Cornelius Association
The Cornelius Association (CoV) - Christians in the Bundeswehr eV is a non-denominational association within the Bundeswehr, but its origins go back to the end of the 19th century. The predecessor organizations of the CoV turned to Christian officers. The association, whose headquarters are in Bad Godesberg , has been open to soldiers of all ranks and their relatives since 1978 .
Surname
The association derives its name from the biblical figure of the "Centurio Cornelius" . He is mentioned in the 10th chapter of Luke's Acts of the Apostles . The CoV is not to be confused with one of the Cornelius brotherhoods .
history
The association's roots lie in a group of Christian officers around the Prussian general Georg von Viebahn (1840–1915). On March 4, 1898 he founded the professional mission association of devout officers . This community existed until the late 1930s and met regularly at leisure . The later major general Hans Graf von Kanitz (1893–1968) came into contact with her around 1930 .
From 1935 onwards, von Kanitz gathered more Christian officers of the Wehrmacht around him and founded the Sternbriefkreis in 1939 . In 1944 this group was banned by the National Socialists , but as early as 1945 it resumed work under the name Kornelius Brotherhood . When the Bundeswehr was founded in 1957, the association was continued with its original objective as a Christian officers association (Kornelius brotherhood) . So membership was still limited to officers. The COV-KB saw itself as a partner of Protestant military pastoral care .
In 1978 the circle was opened to Christians of all ranks in the Bundeswehr and the name was again changed to Cornelius-Vereinigung (CoV) - Christians in the Bundeswehr eV Today, the association is a community of Christian German soldiers of all ranks and their families as well as former soldiers. She is the only remaining member of the former working group for soldiers' pastoral care .
Focus of work
Today's CoV sees itself as a lay organization of committed Christians and continues to work with the Protestant military pastoral care. In this context, setup times are offered , among other things . They are used to talk about questions of faith and are also open to non-members. Bundeswehr soldiers are usually released on request to participate in events of this type.
Statutes and structure
The prerequisite for membership in the "CoV" is, among other things, the recognition of basic Christian values and the willingness to actively shape the life of the association.
The general assembly is the highest organ of the association. This is where the goals and tasks of the Cornelius Association are decided. An advisory board advises the board on all important issues. It consists of six members and one third is elected for three years. In addition, there is an extended board of directors made up of the members of the board of directors and the advisory board.
The chairman of the CoV is currently Lieutenant Colonel i. G. Sascha Zierold.
literature
- Peter H. Blaschke, Harald Oberhem: Bundeswehr and churches . Volume 11 in the series Die Bundeswehr . Walhalla and Praetoria, 1985. ISBN 3802964314 . P. 131: The Cornlius Association
- Klaus-Dieter Zunke: At the side of the soldiers. The pastoral and missionary service of Protestant organizations, associations and free churches as an independent pastoral care for soldiers (1864–2011) . In volume 34 of the drafts on Christian social science (Ed. Günter Brakemann and others). LitVerlag Dr. W. Hopf: Berlin [Münster] 2017. pp. 254f
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ ( Acts 10 EU )
- ↑ Klaus-Dieter Zunke: On the side of the soldiers. The pastoral and missionary service of Protestant organizations, associations and free churches as an independent pastoral care for soldiers (1864–2011) . In volume 34 of the drafts on Christian social science (Ed. Günter Brakemann and others). LitVerlag Dr. W. Hopf: Berlin [Münster] 2017. p. 254