Stiftung Eben-Ezer

Stiftung Eben-Ezer is a German diaconal (church-affiliated charitable) foundation headquartered in Lemgo in the Lippe district of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is a legally capable Protestant church foundation under private law and forms part of the v. Bodelschwinghsche Stiftungen Bethel, one of Germany's largest diaconal organizations. Its name derives from the biblical place Eben-Ezer, meaning "stone of help" (1 Samuel 7:12), and the foundation describes its mission as protecting and preserving life. The foundation traces its origins to 1862, when the teacher Simon August Topehlen (1832–1904), influenced by the revival movement of his time, took on the education of a girl named Henriette Ludolph. Although the authorities withdrew their support when the expected results did not materialize, Topehlen continued the work out of Christian conviction, and this decision is regarded as the founding act of Eben-Ezer. The institution was formally established as an "Anstalt für Blödsinnige" (institution for the intellectually disabled) in 1871, and Topehlen led it from 1887 until his death in 1904. Today Eben-Ezer supports roughly 1,000 children, young people and adults with intellectual disabilities and people with mental health impairments across its various locations. Its services span residential and outpatient living arrangements, day services, workshops, schools, kindergartens, medical and therapeutic services, and youth welfare. The foundation operates around 20 daycare centers and three schools, including the Simon August Topehlen special-needs school, the Berufskolleg Eben-Ezer vocational college, and the inclusive Ostschule primary school in central Lemgo. Its residential offerings are distributed across Lemgo, Bad Salzuflen, Lage, Detmold and other parts of the Lippe district. Eben-Ezer is recognized as a Protestant foundation and is affiliated with the Diakonisches Werk of the Lippische Landeskirche and, through it, with the Diakonisches Werk of the Evangelical Church in Germany. Its foundation assets consist of land and buildings, care fees, donations and third-party grants, and are bound to charitable purposes. The foundation is managed by Falko Heise and Maike Krüger as managing directors. It also actively confronts the problematic chapters of its own history, documenting the fates of residents affected by euthanasia and forced sterilization during the Nazi era through digital memorial books, publications and commemorative events.

The history of Stiftung Eben-Ezer begins with the teacher Simon August Topehlen (1832–1904), who came from Wüsten in Lippe and was shaped by the revival movement of his time. In the mid-19th century, the plight of disabled and therefore conspicuous children increasingly came into the view of churches and authorities. Topehlen, then teaching at the St. Marien school in Lemgo, was tasked with the education of a girl described in the language of the era as "blödsinnig" — in today's terms, intellectually disabled. The girl, Henriette Ludolph (1854–1876), was entrusted to him in 1862, and with the help of his sister Lina Topehlen he devoted himself to this task alongside his regular work. When the results did not meet the authorities' expectations — the girl learned neither arithmetic, reading nor writing — Topehlen was released from his obligations and the financial support was withdrawn. His decision, made consciously and out of Christian responsibility and love, to continue the work anyway is regarded as the founding act of Eben-Ezer. The year 1862 is therefore considered the foundation year, although the institution was not formally constituted as an "Anstalt" until nine years later. Lina Topehlen initially led the rapidly growing institution. In 1871, Topehlen and others, including the farmer Jobstharde and committed pastors, succeeded in founding the "Anstalt für Blödsinnige," in which disabled people were to receive schooling in a pedagogical manner. In 1887 Simon August Topehlen took over the leadership from his sister in a full-time capacity, at what is now known as the "Alt Eben-Ezer" site on Lagesche Straße. He led the institution until his death in 1904, dedicating his energies to the concerns of disabled people. The special-needs school of the foundation, focusing on intellectual development, bears his name. In the following years the institution grew rapidly. In 1912 a dedicated agricultural building was erected, intended not only to secure an independent food supply but also to give disabled people a workplace and thus a "normal" daily routine. During the Second World War and the post-war years, the number of residents rose from 300 to almost 800. Spatial constraints and the city of Lemgo's wish to site industry on the grounds of the old "Landhof" led to the purchase of land on the "Luherheide" in the north of Lemgo. The Nazi era brought a grave chapter. On 8 April 1937, more than 67 mostly young residents were transferred by order of the Oberpräsident of the Provinzialverband in Münster to the Provinzial-Heilanstalt Warstein, which served as an intermediate facility. The biographies of some patients are known; 36 of them were demonstrably murdered. The foundation today confronts this history openly, documenting the fates of those affected through digital memorial books on euthanasia and forced sterilization, publications, memorial stones and specialist conferences. In the post-war period, Max Otto Bruker became Medical Director from 1949. With the construction of the "Meierhof" on the newly acquired land in 1950, Eben-Ezer's spatial orientation shifted. The foundation stone for the "Neu Eben-Ezer" site was laid in 1957; this remains the foundation's administrative headquarters. Since the 1990s the foundation has increasingly organized itself in a decentralized manner. The move that began in the 1960s was originally intended to be accompanied by the dissolution of the "Alt Eben-Ezer" site on Lagesche Straße, but this was abandoned due to continued high capacity demand, and the site has been preserved to this day. Since then, numerous new residential homes, workshops, schools and other buildings for leisure and support have been built and expanded in various districts around Lemgo and throughout the Lippe district. In 1979, the institution was recognized as a legally capable Protestant foundation under private law by resolution of the regional church council of the Lippische Landeskirche. It is affiliated with the Diakonisches Werk of the Lippische Landeskirche and thus with the Diakonisches Werk of the Evangelical Church in Germany. Today the foundation is part of the v. Bodelschwinghsche Stiftungen Bethel and describes itself as a diaconia for life in diversity, committed to the recognition and promotion of different ways of life in an inclusive community.

• 1979

  Recognized as a legally capable Protestant foundation under private law by the Lippische Landeskirche.

• 1957

  Foundation stone laid for the "Neu Eben-Ezer" site, today the administrative headquarters.

• 1950

  Construction of the "Meierhof" on newly acquired land.

• 1949

  Max Otto Bruker becomes Medical Director.

• 1937

  On 8 April, more than 67 residents are transferred to the Provinzial-Heilanstalt Warstein; 36 are demonstrably murdered.

• 1912

  Construction of a dedicated agricultural building to secure food supply and provide work for residents.

• 1904

  Death of founder Simon August Topehlen.

• 1887

  Simon August Topehlen takes over full-time leadership of the institution from his sister Lina.

• 1871

  Founding of the "Anstalt für Blödsinnige" (institution for the intellectually disabled).

• 1862

  Simon August Topehlen takes on the education of Henriette Ludolph; regarded as the founding year of Eben-Ezer.

A Christian diaconal foundation providing inclusive, professional and life-near support for people of all ages, rooted in a Christian understanding of humanity and operating across the Lippe region.

• Wohnen (residential and outpatient living services)

• eeWerk (workshops)

• Berufskolleg Eben-Ezer (vocational college)

• Simon August Topehlen special-needs school

• Ostschule inclusive primary school

• MVZ Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie und Psychotherapie

• Kindergartens (around 20)

• Therapies and integrative sports

• Second-hand shop and boutique café

1. 1Eben-Ezer official websiteeben-ezer.de
2. 2Geschichte | Eben-Ezereben-ezer.de
3. 3Über Uns | Eben-Ezereben-ezer.de
4. 4Über Uns | Eben-Ezereben-ezer.de
5. 5Stiftung Eben-Ezer – Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Stiftung Eben-Ezer – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org