Catholic German student union
The Catholic German Student Union (KDSE) was an association of the entire Catholic student body in the Federal Republic of Germany that existed from 1947 to 1973 . It organized annual (Catholic) student days and, thanks to its coordinated appearance, played an important role in student self-administration, especially in the 1950s, i.e. in the local AStA and in its umbrella organization VDS .
history
Founded with the express aim of "bringing about unification and spiritual-religious enlivenment of all Catholic German students through the variety of forms of student life", the KDSE was not based on the various Catholic student associations and their umbrella organizations, but on - all Catholic students comprehensive - local student communities . Above all, KDSE should be an instrument to carry Catholic demands into the university and social space. In addition, the Catholic students should be motivated to social, political and church engagement. The KDSE carried out extensive educational programs and organized annual Catholic student days .
The revival of the old corporations was initially followed with skepticism within the KDSE, because in the eyes of many church dignitaries and also many students they had "failed" in the face of the challenge posed by National Socialism and their "Catholic commitment" left much to be desired. However, the restored associations (claimed CV , KV , UV ) and some bündisch embossed associations such. For example, the Neudeutsche Hochschulring has increasingly had a say within the KDSE, so that over the years there have repeatedly been tensions between associations and communities.
These tensions intensified in the course of the 1968 movement to such an extent that the mostly conservative Catholic corporations separated from the KDSE in 1969 and founded their own working group of Catholic student associations (AkStV). The rest of the KDSE, which was based on the "new political theology " of Johann Baptist Metz and understood lived Christianity primarily as a social commitment, was initially refused financial support in 1971 by the Catholic bishops. The reason given was that the goals of the KDSE contradicted the church's mandate. Instead of the freedom that Christ brought, the group has a Marxist-influenced, socio-economic concept of liberation. Several reports have been drawn up about the KDSE. Joseph Ratzinger was in charge of a report by the German Bishops' Conference that was critical of the direction of the KDSE , while the theologians Johann Baptist Metz and Karl Rahner prepared a counter-report in favor of the KDSE. In 1973 the KDSE was finally withdrawn from the pastoral mandate by the bishops, which amounted to its de facto dissolution.
In the same year, the working group of Catholic student and university communities (AGG) was founded as the successor organization to the KDSE . The now Catholic University Parishes (KHG) no longer only comprised students, but all university members. A year later, the Catholic corporation associations were also newly constituted as the Working Group of Catholic Student Associations (AGV).
literature
- Christian Schmidtmann: Catholic students 1945–1973. A study on the cultural and social history of the Federal Republic of Germany , Paderborn 2006 ISBN 3-506-72873-3
- R. Hartmann: Storms and lulls: Church weather conditions in Germany and their consequences for the work of KDSE and AGG , 2002
- AGG (Hg): In what times do we live (do)? Church at the university - balance sheet and perspectives after 40 years of KDSE / AGG (= AGG materials), self-published, Bonn 1987
- Johann Baptist Metz and Karl Rahner: What students are still allowed to do , [excerpts from an expert report on the KDSE]. In: Publik-Forum No. 10 (May 18, 1973), pp. 6-7. - Full text: On the need for student communities. In: Die Sendung 26 (1973), No. 4, pp. 3–12
- Rudolf Pesch: Comments on the discussion about the priority program of the KDSE , in: Initiative 11 (1971) N. 4, pp. 1–12.
- Communications from the Catholic German Student Union . - Bonn: KDSE, 1952–1955, ZDB-ID: 3543900
- Bulletin of the Catholic German Student Union . - Offenburg, Baden: Verl. D. Documents, 1948-1948, ZDB ID: 1381829
- Press and information service of the Catholic German Student Union . - Bonn, 1956-1967, ZDB ID: 841316