare: Mt 26.11 26.11 EU ; Mk 14.7 14.7 EU and Joh 12.8 EU ). On the basis of the biblical request “You received free of charge, you should give free of charge” (Mt 10.8 10.8 EU ), Christianity teaches to help our neighbors in their needs. The alms to the poor is a sign of brotherly love and a God-pleasing deed. The charity is the duty of every individual, the churches must sound a note of this duty and support appropriate actions. These requests arise from early Christianity and are reflected in Acts 2.45 EU : "They sold their belongings and gave everyone, everyone as much as they needed ...".
Luther's position on poor relief
In his statement on poor relief, Martin Luther referred to the Old Testament; in summary, Luther said: "... nobody should beg or lack the most essential ..." (Deut. 15.4 "But actually there should be no poor ... “) Rather, it should be given to the poor. Luther wrote it down in the great sermon on usury of 1519 and repeatedly in the writing of Kaufhandel und Wucher of 1524. He calls on the cities to provide for their poor and to build an orderly poor relief with competent administrators . In 1523, Luther made a clear statement on poor relief in the order of a common box .
Jewish poor relief
Care and help for travelers, the poor and the sick is part of the tradition of Jewish community life and is part of inner-Jewish solidarity . The duty of support is based on religious instructions and is fulfilled by the relatives of the needy. If this help cannot be provided sufficiently, it will be borne by the Kehillah . Since there are no public poor funds, the material aid consists of donations . Rich Jews stipulated in their wills that their descendants are obliged to donate to the poor. On high holidays, gifts to the poor are customary and voluntary donations are collected in the synagogues . In addition, Jewish associations also took care of the poor.
Islamic alms
Among the pillars of faith there are certain duties in Islam that are required of a Muslim , including: Shahada , Salat , Saum , Zakat and Hajj . Alms giving has a ritual character and is called Zakat . Based on the basic idea, it means that a certain percentage of one's own wealth should be given away as alms. Naturally today there is a wide range between aspiration and reality. Traditionally, Muslims use their zakat to support poor families or destitute orphans throughout their lives. The alms only benefit Muslims:
“The alms are (intended) only for the poor and needy, (furthermore for) those who are to be won (for the cause of Islam) (literally: those whose hearts are trusted), for (the ransom of) slaves , (for) those who are in debt, for the way of God and (for) those who are on their way (or: for) those who have followed the way (of God) (and thereby got into trouble); literally: the son of the way. (That is) an obligation on God's part. God knows and is wise. "
Development of poor relief
The first nursing homes , the so-called Xenodochien or Hospitien , were built by monks . They served as hostels for travelers and pilgrims , but also provided rooms for the poor, the elderly and the sick. A hospital that was built around 370 near Kayseri ( Turkey ) was the first basis for other sick and pilgrim hostels that were built on pilgrimage routes and places of pilgrimage. In 799 Charlemagne obliged the landlords to care for the poor and in 809 extended the obligation to give alms to the entire people. The responsibility for church care for the elderly and the sick in the countryside was assigned to the monasteries, in the cities it was taken over by the canonical foundations. Later, during and after the Crusades , the orders of the Hospitallers developed alongside the military orders of knights . These included the knightly orders of the Hospitallers (1048), Johanniter (1099), German orders (1191), Antonites (1095), Trinitarians (1198) and the hospital orders worn by lay brothers .
Order of Malta
German Order
Trinitarian order
Poor relief in the Middle Ages
In the Middle Ages , poor relief was organized and carried out exclusively by the church. The monasteries, monasteries and hospitals were the leading institutions. In the late Middle Ages , funding shifted to the cities and municipalities, as they enjoyed greater trust. The sovereigns sometimes ordered that medical care for the poor was free of charge, as was laid down in the 1471 “Heidelberg Pharmacist Regulations”, for example. Universities were also obliged to provide for the poor "for God's sake". The building of urban and public bathhouses was intended to enable the poor and needy people to bathe free of charge, whereby these offers were also to be associated with urban or state hygiene and health practices.
reformation
At the time of the Reformation , between 1517 and 1648, the organization of poor relief was based on a fundamental rule; it was firmly anchored as a general civic duty . In addition to public poor relief, a cooperative branch developed in parallel , which developed as an important role for later social insurance . Professional organizations, associations and communities took on the support of sick and needy members. The secularization of the monasteries that went along with the Reformation meant that the charitable work previously carried out by the religious communities was relocated. The high hospitals arose, for example in Hesse , which served as an institution set up by the prince for the care of the elderly and the poor.
Industrial age
With the economic and industrial revolution in the first half of the 19th century, a social revolution also developed. The large-scale workshops and factories needed a lot of workers. The rural people migrated to the cities, and previously unknown social problems arose. The poor care in the rural regions remained with the family , with the church or the poor and infirmary of the community. New areas of social conflict emerged in the densely populated areas . Out of this situation, journeyman's associations and journeyman's hospices emerged that looked after the poor and the sick and created social networks . The economic, social, political and intellectual upheavals led to problems that were also evident in poor relief and were reflected in the “ social question ”.
Christian social teaching and poor relief
In the 19th century, in Christian social teaching , this “social question” gave rise to the question of the social conditions of workers and the necessary concern for the poor. The Catholic Workers' Movement discovered that there was a lot of catching up to do to counteract the failures that had occurred in the course of industrial development. In the course of time, a Christian social movement developed which began with the first social encyclical of a Pope and developed the option for the poor .
Social cyclics
The social encyclicals not only dealt with the situation of workers and workers , the value of work and wages. Care for the elderly and the poor were also topics in the papal circulars . The encyclical Rerum Novarum (1891) by Pope Leo XIII should be mentioned in particular . (1878–1903) and their subsequent cycle Quadragesimo anno (1931) published by Pope Pius XI on round anniversaries . (1922–1939), Mater et magistra (1961) by Pope John XXIII. (1958–1963) and Laborem exercens (1981) and Centesimus Annus (1991) from Pope John Paul II (1978–2005).
That's why it says in Rerum Novarum
“Furthermore, as a truth, it is of decisive importance to bear in mind that the state is there for everyone, in the same way for the low as for the high. From the point of view of natural law, the dispossessed are no less citizens than the haves, ie they are true parts of the state who participate in the life of the state community made up of the totality of families; and in addition to what is very important, they form by far the greater number of inhabitants in every city. "
John Paul II takes up the demands of his predecessors in his circular Centesimus Annus of 1991:
“The poor demand the right to share in the use of material goods and to use their labor to good effect in order to build a more just and happier world for all. The eradication of poverty is a great opportunity for the moral, cultural and economic growth of all humanity ”
Diakonia
(See main article: Diakonia )
The Diakonie (old Greek διακονία, diakonia, 'service' of διάκονος, , servants') is the service of humanity in the theological understanding. With its range of tasks, this service is now geared towards kindergartens , visiting services and care for the elderly and the poor. There has always been a diakonia in the Christian churches.
Rapid industrialization consequently led to the elimination of old and manual professions. In the early 1820s to 1840s, rural areas in particular became increasingly impoverished . The cities and parishes had reached their limits, from this emergency a poor relief, initiated by the Protestant parishes, developed . Their aim was to provide direct and immediate care and help to those in need. In response to the “social question”, Pastor Johann Hinrich Wichern (1808–1881) launched the Inner Mission in 1833 . Since 1840, Protestant women's associations have also undertaken pastoral work for the poor, the elderly and the sick. They were active in the parish and developed into volunteer parish sisters .
Caritas
(See main article: German Caritas Association )
Caritas denotes charity and mercy and sees its goal as caring for the poor and needy. In the days of the apostles , the service of the poor, along with the altar service, was one of the main duties of deacons . In the Middle Ages, “hospitalitas” was one of the tasks of the churches. Over time, ecclesiastical hospitals and nursing homes as well as religious orders came into being, which especially took care of the poor.
With a delay of almost 50 years, the Catholic Church also addressed pressing social issues. Pope Leo XIII. his epochal encyclical Rerum novarum not published. But in the course of the Christian social movement, the German Caritas Association was founded in 1897 through the initiative of Prelate Lorenz Werthmann (1858–1921), which soon afterwards resulted in Switzerland (1901), Austria (1903) and the USA (1910) founded further Caritas associations. The goals of Caritas are shaped by Catholic social teaching, they include the protection of workers and human dignity , the obligation to solidarity and help for people in need .
State and civil poor relief
With the industrial revolution and the shift of production to the state-organized development management of the poor, it emerged 1870-1875 arms organizations . These were public corporations that were set up in the German Reich as organs for public poor relief. The legal regulation regulated the territorial jurisdiction, which found its limits in state and local poor associations. The list of tasks of the poor organizations consisted of the responsibility of the care costs, the support of people in need, the granting of care and accommodation in hospitals, nursing homes and facilities for the disabled. In addition, the cities developed their own elderly aid and organizations, one of the best-known models being the Elberfeld system , which was established in the 1850s.
Workhouses
One of the models designed by government agencies to alleviate poverty and the associated conglomerations of homeless people and beggars was the construction of workhouses . These poor policy efforts emerged in the 17th and 18th centuries and were intended to remove the poor and beggars from the public eye. At the same time the senseless idea had developed of forcing the poor able to work to work in a form of work education . The system of workhouses lasted until 1969 and was abolished with the measure of reform and security .
General poor institutions
From the end of the 18th century to the early 19th century, bourgeois general poor relief institutions developed in the citizenships of cities and municipalities , the founding of which went back to wealthy and influential citizens. It was not primarily about poor relief, but also developed programs and projects to overcome poverty , education and employment were on an equal footing with material support. The institutions also brought about social changes, on the one hand the sick leave rate fell among the poor and on the other the crime rate among the poor fell.
Prussia
Since 1775, the Prussian kings issued several cabinet orders , edicts , decrees and ordinances to care for and care for the poor. They ranged from welfare measures to the criminal prosecution of beggars and their principal aim was to counteract poverty - “which, according to God's grace, should not exist” . The General Land Law for the Prussian States (ALR) of 1794 stated that the state had to provide for the food and drink of the poor. The state assumed ultimate responsibility for poor relief, but had delegated execution to the municipalities , who had to bear the brunt of the costs.
On December 31, 1842, the Prussian state passed the law on the obligation to care for the poor and, with the amendment of May 21, 1855, adjusted poor relief to the political and economic realities. In particular, with these laws, the support residence and thus the chargeable municipality was determined.
Weimar Republic
The establishment of the Weimar welfare organization was initially an administrative and bureaucratic mass welfare. The first measures were initiated by the federal states and implemented by the Weimar cabinet . The previously discriminatory consequences of claiming social benefits and poor relief have increasingly been lifted. The path to shared responsibility and participation was taken, the idea of democracy was promoted through free welfare and social institutions.
On the way to Weimar welfare, the Reich Youth Welfare Act (1922) and the Reich Ordinance on the Duty of Care (1924) were enacted. During this time the “ welfare offices” were established, whose area of responsibility also included the administrative management of poor relief.
National Socialism
During the National Socialist rule, the established state institutions were retained, but the management staff was often replaced. This also meant that social security was unilaterally and single-tracked, legal entitlements were rigorously curtailed or dismantled.
State-controlled welfare was also based on racial ideology and the idea of a centralized, unitary state . According to the National Socialist understanding, only the national comrade received help.
Post-war until today
The post-war period was initially characterized by the principle of distribution and the rationing of food and other relief goods. Only with the consolidation of the first administrative bodies did a planned aid program begin. Social policy began again in 1933; the forbidden numerous social work agencies gradually began their activities again. The social welfare , which perhaps even today replaced the independent poor relief, was newly regulated by law, the youth welfare law was amended and the state welfare was spread over broad shoulders with the principle of subsidiarity . In the German Democratic Republic that was formed, uniform social insurance began in 1945 , accident insurance was transferred to social insurance and social assistance was reactivated. The socialist treatment of the “poor” was exemplified by the punishment of “work-shy” people. The “work shy ” could be imposed conditions on his whereabouts by the district authorities , should this “work-shy beggar” not follow these conditions, he could be punished with a fine .
The last social reform - in connection with poor relief - came to an end in Germany in 2004 with the statutory regulation on assistance with subsistence and basic security in old age and in the case of reduced earning capacity .
See also
- Community of property of the early Jerusalem community
- Nursing home
- Welfare
- care
- Social work
- Christian social teaching
literature
- Christoph Sachße, Florian Tennstedt : beggars, crooks and proletariat. Poverty and poor relief in German history. A picture reading book (= rororo 7777 Rororo non-fiction book ). Rowohlt, Reinbek near Hamburg 1983, ISBN 3-499-17777-3 .
- Christoph Sachße, Florian Tennstedt: History of poor relief in Germany. 4 volumes. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart 1980–2012.
- Federal Association of the Catholic Workers' Movement in Germany (Hrsg.): Texts on Catholic social teaching. Ketteler Verlag, Bornheim 1992, ISBN 3-927494-01-1 .
- Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace (ed.): Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. Herder Verlag, Freiburg im Breisgau 2006, ISBN 3-451-29078-2 .
- Kuratorium Deutsche Altershilfe (Ed.): All about old age. Verlag CH Beck, Munich 1996, ISBN 3-406-41326-9 .
Web links
- Poor care and poor relief / welfare (PDF; 97 kB)
- The Gütersloh history from the city elevation to the First World War 1825–1914: Christian poor relief.
- General Teachings of Social Law, Constanze Janda, Faculty of Law: History of Social Law (PDF; 1.1 MB)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Social Code (SGB), Eleventh Book (XI), Social Care Insurance
- ↑ Social Code (SGB), Twelfth Book (XII), Social Welfare
- ↑ Social Code § 41 Day care and night care
- ↑ Social Code §§ 61 [1] -66 [2]
- ↑ Rolf Kramer: Dealing with poverty - a social-ethical analysis (Luther's position on poor relief). [3] , accessed April 10, 2013.
- ↑ Eyn Sermon of Usury. [4] (PDF; 7.6 MB) Digital Library Thuringia (accessed April 11, 2013)
- ↑ Martin Luther: Order of a common box. Advice on how to trade in spiritual goods. 1523 [5]
- ^ The Association of Swiss Jewish Welfare / Refugee Aid [6] (PDF; 113 kB)
- ^ Jews in Pattensen - The Jewish Associations. [7] : “These associations were founded by the Jewish community for charitable purposes. Their task was to distribute the money and natural produce collected in the community to the needy Jews. "
- ↑ The third pillar of Islam: alms
- ^ Medieval poor relief and social institutions.
- ↑ Comparable to the establishment of the Hochtaunusklinik Usingen : “In the 14th and 15th centuries, the first nursing facilities were set up in Usingen with the“ Sichenhaus ”and the“ Beguine's Accommodation ”. The history of the Hessenklinik only began in the 18th century with the establishment of the fund for “pious and benevolent purposes” of the Principality of Nassau-Usingen ”.
- ↑ The term "Diakonie" is also shortened for the Diakonische Werke and their social institutions in Germany, Diakonie Austria and Diakonische Institutions in Switzerland . In Germany, the Diakonisches Werk is supported by the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), its member churches, the Old Catholic Church and several Evangelical Free Churches . The Roman Catholic equivalent is Caritas .
- ↑ On the workhouses in the 19th and 20th centuries, cf. Wolfgang Ayaß : The work house in Breitenau. Beggars, vagrants, prostitutes, pimps and welfare recipients in the correctional and rural poor institution in Breitenau (1874–1949). Kassel 1992.
- ↑ Printed in: Collection of sources for the history of German social policy 1867 to 1914 , Department I: From the time when the Empire was founded to the Imperial Social Message (1867-1881) , Volume 7: Poor law and freedom of movement , 2 half volumes, edited by Christoph Sachße, Florian Tennstedt and Elmar Roeder, Darmstadt 2000, Appendix No. 3.
- ↑ Peter Hammerschmidt / Florian Tennstedt , The way to social work: From poor relief to the constitution of the welfare state in the Weimar Republic [8]
- ↑ See Wolfgang Ayaß : "Asoziale" in National Socialism. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 1995
- ↑ Dieter Bindzus, Jérome Lange: "Is begging illegal? A historical outline with a view", Saarbrücken Archived copy ( Memento of the original from May 28, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ The term "work shy" is also known from the campaign " Arbeitsscheu Reich " (1938), it was directed against the so-called "anti- social ."
