Levana (health care and educational institution)

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The Levana Medical Care and Education Center in Baden near Vienna was one of the first facilities for disabled children in Austria . It was founded in 1854 (other sources write in 1856 and 1857) by the educators Jan-Daniel Georgens and Heinrich Marianus Deinhardt and the writer Jeanne Marie von Gayette .

Surname

Levana , the name of the Roman patron goddess of the newborns, is reminiscent of an early educational work by Jean Paul under the title Levana or Erziehlehre (1807). Already at the beginning of the 19th century he followed the idea of ​​a healing education and, in the tradition of Goethe, paints the picture for the education of a growing plant. The terms kindergarten and adult still bear witness to this tradition. Jeanne Marie von Gayette described herself as a great admirer of Jean Paul's literature.

Guiding principles

  1. In principle, humans are capable of development
  2. Promotion of personal character
  3. Provision of social and material livelihoods

history

According to a dissertation on Jan-Daniel Georgens von Selbmann (1982), the start of the facility for disabled children was very difficult. It was the first facility of its kind and so from the beginning there were no children for this facility. The founders rented the Braunsche Villa in Baden near Vienna and began to organize leisure activities for children. At the end of 1856 the first disabled child, a girl from the nobility, entered the facility. Therefore, the different dates should also be understood. The public success was so great that the facility in the Braunsche Villa soon became too small and the Levana moved to Liesing . In Liesing Castle there was a large complex with parks that is still used as a geriatric nursing home today. For financial reasons, the facility had to be closed after three years in 1859. In 1860 another facility was opened on Kahlenberg. This was closed again in 1865.

What remains of the Levana concept ?

The pedagogical orientation is still considered the beginning of pedagogical art therapy and garden therapy . The inclusion of the whole person and his or her everyday social coping is still important today. The artistic work and education was not separated from other life contexts and social relationships in everyday life.

The image of the plant that required different conditions to grow was symbolic of the work in the Levana. Human affection, different activities, artistic education and work were the basis for the psychological growth of the disabled children.

literature

  • Jan-Daniel Georgens, Heinrich Marianus Deinhardt: Curative education with special consideration of idiocy and idiot institution for healing u. Special education . Leipzig 1861
  • Medical and educational yearbook of the Levana for the year 1858
  • F. Selbmann: Jan-Daniel Georgens - life and work . Diss. Giessen 1982
  • Jean Paul : Levana or Education ; 1807 (according to wikipedia Jean Paul)

Web links