Community service school
The German civil service schools (ZDSch) were civil service- specific and socio-political educational centers of the federal government until the suspension of compulsory military service in 2011 . They organized mandatory introductory courses for those doing community service and were affiliated with the Federal Office for Family and Civil Society Tasks in Cologne-Zollstock. The ZDSch were converted into training centers, which now carry out their educational mandate within the framework of the Federal Volunteer Service (BFD) and the Voluntary Social Year (FSJ).
history
The legal basis for the introductory service was provided by Section 25a (1) of the Civilian Service Act (ZDG), which stipulated that those doing civilian service (ZDL) had to be informed about the nature and tasks of civilian service, about their rights and obligations and about civic issues at the beginning of their service . In addition, technical courses were held where necessary for the area of application of the ZDL. Section 25a (4) of the ZDG stipulated that those doing community service had to be accommodated in official accommodation during the induction service. This requirement formed the basis for 17 community service schools, the construction of which began with the inauguration of the first state community service school on the Ith near Holzen in the Weser Uplands on October 5, 1971. In 2010, the civil service schools had 80 to 200 beds, with a total of over 2,400 course places. As of October 2010, 65,794 people doing community service were on duty. Since the introduction of community service in April 1961, 2,721,448 young men were called up for community service until they were suspended in 2011.
Educational mandate
In the community service schools, a large number of young adults were approached on social and political issues. This opened up the chance to win them over to measures of political adult education, to show them possibilities of social and political participation and to interest them in active participation in democratic events.
The community service schools saw themselves as a forum for encounters for young people with different everyday relationships, experiences and attitudes. The common accommodation over several days after the introduction of the community service schools gave the ZDL the opportunity to exchange experiences and to develop a stronger awareness of the importance of community service. This should enable group processes that could lead to a deepening of the knowledge and impressions gained in the course. Due to the diverse experiences of the participants, who were able to contribute to a wide variety of topics, political adult education was seen as a concrete factor in community service.
From community service school to education center
Because of the suspension of military service on July 1, 2011, from October 2010 people doing civil service were only called up at their own request. This convocation at one's own request was only possible until July 1, 2011. Even with voluntary longer service commitments, the last civil service relationship ended on December 31, 2011 and there has been no civil service in Germany since then. The Defense Law Amendment Act (WehrRÄndG 2011) and the Federal Voluntary Service Act (BFDG) of April 28, 2011 were promulgated in the Federal Law Gazette on May 2, 2011 (Federal Law Gazette I, pages 678, 687).
The previous 17 civil service schools of the Federal Office for Civilian Service (BAZ) have been renamed into education centers and are subordinate to the authority renamed by the Federal Office for Civil Service to the Federal Office for Family and Civil Society Tasks (BAFzA). The educational centers then pursue the educational mandate within the framework of the Federal Voluntary Service Act (BFDG) and the Voluntary Social Year (FSJ).
Locations
| No. | place | state | Year of opening / closing |
|---|---|---|---|
| I. | Ith (in Holzen ) | Lower Saxony | 1971–2011 (August 2011 Federal Office for Education and Family) |
| II | Bad Staffelstein | Bavaria | 1975 |
| III | Bocholt | North Rhine-Westphalia | 1978 |
| IV | Waldbröl | North Rhine-Westphalia | 1979/2008 |
| V | trier | Rhineland-Palatinate | 1980 |
| VI | Bad Oeynhausen | North Rhine-Westphalia | 1980 |
| VII | Seelbach | Baden-Württemberg | 1982/2008 |
| VIII | Herdecke | North Rhine-Westphalia | 1982 |
| IX | Spiegelau | Bavaria | 1990 |
| X | Bodelshausen | Baden-Württemberg | 1983 |
| XI | Braunschweig | Lower Saxony | 1984 |
| XII | Buchholz in the north heath | Lower Saxony | 1984/2008 |
| XIII | Karlsruhe | Baden-Württemberg | 1985 |
| XIV | Bremen / Ritterhude | Bremen / Lower Saxony | 1985 |
| XV | Kiel | Schleswig-Holstein | 1986 |
| XVI | Wetzlar | Hesse | 1991 |
| XVII | loop | Saxony | 1992 |
| XVIII | Barth / Gutglück in Fuhlendorf | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 1992 |
| XIX | Geretsried | Bavaria | 1992 |
| XX | Sondershausen | Thuringia | 1996 |
