Martin Hennig

Martin Christoph Siegesmund Hennig (born November 28, 1864 in Loslau ; † August 27, 1920 in Bad Tölz ) was a German publicist and director of the Rauhen Haus .

Life

Martin Hennig was a son of Karl Hennig and his wife Maria, née Eberlein. His father, who worked as a pastor, initially gave his son private lessons. From 1874 to 1879 Hennig attended the school of the orphanage in Bunzlau as a free student . He then attended the pedagogy and orphanage in Züllichau until 1884 , which he left with the Abitur. From 1884 to 1888 Hennig studied theology at the University of Breslau and the University of Greifswald . He completed his studies with an exam and went through a two-month vicariate in Malwitz , followed by a two-month stay at the seminar for teacher training in Steinau. In 1889 he went to Hamburg , where he took over the care of young people with behavioral problems as a senior teacher until 1892.

In the autumn of 1889 Hennig went back to his homeland, where he passed the second theological exam. He then worked at the Rauhen Haus in Hamburg and from 1892 as an assistant preacher at the Salvatorkirche in Breslau . Hennig was ordained there. Due to his influence by the social movement, which was based in particular on Catholic Socialism, he moved to Berlin in 1894 . There he worked as an agent for the Youth Union. Within a short time Hennig visited various places in East Germany. He founded many associations for young people and created a publishing bookstore.

Inspired by Johann Hinrich Wichern , who brought the Inner Mission into being, Hennig worked from 1895 as a clergyman for the Provincial Committee for Inner Mission in the Mark Brandenburg. During his travels he was involved in so-called rescue houses, which were open to children and young people, drinking sanctuaries and workers' colonies. During information events he spoke about the work of the Inner Mission and the youth and club work. During this time, Henning wrote brochures and articles on Inner Mission, Confirmation Classes, and Youth Care and Legislation.

Work at the Rauhen Haus in Hamburg

In 1901 Hennig succeeded Johannes Wichern as director of the Rauhen Haus . The position had been vacant for a long time due to Wichern's illness. Hennig gave the facility a new management structure and had several new buildings built. Under his leadership, the administration building, a residential building for boys, a bakery and printing shop as well as an agricultural building were built. There was also a recreation house for “brothers” in the heath and the teacher's house built in 1908 for the 100th birthday of Johann Hinrich Wichern. In addition, several buildings were converted or modernized and some of them were supplied with running water for the first time. Hennig received numerous guests from home and abroad, of which the German Empress in 1910 was probably the most important.

Hennig further developed the concept of the rough house. The institution now offered school education. In addition, Hennig continued a project initiated by Wichern for vocational training for young people with great commitment. The trainees worked in various trades, manufacturing products and providing services that were used by the facility itself. In addition to starting their careers, the young people received preparation for an independent life. The young people trusted Hennig, who was considered a strong but sometimes authoritarian personality, because of the patience and cordiality he had shown. Hennig took a holistic pedagogical approach. He set clear rules and monitored compliance with them. He encouraged the self-responsibility of the 180 boys on average, whom he wanted to bring creativity and closeness to nature closer. The combination of theoretical and practical training was just as important to him as a solid bond with the Christian faith. He dealt intensively with psychological issues with the aim of better understanding children and young people and being able to recognize and promote their potential.

Martin Hennig put another focus of his work on the theological and pedagogical training of the "brothers" of the Rauhen Haus. He offered theological lessons to the men who also took on various tasks outside the Rauhen Haus. He also presented his own pedagogical methods. Hennig tried to establish a "farmer's school" that was to be used when deployed in colonies. Little use was made of the concept. It was particularly important to Hennig to further develop the work of the Inner Mission. He headed the independent Protestant Education Office for Inner Mission, which he founded in 1913, on a part-time basis. Hennig was a member of the Central Committee for Inner Mission in Berlin and the Hamburg City Mission for many years. In addition to numerous lectures at specialist conferences, in 1908 Hennig founded the Wichern Association for the promotion of Christian popular life.

During the First World War and in the following years, the Rauhe Haus got into economic hardship. In addition to the carers, older young people also had to do military service. The facility was therefore only able to provide for itself to a limited extent. In addition, the Rauhe Haus received less government funding. Hennig decided in 1915, one year before its introduction in the German Reich, to introduce summer time in the Rauhen Haus. He hoped this would save electricity. Hennig was forced to sell real estate. He succeeded in soliciting donations from theologians in the USA. During the November Revolution, the exterior of the buildings was not damaged. Hennig was able to calm down the revolutionary currents that were emerging among the young people. During this difficult time for the facility, Hennig fell ill with bone tuberculosis in 1919 , the consequences of which he died a year later. His grave can be found on an area of ​​the Ohlsdorf cemetery that Hennig had established in 1919 for members of the Rauhe Haus.

Martin Hennig left behind his wife Erica Hennig.

Works

Martin Hennig wrote numerous educational writings and prayer books. In 1907 he wrote a biography about Johann Hinrich Wichern and in 1912 a source book for the Inner Mission.

Honors

The University of Berlin appointed Hennig an honorary doctorate in 1908 because of his efforts to achieve the goals set by Johann Hinrich Wichern.

literature

• Bodo Schümann: Hennig, Martin . In: Franklin Kopitzsch, Dirk Brietzke (Hrsg.): Hamburgische Biographie . tape 4 . Wallstein, Göttingen 2008, ISBN 978-3-8353-0229-7 , pp. 143-145 .

Web links

• Literature by and about Martin Hennig in the catalog of the German National Library