Baugenossenschaft Freie Scholle

Baugenossenschaft Freie Scholle is a housing cooperative based in Bielefeld, in the Ostwestfalen region of Germany. It was founded on 21 June 1911 by members of the Freie Turnerschaft Bielefeld, a workers' gymnastics association that had been barred from using the city's gymnasiums. The cooperative initially aimed to build its own gymnasiums, but after political conditions changed it shifted its focus to constructing affordable housing for workers. Over more than a century it grew into the largest housing cooperative in Bielefeld, and today it manages roughly 5,200 apartments and has about 8,200 members. The cooperative's early history is closely tied to the workers' movement. Its first settlement, begun in 1914 at Niedermühlenhof, comprised 138 apartments for workers' families and set new standards with indoor toilets, electric lighting, gas connections, running water in the kitchen, and a shared bath in the basement. During the Weimar era, between 1924 and 1930, Freie Scholle built the Heeper Fichten and Im Siekerfelde reform settlements, which are still noted for their architecture and infrastructure. The buildings, designed by architect Gustav Vogt, used red brick and archways to express the strength of the labor movement. Community facilities such as a washhouse with washing machines, drying racks, and mangles, as well as a children's home and youth center with a library, were added in the late 1920s. The Friedrich-Ebert-Haus became a cultural center of eastern Bielefeld and a base of resistance against National Socialism. Under the Nazi regime, the cooperative was forcibly brought into line (gleichgeschaltet) in 1933, its elected board dismissed. Members protested by closing savings accounts and leaving the cooperative; between 1933 and 1935, 324 members left, reducing membership by 18 percent. After World War II, Freie Scholle resumed its cooperative mission and continued to build and manage housing in Bielefeld. In the postwar decades it expanded its stock and modernized its buildings. Today, Freie Scholle remains a member-owned cooperative. Its website offers apartment listings, a members' portal, online banking, and a magazine called Scholle Magazin. Recent activities include inclusive housing at Marktplatz Schildesche, a centenary celebration of the Heeper Fichten settlement, and information about fiber-optic connections. The cooperative is governed by a board and a representatives' assembly (Vertreterversammlung), with elections held in 2026. It is registered as a cooperative and is not listed on any stock exchange.

Baugenossenschaft Freie Scholle was founded on 21 June 1911 in Bielefeld by members of the Freie Turnerschaft Bielefeld, a workers' gymnastics group that had been denied access to the city's gymnasiums. The founders, inspired by similar workers' sports organizations in Gera, Bremen, and Hamburg, initially aimed to build their own gymnasiums. In 1912, despite difficult economic conditions, they managed to build a gymnasium for 80,000 marks. After the SPD's support for war credits in 1914 led to the lifting of sanctions against the workers' movement, the Bielefeld workers' gymnasts could again use municipal gymnasiums, making further cooperative gymnasium construction unnecessary. The cooperative then redirected its resources to housing. In May 1914, it began building its first settlement at Niedermühlenhof, consisting of 138 apartments for workers' families. These apartments were notable for their time, featuring a WC, electric lighting, gas connection, running water in the kitchen, and a shared bath in the basement. The settlement was completed only after World War I. During the inflation years of 1914–1923, construction came to a complete halt due to scarce funds. With the economic recovery, building resumed. Between 1924 and 1930, the cooperative created two reform settlements, Heeper Fichten and Im Siekerfelde, which are still recognized for their infrastructure and architectural quality. The buildings, planned by the architect Gustav Vogt, used red brick and archways to convey the strength of the labor movement against capitalism. The generously designed inner courtyards were unusual for multi-story housing of the time, offering residents spaces for recreation alongside traditional bleaching lawns. In 1928/29, a washhouse with washing machines, drying racks, and mangles was built in the Heeper Fichten settlement, along with a children's home and youth center with a library, reading room, and lecture room. These facilities became a meeting point for workers' movement organizations. The Friedrich-Ebert-Haus, completed later, became a cultural center of eastern Bielefeld and a starting point for resistance against National Socialism until the cooperative was brought into line. The cooperative also suffered during the Great Depression. As more workers fell into economic hardship, many could not afford the rents for new apartments, and many applicants were deferred. To meet the high demand for housing, the cooperative began building smaller and more simply equipped apartments. After the Nazi seizure of power, the cooperative's board was declared dismissed at a general assembly on 26 June 1933, and Freie Scholle was gleichgeschaltet like all other workers' organizations. The break with cooperative principles was unmistakable, and democratic structures were suspended. Members showed their distrust of the new board by closing their savings accounts, forcing the savings institution to cease operations by the late 1930s. Many members also resigned: between 1933 and 1935 alone, 324 members left, reducing membership by 18 percent and forcing the cooperative to pay out 40,000 Reichsmarks. Political allegiance became a decisive criterion for apartment allocation, and Social Democrats had little chance of obtaining a vacant apartment. The neighborhood solidarity among workers was considered an incalculable risk by the administration. After World War II, Freie Scholle resumed its cooperative mission. It continued to build and manage housing in Bielefeld, expanding its stock and modernizing its buildings in the postwar decades. Over time it became the largest housing cooperative in the city, managing around 5,200 apartments and serving about 8,200 members. In recent years, the cooperative has focused on inclusive housing projects, such as at Marktplatz Schildesche, and on modern infrastructure like fiber-optic connections. It celebrated the centenary of the Heeper Fichten settlement and maintains a members' portal, online banking, and a magazine, Scholle Magazin. The cooperative is governed by a board and a representatives' assembly, with elections held in 2026.

• 2026

  Representatives' assembly elections scheduled.

• 1935

  324 members had left between 1933 and 1935, reducing membership by 18 percent.

• 1933

  Board dismissed on 26 June; cooperative gleichgeschaltet by Nazi regime.

• 1928

  Washhouse with washing machines, drying racks, and mangles built in Heeper Fichten; children's home and youth center with library established.

• 1924

  Construction resumed after inflation; Heeper Fichten and Im Siekerfelde settlements built between 1924 and 1930.

• 1914

  Began construction of first settlement at Niedermühlenhof with 138 apartments.

• 1912

  Built a gymnasium for 80,000 marks despite difficult economic conditions.

• 1911

  Founded on 21 June in Bielefeld by members of the Freie Turnerschaft Bielefeld.

Member-owned housing cooperative providing affordable, community-oriented housing in Bielefeld.

• Rental apartments

  Cooperative-owned apartments for rent in Bielefeld.

• Heeper Fichten settlement

  Reform settlement built 1924–1930, noted for architecture and infrastructure.

• Im Siekerfelde settlement

  Reform settlement built 1924–1930.

• Niedermühlenhof settlement

  First settlement with 138 apartments, begun 1914.

• Inclusive housing at Marktplatz Schildesche

  Recent inclusive housing project.

1. 1Freie Scholle · Ein Zuhause für Bielefeldfreie-scholle.de
2. 2Baugenossenschaft Freie Schollewikidata.org
3. 3Freie Scholle (Bielefeld)de.wikipedia.org