Karlshöhe Ludwigsburg

Karlshöhe Ludwigsburg is a diaconal institution and church foundation under civil law (Kirchliche Stiftung des bürgerlichen Rechts) headquartered in Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1876 as the "Evangelische Brüder- und Kinderanstalt Karlshöhe," it is one of the larger providers of social work in the Stuttgart region, with roughly 750 employees and around 1,200 people supported. Its patron since January 2005 has been Eva Luise Köhler, a former teacher and the widow of former German Federal President Horst Köhler. The foundation is led by a board (Vorstand) consisting of Dörte Bester and Frank Gerhard. The organization traces its origins to the threatened closure of the Ludwigsburg children's home Mathildenstift and to a growing need within the Protestant Inner Mission for qualified social-work staff. Its founders modeled it on the "Rauhes Haus" in Hamburg, founded by Johann Hinrich Wichern, which combined a children's institution with a training center for diaconal workers. The Karlshöhe was named after King Karl of Württemberg, who, together with his wife Queen Olga, took over its protectorate and supported it financially; Queen Olga is regarded as a driving force behind the founding. The institution was inaugurated on 6 November 1876. Over its history, the Karlshöhe developed from a children's and deacons' institution into a broad diaconal social enterprise. Its service areas today include elderly care (Altenhilfe), support for people with disabilities, child and youth welfare, services for people with mental health and social difficulties, vocational preparation and integration, and training and education programs. It also operates the Karlinum elderly care facility and an outpatient nursing service, and runs shops such as Karlino, the Lädle im Höfle, a workshop shop and a second-hand goods shop. The Karlshöhe is also active in education: it offers vocational training and preparation, including apprenticeships for office management clerks, e-commerce clerks, salespersons and home economists, as well as specialized practical training tracks. Since the 1990s, cooperation with universities has grown, and a site of the Protestant University of Applied Sciences Ludwigsburg (Evangelische Hochschule Ludwigsburg) was established on the Karlshöhe grounds. In the 21st century, new fields have been added, including services for people with mental illness, addiction or social difficulties, and inclusive living and work projects, alongside educational projects and community-based social work.

The Karlshöhe Ludwigsburg was founded in 1876 as the "Evangelische Brüder- und Kinderanstalt Karlshöhe." Its name derives from King Karl of Württemberg, who, together with his wife Queen Olga, assumed the protectorate over the institution and supported it financially; Queen Olga is regarded as a driving force behind the founding. The immediate occasion was the threatened closure of the Ludwigsburg children's home Mathildenstift, for whose children a new home was sought. At the same time, there was a growing need within the Protestant Inner Mission for qualified staff for social tasks. Representatives of the church and the bourgeoisie modeled the new institution on the "Rauhes Haus" in Hamburg, founded by Johann Hinrich Wichern, which combined an educational institution with a training center for diaconal workers. Following this model, a children's institution was combined with a training center for deacons. The inauguration took place on 6 November 1876. Within a short time, several brick buildings were erected, including girls' and boys' houses, a schoolhouse, a prayer hall with an inspector's apartment, and utility buildings. The Karlshöhe quickly developed into an important training center for deacons in Württemberg. The so-called "Brüder" (brothers) often came from Pietist families and lived in a religious community during their training. Alongside theological education, practical work in social institutions played a central role. In 1908, a nursing school was founded, making nursing education another focus alongside educational work. The trained deacons were subsequently deployed in various areas of the Inner Mission, including nursing, youth and educational welfare, and work with homeless or socially disadvantaged people. Beyond the children's and brothers' institution, further fields of work emerged early on. In 1879, a men's home was established, which took in older and care-dependent men and also served as a training site for diaconal nursing. In the following decades, the Karlshöhe grew continuously through new buildings and additional facilities. Under various inspectors and directors, the institution developed into a significant center of Protestant social work. Influential leaders included Wilhelm Rupp (1876–1890), Michael Hahn (1890–1904) and Adolf Schlitter (1904–1929), who fundamentally reformed the training of deacons. During the Nazi era, parts of the Karlshöhe initially had an ambivalent relationship to the regime. Some employees and members of the Diakonieverband initially welcomed the political changes, but increasing state intervention in church and social institutions led to tensions. During the Second World War, training was severely restricted as many deacons were drafted into military service. An air raid in February 1944 caused severe damage to buildings of the Karlshöhe. Despite difficult supply conditions, the institution's operations were maintained. After the end of the Second World War, reconstruction began. As early as 1946, the training of deacons resumed. In the following decades, numerous new fields of social work emerged. Under director Theodor Lorch (1950–1971), training offerings were expanded and more strongly linked with social-pedagogical and religious-pedagogical content. Facilities for people with disabilities, new training offerings and elderly care services were also established. With the change of leadership at the beginning of the 1970s, a phase of fundamental change began. The former deacon school was reorganized into the "Kirchliche Ausbildungsstätte für Diakonie und Religionspädagogik" (Church Training Center for Diakonia and Religious Education) and opened to women for the first time. Thus the training of deacons was complemented by that of deaconesses, modernized and adapted to social-pedagogical and academic requirements. In the following decades, the Karlshöhe developed into a broadly positioned diaconal social enterprise with diverse fields of work, including child and youth welfare, disability assistance, elderly care, social counseling services, and training and education programs. Since the 1990s, social services have been further expanded and differentiated. At the same time, cooperation with universities gained importance. A site of the Protestant University of Applied Sciences Ludwigsburg was established on the Karlshöhe grounds, strengthening academic education in the social and diaconal field. In the 21st century, new fields of work were developed, including services for people with mental illness, addiction or social difficulties, as well as inclusive living and work projects. In addition, the Karlshöhe foundation is involved in educational projects, community-based social work and reappraisal of its history.

• 2005

  Eva Luise Köhler became patron (Schirmherrin) in January 2005.

• 1946

  Training of deacons resumed after the Second World War.

• 1944

  An air raid in February 1944 caused severe damage to buildings of the Karlshöhe.

• 1908

  A nursing school was founded, making nursing education another focus alongside educational work.

• 1879

  A men's home was established, taking in older and care-dependent men and serving as a training site for diaconal nursing.

• 1876

  Founded as "Evangelische Brüder- und Kinderanstalt Karlshöhe"; inaugurated on 6 November 1876.

A diaconal church foundation providing social care, education and vocational integration across the Stuttgart region, rooted in Protestant Inner Mission traditions since 1876.

• Elderly care (Altenhilfe)

• Karlinum elderly care facility

• Outpatient nursing service

• Disability support services

• Child and youth welfare

• Services for people with mental health and social difficulties

• Vocational preparation and integration

• Karlino training shop

• Lädle im Höfle

• Workshop shop

• Second-hand goods shop

1. 1Karlshöhe Ludwigsburg – Startseitekarlshoehe.de
2. 2Geschichte-Portal der Karlshöhe Ludwigsburgkarlshoehe.de
3. 3Storytelling: Zehn Porträts, zehn Menschen und ihre Geschichte – Karlshöhe Ludwigsburgkarlshoehe.de
4. 4Über den Ausbildungsladen Karlino in Ludwigsburgkarlshoehe.de
5. 5Karlshöhe Ludwigsburg – Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Karlshöhe Ludwigsburg – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org