Katholische Arbeitnehmer-Bewegung

The Katholische Arbeitnehmer-Bewegung (KAB), or Catholic Workers' Movement, is a social association (Sozialverband) in Germany, Austria and Switzerland that traces its origins to the Christian labour movement of the 19th century. In Germany it emerged from the merger of Catholic workers' associations, supported by the Mainz bishop Wilhelm Emmanuel von Ketteler. The first Catholic workers' support association was founded by Ketteler in Regensburg in 1849. From 1860, Christian-social associations demanded equal political, social and societal rights for workers. By 1872 these associations had around 22,000 members, making them the largest workers' organisation in Germany at the time. The KAB is part of the World Movement of Christian Workers (WBCA) and continues the tradition of the Catholic workers' associations of the 19th century. According to its own figures, it has around 55,000 members nationwide in Germany (other sources cite 75,000 or 80,000). The KAB Deutschlands e.V. is headquartered in Cologne and is organised into diocesan associations. It sees itself as an interest representation for employees, women and families, and older and socially disadvantaged people. Its activities are open to all who feel committed to its socio-political goals. Its guiding principles are the principles of Catholic social teaching, which place the human person, not the economy, at the centre of political decisions. Its vision is a 'Tätigkeitsgesellschaft' (activity society) as a holistic policy approach. The KAB is a political movement, self-help movement, education and action movement, and international movement. Through actions and models, programmes and educational offerings, self-help and interest representation, it shapes society, state, economy and church. It works to overcome unjust structures and designs just alternatives. The KAB is active in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In Germany, it is organised into diocesan associations such as Aachen, Augsburg, Bamberg, Berlin, Dresden-Meißen, Eichstätt, Erfurt (Meiningen), Essen, Freiburg, Fulda, Görlitz, Hamburg, Hildesheim, Köln, Limburg, Magdeburg (dissolved as of 31 December 2019), Mainz, München und Freising, Münster, Osnabrück, Paderborn, Passau, Regensburg, Rottenburg-Stuttgart, Speyer, Trier and Würzburg. The youth organisation CAJ, founded independently in 1925, works with the KAB. The Associazioni Cristiane Lavoratori Italiani Germania (ACLI Germania) is a member of KAB Deutschlands. In 2014 the KAB in Germany had about 125,000 members. Since October 2015, Andreas Luttmer-Bensmann and Beate Schwittay form the federal board of KAB Deutschlands. The KAB is a registered association (e.V.) and is not listed on any stock exchange.

The KAB emerged from the merger of workers' associations that had constituted themselves as educational and self-help associations since the mid-19th century. In 1849, the first workers' association was founded in Regensburg, among other things as a support fund. From 1860, Christian-social associations emerged that, in view of the 'social question', demanded equal political, social and societal rights for workers. With around 22,000 members in 1872, these associations together were the largest workers' organisation in Germany. One of the great promoters of workers' associations was the Mainz 'workers' bishop' Wilhelm Emmanuel von Ketteler, who had already addressed the social question as a young priest in his Advent sermons in 1848 in Mainz Cathedral. Contrary to the ecclesiastical zeitgeist of eliminating the plight of workers exclusively through charity, Bishop Ketteler also relied on active interest representation of workers. Due to the Kulturkampf and the Socialist Laws in the 1870s, the workers' associations had to cease their work in large parts. Starting from the Katholikentag in 1884 in Amberg, however, an intra-church spirit of optimism spread, which contributed to the re-founding of numerous parish-organised Catholic workers' associations. Promoters and founders of these associations were often young clergy close to the people and familiar with the fate of workers, the so-called 'red chaplains'. The first Catholic workers' support association was founded by Wilhelm Emmanuel von Ketteler in 1849 in Regensburg. The Catholic workers' associations received explicit recognition and orientation through the first great social encyclical Rerum novarum by Pope Leo XIII in 1891. In that year, the association of South German Catholic workers' associations was formed in southern Germany. The workers' associations in Central and East Germany and in the Diocese of Trier joined together in 1897 in the Association of Catholic Workers' Associations 'Sitz Berlin'. In 1903, the 'West German Association of Catholic Workers', Women Workers' and Miners' Associations' was founded. After the National Socialists' seizure of power in 1933, the workers' associations were banned in rows and many associations lost their property. The Westdeutsche Arbeiterzeitung, the organ of the West German workers' associations, was banned. From the bishops, who had left it at restrained verbal protests against the dissolution of the associations, the association leaderships then demanded support and more energetic steps - in vain. The then leadership of the West German Association, the workers' secretary Bernhard Letterhaus, association president Otto Müller and the editor of the Westdeutsche Arbeiterzeitung Nikolaus Groß, were arrested in the course of the arrests after the assassination attempt of 20 July 1944. Groß and Letterhaus had contact with the Goerdeler resistance circle. In sham and show trials of the People's Court under the chairmanship of judge Roland Freisler, Groß and Letterhaus were sentenced to death. Letterhaus was executed on 15 November 1944 and Groß on 23 January 1945 in Plötzensee. President Müller was arrested on 18 September 1944. He was taken to Tegel prison, where he fell ill. He died a month later on 12 October 1944 in the state prison of the police. The former KAB secretary in the Diocese of Augsburg, Hans Adlhoch, was also arrested after the Stauffenberg assassination and taken to Dachau concentration camp. On the so-called death march at the end of April he fell ill. Shortly after liberation he succumbed to his illness in a Munich military hospital. After the end of the war, the Catholic workers' associations dissolved by the National Socialists reassembled in many places in West Germany. What did not succeed was the re-establishment of the Catholic Workers' Youth, the youth association of the workers' associations, as some bishops instead supported the construction of the Christian Workers' Youth (CAJ) and wanted to prevent any competition between two youth associations of the Catholic workers' movement. In the southern German area, a new beginning of the former workers' associations took place in 1947 under the name 'Werkvolk - South German Association of Catholic Employees'. On 22 and 23 May 1971, the South German and West German associations as well as the Rottenburg-Stuttgart state association came together for the 1st Federal Association Day in Würzburg and founded the Federal Association of the Catholic Workers' Movement as an umbrella organisation. The guest of honour at the 1st Federal Association Day was Archbishop Hélder Câmara, who spoke before 10,000 participants. From the Werkvolk emerged the Catholic Workers' Movement. After the founding of the new federal association, KAB Deutschlands e.V., on 3 October 2003, the regional associations dissolved and were transferred into KAB Deutschlands e.V. In March 2014, one of the three members of the federal leadership, Federal Chairman Georg Hupfauer, resigned due to investigations into the accusation of possession of child pornographic images. In terms of content, in 2012 the KAB joined the Umfairteilen alliance and advocates, among other things, an unconditional basic income. It therefore participated in 2012 in the BIEN congress, as well as in 2013 in a European Citizens' Initiative calling on the European Commission to seek ways to introduce an unconditional basic income in Europe. 'We need a Europe for all people, not a Europe of banks and corporations,' said the KAB's basic income expert Matthias Blöcher in this appeal. The KAB Deutschlands e.V. is divided into diocesan associations. All KAB associations/local groups of a diocese form the diocesan association. Currently, KAB Deutschlands consists of the diocesan associations Aachen, Augsburg, Bamberg, Berlin, Dresden-Meißen, Eichstätt, Erfurt (Meiningen), Essen, Freiburg, Fulda, Görlitz, Hamburg, Hildesheim, Köln, Limburg, Magdeburg (dissolved as of 31 December 2019), Mainz, München und Freising, Münster, Osnabrück, Paderborn, Passau, Regensburg, Rottenburg-Stuttgart, Speyer, Trier and Würzburg. Associations and local groups of a region can form a district association. As a youth organisation, the CAJ, founded independently in 1925, works with the KAB. Furthermore, the Associazioni Cristiane Lavoratori Italiani Germania (ACLI Germania) is a member of KAB Deutschlands. In 2014 the KAB in Germany had about 125,000 members. Since October 2015, Andreas Luttmer-Bensmann and Beate Schwittay form the federal board of KAB Deutschlands.

• 2019

  Magdeburg diocesan association dissolved as of 31 December.

• 2015

  Andreas Luttmer-Bensmann and Beate Schwittay form the federal board.

• 2014

  Federal Chairman Georg Hupfauer resigns; KAB has about 125,000 members.

• 2012

  KAB joins the Umfairteilen alliance and advocates unconditional basic income.

• 2003

  KAB Deutschlands e.V. founded on 3 October; regional associations dissolved.

• 1971

  First Federal Association Day in Würzburg; Federal Association of the Catholic Workers' Movement founded.

• 1947

  South German associations re-founded as 'Werkvolk - South German Association of Catholic Employees'.

• 1944

  Bernhard Letterhaus and Nikolaus Groß executed; Otto Müller dies in custody.

• 1933

  National Socialists ban workers' associations; many lose property.

• 1903

  West German Association of Catholic Workers, Women Workers and Miners' Associations founded.

• 1897

  Central and East German associations and Trier diocese form the 'Sitz Berlin' association.

• 1891

  Pope Leo XIII issues Rerum novarum; South German Catholic workers' associations merge.

• 1872

  Associations have around 22,000 members, the largest workers' organisation in Germany.

• 1860

  Christian-social associations emerge, demanding equal rights for workers.

• 1849

  First Catholic workers' support association founded by Wilhelm Emmanuel von Ketteler in Regensburg.

A Catholic social association advocating for workers' rights, social justice and the 'activity society' based on Catholic social teaching.

• Rechtsschutz (legal protection)

• Bildungsangebote (educational offerings)

• Ratgeber (guides)

• Wort in Bewegung (publication)

1. 1Startseite - KAB Deutschlands e.V.kab.de
2. 2Geschichte - Über uns - KAB Deutschlands e.V.kab.de
3. 3Über uns - KAB Deutschlands e.V.kab.de
4. 4Die KAB - Über uns - KAB Deutschlands e.V.kab.de
5. 5Katholische Arbeitnehmer-Bewegungwikidata.org
6. 6Katholische Arbeitnehmer-Bewegungde.wikipedia.org