Francke Foundations

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Francke Foundations
legal form Foundation under public law
founding 1698
founder August Hermann Francke
Seat Halle (Saale)
precursor Glauchasche establishments
purpose Democratic education, social participation, sustainable action
Chair Udo Strater
Managing directors Thomas Müller-Bahlke (Director)
Website www.francke-halle.de
Francke Foundations: Historic Orphanage (copper engraving, 1749)
General view of the Francke Foundations (copper engraving, 1749)
Court of the Francke Foundations (copper engraving, around 1750)

The Francke Foundations in Halle (formerly Glauchasche Institutions ) accommodate a large number of cultural, scientific, educational and social institutions. They were founded in 1698 by the theologian and educator August Hermann Francke . Francke's pietistic schools and social initiatives achieved international significance. Today, the historic buildings are a globally unique example of social and educational functional architecture on the German list of proposals for UNESCO World Heritage Sites . In the meantime, over 50 different institutions have established themselves on the foundation's premises, including four schools, institutes of the Martin Luther University , the Federal Cultural Foundation and the German Youth Institute .

history

From school for the poor to orphanage

August Hermann Francke (1663–1727)

On December 22nd, 1691 August Hermann Francke was appointed pastor to the St. Georgen Church in Glaucha (since 1817 part of Halle). At the same time he was appointed professor of the Greek and Oriental languages ​​at the University of Halle, which is currently being established. Since there was "a gross ignorance of questions of faith and extensive moral neglect" in the area of ​​his parish, he held catechism classes for children and adults in his community on Sundays after the service . To alleviate the social hardship of impoverished children, he made school fees available from the church collections.

A large donation at Easter 1695 of four talers and 16 groschen in the poor box of the parsonage became the basis of his life's work.

“That is an honest capital! One must donate something right from this! I want to start a school for the poor with it! "

- August Hermann Francke (1695)

Immediately after receiving the donation, August Hermann Francke opened a school for the poor , initially in a room in the rectory. The penniless children were taught by a theology student from the University of Halle. The good reputation of this small school for the poor caused the number of pupils to grow rapidly, so that a few weeks later some citizens of Glaucha were sending their children to class for a low school fee. In the summer of 1695 50 students were already being taught. Since members of wealthy circles increasingly wanted to send their children to Francke, he founded the Pedagogy at Whitsun 1695 as an educational institution for children from the nobility and the rich bourgeoisie . Another school, the Latin School , was founded in 1697 for boys from middle-class families who intended to engage in academic studies. The lessons were held by students who received a free apartment, free wood and 16 groschen wages in return. The aim of the schools was the salvation of souls, and this was done by examining the conscience in writing . For this, the girls also had to learn to read and write. Since many destitute children or orphans outside of school were exposed to renewed physical but also moral neglect due to the poor social environment, Francke decided to place these children with families for money. The idea of ​​an orphanage was born. Using the electoral privileges that granted him freedom of excise duties, customs duties and escort, and thanks to numerous donations, the foundation stone of what was for the time an enormous building, the orphanage, was laid in 1698. In April 1701 Francke was able to inaugurate the building, which also served as the main building of his foundations.

The Francke Foundations in the 17th to 19th centuries

Thanks to further electoral privileges, it was possible to set up a bookstore, a book printing and bookbinding shop, a pharmacy and a natural resource cabinet. Their income financed the orphanage and allowed the foundations to grow. From 1708 the Hallische Zeitung appeared three times a week . In 1709 a three-storey half-timbered building for orphan girls and a girls' school was built, the following year the English House was built for students from England. Also in 1710, another building was built in a gap between the main building and the English house, in which there was a dining room in the basement and a singing and prayer room on the upper floors, which could accommodate 2000 people. In the same year Francke founded the Canstein Bible Institute with the Prussian baron Carl Hildebrand von Canstein . Millions of inexpensive Bibles were printed there well into the 20th century. The foundations became Halle's gateway to the world. In the 18th century, Pietist clergymen worked in the Baltic States, Russia, Poland, Bohemia, Slovenia, Scandinavia, England, Holland, India and North America. A worldwide correspondence network was created for these. In 1810 the secondary school was built, followed in 1835 by the secondary school for daughters , which later became the lyceum .

The 20th century: decisive changes

Historic orphanage wall in 1972 before demolition

The implementation of a new multi-tier school system, supported by the pietistic piety and practical charity of August Hermann Francke in connection with scientific institutions and the maintenance of business enterprises, established the reputation of the Halle orphanage all over Europe. The reform plans of Halle Pietism were carried out into the world by teachers, doctors and missionaries. Their traces can still be found today in many European countries, but also in India and the USA. The first Protestant mission , the Diakonie , the Realschule in Germany, millions of German-language Bibles and a large number of popular Protestant hymns have their starting point in the Francke Foundations. Due to the great demand and the excellent reputation, the need for larger school buildings in the foundations grew. In the autumn of 1906, a new school building for the Latin secondary school (Latina) was built. The annual statistics from 1911 recorded a total of 3,056 students in the various schools of the Francke Foundations. In 1920 another school building could be moved into for the new secondary school.

The foundations continued to exist as a Christian school town over the period of National Socialism . This was achieved by walking a tightrope between adaptation, adherence and rejection of National Socialist ideas. The Latina remained as one of the few humanistic high schools in the country during this period. During the Second World War , some buildings belonging to the foundations, including parts of August Hermann Francke's and the Latina house, were destroyed in an air raid in March 1945.

During the existence of the GDR , the Francke Foundations lost their independence, became public property and were exposed to increasing structural decay. During this time, a makeshift repair was only carried out on buildings that were used by the Martin Luther University or that existed as school buildings. Probably out of respect for the history of this school town, the GDR authorities kept the school name August Hermann Francke . During this time, both a polytechnical high school and an extended high school existed under this name .

In the 1970s, the northern orphanage wall was torn down in order to build an elevated road for today's federal highway 80 . Since then, a section of this has led directly through the foundation's premises and separates the orphanage pharmacy building from the other foundation buildings. Several high-rise buildings were built on the grounds of the foundation's own plantation . 1,978 on the previous Feldgarten was an additional plate-school type Erfurt TS 75 built.

Present and outlook

Refurbishment of the derelict main building of the Francke Foundations (1991)

Since 1991 the historic buildings have been renovated with the support of the federal government, the state and the city as well as foundations and donors. More than half of the 50 or so numbered buildings have already been renovated and are filling the 14 hectare foundation site with new life. The Francke Foundations were included in the Blue Book published in 2001. The Blue Book is a list of nationally important cultural institutions in East Germany and currently includes 20 so-called cultural lighthouses . A commemorative coin and a postage stamp with the image of the orphanage were issued in 1998 to mark the 300th anniversary of the Francke Foundations .

The historic brewery and bakery (house 37–39, headquarters of the office) has been renovated since 2009. Completion is planned for the end of 2011. The state seminar for teaching posts will move into the building 36 / 36a behind it (tenant houses from the early 18th century, part of the dairy complex). The fundamental renovation at the entrance to the Francke Foundations, Franckeplatz 3–5, began in 2006. These are former inns from the 16th and 17th centuries that Francke bought and furnished for his educational and social purposes. Francke's house was the first to be renovated, reopened in 2008 and since then has housed the information center, the orphanage bookstore and the bible attire as well as an exhibition on the life and work of the foundation's founder. Built in 1655, it was known as the 'Goldene Rose' inn. The new building for the Federal Cultural Foundation was built between 2010 and 2012 .

Today's meaning

Inner courtyard (2015)

The Francke Foundations are today an institution of national standing with numerous international collaborations. The historical orphanage with the art and natural history chamber as the oldest civic museum space in Germany, the Francke-Kabinett, the children's creative center Krokoseum as well as the historical library of the foundation with a baroque backdrop magazine are accessible to visitors. In the historical orphanage, in addition to the permanent historical exhibition, there are also regular changing exhibitions on topics related to the history of the Francke Foundations. In the former assembly hall, today's Freylinghausen Hall , other events and concerts take place regularly.

The historic building complex, located in a closed area in the middle of the city of Halle, has largely been preserved to this day. The long house in the upper Lindenhof is the largest half-timbered construction in Europe. It measures over 110 meters and up to six floors.

As a globally unique example of social and educational functional architecture, the foundation complex is on the German list of proposals for the UNESCO World Heritage Site .

Institutions in detail (selection)

Scientific institutions

Historic orphanage and Francke's home

The Historic Orphanage (2009)

The historic orphanage was built as the first building by August Hermann Francke's educational and social institutions between 1698 and 1700. Built with the help of donations, it housed all the facilities of the foundations such as the dormitories and classrooms, the bookstore, the pharmacy and the printing shop until the extension buildings were constructed around the Lindenhof. Today the historical orphanage forms the cultural heart of the Francke Foundations. Scientific and cultural events, cultural-historical exhibitions and concerts take place here. It is house 1 of the numbered buildings of the Francke Foundations.

The Francke Foundations' information center, the Francke Cabinet with a permanent exhibition and a bible attic are located in Francke's former home, House 28. Francke had acquired the house, which was originally an inn, in 1702 and converted it into a residential building.

The art and natural history chamber

The baroque art and natural history chamber from 1698 is considered the oldest civic museum space in Germany. It was laid out by Francke for teaching purposes and is now set up again according to the original museum concept of the 18th century in its historic location in the attic of the orphanage. Eighteen richly decorated collection cabinets hold around 3000 natural objects, curiosities and artifacts. They give the unique impression of a baroque cabinet of curiosities. Unlike museums today, the chamber follows an encyclopedic collection claim. A distinction is first made between natural products and artefacts. The natural objects were separated into stones, plants and animals, the artefacts into fine arts, writing, coins, everyday culture and clothing. The aim was to create a mirror image of the world: a microcosm that made the macrocosm tangible as God's wonderful creation. The art and natural history chamber is located in the historical orphanage.

Study center August Hermann Francke with archive and library

The library, which was founded at the end of the 17th century, contains around 50,000 books from the most diverse fields of knowledge, mainly on the history of churches and education in the early modern period. The historical scenery library has been located in house 22 since 1728, a purpose-built functional building whose original furniture with the shelves placed in the room like a scenery has been completely preserved. Since the restoration according to the old plans in the late 1990s, it can be seen again in its original form from 1746.

Publishing house of the Francke Foundations

Gable of the theological faculty (house 30)

The focus of the publishing work is on publications by the Francke Foundations such as illustrated books, catalogs and research articles on Pietism. In addition, the publisher oversees several academic series.

Facilities of the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg

The following institutions of the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg are located in the Francke Foundations : the Philosophical Faculty III - Educational Sciences branch, the Theological Faculty with the Institute for Biblical Studies and Church History, the Institute for Systematic Theology, Practical Theology and Religious Studies; the Interdisciplinary Center for Research into the European Enlightenment, the Interdisciplinary Center for Research on Pietism, the Network of Excellence Enlightenment - Religion - Knowledge. Transformations of the religious and the rational in modern times , the Center for School and Educational Research, the Institute for Catholic Theology and Didactics, the Institute for Pedagogy, the Institute for Rehabilitation Pedagogy , the Institute for School Pedagogy and Elementary School Didactics , the Seminar for Jewish Studies / Jewish Studies , the Leopold-Zunz-Center for research into European Jewry, the Halle Youth University , the advice center for supportive communication, the research center for the rehabilitation of people with communicative disabilities and a branch library of the University and State Library of Saxony-Anhalt .

Educational institutions

Social or non-profit institutions

  • House of Generations , combines the nursing home of the Paul Riebeck Foundation , the Maria Montessori primary school and the family competence center for education and health
  • Daycare centers run by the Francke Foundations
  • Krokoseum, a cultural and museum educational activity space for children with a constant and changing program under educational supervision, is located in the basement of the historical orphanage
  • Friends of the Francke Foundations e. V., was founded in 1990 and is a non-profit association to which around 1300 members belong, mostly former students of the foundation schools
  • Studentenwerk Halle, operates the cafeteria of the historic dining room in building 27
  • Youth workshop building yard Halle in the Franckesche Stiftungen e. V., non-profit organization with workshops, youth social work projects, youth professional assistance, job promotion and qualification
  • Spielehaus e. V., project of holistic youth social work for the playful examination of different international, national and regional cultures
  • Student Club Fornix e. V., is named after the Latin name ( Latin: fornix , translated: vault) of the first room used, the cellar of house 2–4 with its architecturally significant barrel vault, and serves as a meeting place and communication point between schoolchildren and students
  • Integration & Arbeit gGmbH, facility to promote the professional integration of unemployed people with severe disabilities

Christian institutions

Furthermore, there has been a general church pastoral office again since 2010. Eckart Warner accompanies life on the grounds of the foundations as a foundation pastor. He maintains contact with the various institutions, celebrates church services and is the contact person for Christian groups that visit the foundations.

Cultural and other non-university academic institutions

Commercial facilities

Orphanage pharmacy

The following historical commercial facilities are also located on the foundation's premises, which were granted a privilege by Elector Friedrich III. from Brandenburg from 1698 to today, meanwhile as an independent company, exist:

  • Orphanage pharmacy (formerly with medicine expedition )
  • Orphanage bookstore
  • Printing factory Halle GmbH, in 1701 as a printing office of the orphanage in the Francke Foundations founded

people

Directors

Francke's monument in the courtyard of the Francke Foundations

Teacher

doctors

Exhibitions

  • 2011: Annual Exhibition: Freedom, Progress and Promise. Change of perspective between Europe and North America since early modern times
  • 2012: Annual exhibition: Because it makes the souls happy. Protestant music culture since Martin Luther , in cooperation with the Handel House Foundation in Halle as part of the theme year of the Luther Decade 2012, Reformation and Music
  • 2013: Anniversary exhibition: CHANGING THE WORLD. August Hermann Francke - A life's work around 1700
  • 2015: Cabinet exhibition: Architecture in the books of the Baroque . April 17 to October 25, 2015, Association Room Wunderkammer exhibition , April 24 to August 16, 2015

See also

literature

  • August Hermann Francke (1704): The big essay. Writing about a reform of the education system as a starting point for a spiritual and social reorganization of the Evangelical Church of the 18th century. With an introduction to sources, ed. v. Otto Podczeck (Treatises of the Saxon Academy of Sciences in Leipzig, Philological-Historical Class, Vol. 53, No. 3), Akademie-Verlag, Berlin 1962 ( digitized version ).
  • Critical report on the orphanage from 1792: Description of the current constitution of the Latin school in the orphanage in Halle. Archive of Education for Germany, Vol. 2 (1792), pp. 73–117.
  • August Hermann Francke's foundations in Halle. Festschrift for the second secular celebration of his birthday . Published by the Directorate of the Francke Foundations, Verlag der Buchhandlung des Waisenhauses, Halle 1863 ( digitized version ).
  • The Francke Foundations in Halle a. S. in their current form . Published by the bookstore of the orphanage in Halle a. S., Hall 1901 ( digitized version of the 4th edition, Hall 1907 ).
  • Günter Treizel: A small guide through the Francke Foundations in Halle. Fly Head Verlag, Halle 2003, ISBN 3-930195-40-2 .
  • Helmut Obst ; Paul Raabe : The Francke Foundations in Halle (Saale). History and present. Fly head publishing house, Halle 2000, ISBN 3-930195-35-6 .
  • Paul Raabe; Thomas J. Müller-Bahlke (Ed.): The historical orphanage. The main building of the Francke Foundations in Halle. Halle 2005, ISBN 3-931479-73-0 .
  • Thomas J. Müller-Bahlke: The cabinet of curiosities. The art and natural history chamber of the Francke Foundations in Halle (Saale). Publishing house of the Francke Foundations, Halle / Saale 1998, ISBN 3-930195-39-9 .
  • Peter Menck: The education of young people for the glory of God and for the benefit of one's neighbor. The pedagogy of August Hermann Francke. Tübingen 2001, ISBN 3-484-84007-2 .
  • Karl Aley: From orphan boy to orphan father. Francke Foundations in Halle (Saale) 1916–1946. With drawings by Wilhelm Krieg, based on the 12-year-old's own sketches from 1923. Mitteldeutscher Verlag, Halle 1991, ISBN 3-354-00736-2 .
  • Gustav Friedrich Hertzberg : August Hermann Francke and his Halle orphanage. Verlag der Buchhandlung des Waisenhauses, Halle a. S. 1898 ( digitized version ).
  • Exhibition catalog: Freedom, Progress and Promise. Change of perspective between Europe and North America since early modern times. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 2011, ISBN 978-3-447-06476-7 .
  • Georg Giersberg: Children's center instead of orphanage. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung of December 24, 2010, p. 14.
  • Klaus-Peter Wenzel : The rebirth of the Francke Foundations in Halle (Saale) - the result of a West-East German joint work 1992-2000 . Projects Verlag Cornelius, Halle 2012, ISBN 978-3-95486-158-3 .
  • Holger Zaunstöck (Ed.): Built Utopias. Francke's school town in the history of European urban design. Catalog for the annual exhibition of the Francke Foundations from May 8 to October 3, 2010. Verlag der Francke Foundations, Halle 2010, ISBN 978-3-447-06336-4 .
  • Holger Zaunstöck, Thomas Müller-Böhlke, Claus Veltmann (eds.): Changing the world. August Hermann Francke. A life's work around 1700. Verlag der Francke Foundations, Halle 2013, ISBN 978-3-447-06889-5 .
  • Anne Sturm: The Oratory Library of the Royal Pedagogy in Halle. A school library around 1800 (=  small series of the Francke Foundations . No. 16 ). Publishing house of the Francke Foundations in Halle, Halle 2017, ISBN 978-3-939922-54-4 .

Web links

Eagle and inscription
Commons : Francke Foundations  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files
Wikisource: Francke Foundations  - Sources and full texts

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The Francke Foundations - Educational Cosmos at a Historic Site. In: francke-halle.de. Retrieved May 7, 2020 .
  2. ↑ Helmut Obst; Paul Raabe: The Francke Foundations in Halle (Saale). History and present. Fly Head Verlag, Halle 2000, ISBN 3-930195-35-6 , p. 22.
  3. ^ Gustav Friedrich Hertzberg: August Hermann Francke and his Halle orphanage. Verlag der Buchhandlung des Waisenhauses, Halle a. P. 1898, p. 17.
  4. ^ Gustav Friedrich Hertzberg: August Hermann Francke and his Halle orphanage. Verlag der Buchhandlung des Waisenhauses, Halle a. P. 1898, p. 18.
  5. ↑ Angela Steidele in an interview with Sabine Reithmaier: One psychiatrist, two split selves. Ludwig II in madness and a woman in trousers won Angela Steidele the Bavarian Book Prize. , in: Süddeutsche Zeitung, No. 279, December 3, 2015, p. R22.
  6. ↑ Announcement of the commemorative coin 300 years of the Francke Foundations
  7. ↑ Page no longer available , search in web archives: Information from Deutsche Post about the 300 Years of Francke Foundations stamp@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / philatelie.deutschepost.de
  8. ↑ Georg Giersberg: Children's center instead of orphanage, in: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, December 24, 2010. There it even says: "The largest half-timbered house in the world is on the railing of the Francke Foundations in Halle."
  9. ^ Parish office in the Francke Foundations ( Memento from December 2, 2013 in the Internet Archive )
  10. ↑ oV : Smalian, Ernst Karl in the database Niedersächsische people (new entry required) of the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Library - Lower Saxony State Library in the version of 19 August 2009 last downloaded February 12, 2018
  11. ↑ Gerhard Wagenitz : Smalian, Ernst Karl (Carl) (1860–1940) , in ders. (Ed.): Göttinger Biologen 1737–1945. A biographical-bibliographical list (= Göttinger Universitätsschriften , Series C: Catalogs , Vol. 2) , Göttingen: Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht, 1988, ISBN 978-3-525-35876-4 and ISBN 3-525-35876-8 , p. 168; limited preview in Google Book search
  12. ↑ Indian roots of chewing gum. Pietists and Lutherans in the New World: An exhibition in Halle , in: FAZ of July 27, 2011, page N3.

Coordinates: 51 ° 28 ′ 41 ″  N , 11 ° 58 ′ 19 ″  E