Opportunities for the weakest

Hans-Rudolf Merkel - Johanneum Children and Youth Foundation

It is the only foundation in the city of Chemnitz: the Johanneum Children and Youth Foundation. It organises projects to give young people in Chemnitz a perspective, most of whom are on the dark side of life. Hans-Rudolf Merkel, Chairman of the Board of Directors, explains the motivation behind the foundation and how the 20th anniversary of its re-establishment is being celebrated in the Macher der Woche interview.

Mr Merkel, you have been involved in the Johanneum Children and Youth Foundation for 20 years. Why is that?

It has always been important to me to be involved in the social sector. It is a satisfying task to be able to be there for children and young people in Chemnitz. I grew up in Chemnitz-Harthau and still live there today. The "Geschwister Scholl" children's home, which the foundation established after 1924, was located in this neighbourhood until 1989. The children cared for there during the GDR era, like me, went to the POS Harthau. I still remember some of my encounters with these children today. But that was only one of the reasons for my involvement in the foundation.

And as the director of the Chemnitz City Mission at the time, you were closely involved in the process anyway, right?

Yes, I was actively involved in the process of re-establishing the foundation as part of my work on the youth welfare committee of the city of Chemnitz. But the connection to social welfare is also historically visible. The founder of the foundation, Carl Christian Hübner, was probably in contact with the theologian Johann Hinrich Wichern, who developed the foundations for the modern social pedagogy of the time at the Rauhes Haus in Hamburg. As J. H. Wichern is regarded as the founder of organised social welfare in Germany, it was an honour for me to be involved on the board and later as chairman as the then director of the Chemnitz City Mission.

The foundation was re-established in 2002. But let's start at the beginning: how did it come about?

In 1855, at the time of early industrialisation, there was a large textile industry on the banks of the Chemnitz river. Christian Hübner was co-owner of a factory that dyed textile fabrics. This work was harmful to his health. As a private teacher, he came into contact with child labour. When King Johann of Saxony visited Chemnitz in 1855, Hübner asked him to use his name. This gave rise to the Johanneum Foundation, which is still known and revitalised today.

The original intention was to support orphans?

Christian Hübner had the purpose of the foundation stipulated: "For the education of morally neglected children from Chemnitz, modelled on the Rauhen Haus in Hamburg". This purpose must not be bent by anyone and has not been bent by anyone through all the eras of society, neither under the Nazi regime nor in the GDR era. We have also been bound by this purpose since the foundation was revitalised in 2002. Today, nobody says "morally neglected children of Chemnitz" anymore, but our focus is on socially disadvantaged children of Chemnitz.

How did the re-establishment come about?

The foundation's assets and the buildings, houses and land that had been created up to that point were nationalised in 1950. After reunification, they initially became the assets of the Free State of Saxony and were then transferred back to the city of Chemnitz. The main building is the former Geschwister-Scholl-Heim in Harthau. At the beginning of the 2000s, we were faced with the question: Do we want to use the children's facilities in their original character as a children's home? Or is it more appropriate, according to new socio-educational findings, to be there for the children in residential groups and other alternative forms and to look after them? This was the subject of intense debate in the city of Chemnitz, in the youth welfare committee and all the specialised committees. In the end, the decision was made to sell the property and part of the land and to transfer the proceeds to the foundation's capital. The foundation was thus re-established in 2002 - linked to the purpose of the foundation, but specifically focussed on socially disadvantaged children in Chemnitz in order to support them financially and also to co-finance youth welfare projects as start-up funding and, if necessary, as individual assistance.

How is the foundation financed?

We are the only municipal foundation in the city of Chemnitz. That is a unique selling point. The work on the Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees is carried out on a voluntary basis, and the city provides us with support in the form of a staff position, which is based at the Youth Welfare Office. We finance our project work from the income generated by the foundation. Our starting capital from sales in 2002 was around 250,000 euros, and to date we have succeeded in doubling the foundation's capital through endowments. That is remarkable.

Which projects can apply for funding?

They have to be projects that are concerned with children and young people in Chemnitz. In the case of independent youth welfare organisations, our focus is on new projects. Before you can enter the regular funding cycle and submit an application to the youth welfare office, you have to make an advance payment and we are happy to provide this with start-up funding. In addition, we also support individuals who need a financial grant for an event, occasion or if they are in a particularly difficult situation.

In 2009, you created your own brand: the Joanneum Academy. What is the idea behind it?

The idea is to take around 15 children from socially disadvantaged families out for a week during the spring and autumn holidays. They are then looked after for a week at the KJF school camp in Küchwald. And we have now created ten different modules: Medicine and health, learning to learn, historical topics, art, creative activities. The aim is for the children to experience community with other children and to make them want to get up early, want to go to school and realise that working with your own hands and being able to finance your own life in a proper job is a wonderful thing. This has been very well received. Since the programme started in 2009, we have reached 300 to 400 children between the ages of 10 and 14 in Chemnitz.

How are the children selected?

Through the school social workers or the social services at the youth welfare office. They have contact with the families. Of course, this only works with the support of the parents.

The next Foundation Day will take place on 8 September. What is planned there?

It's a special day because we're celebrating the re-establishment of the foundation 20 years ago. We are very grateful that the Lord Mayor of the City of Chemnitz has taken on the patronage of the Foundation Day and that the event will take place in the City Council Chamber of the City Hall. That is really something special. Some of the children who took part in the last summer camp will also be there. There will be speeches from the foundation's history officer and a school social worker to put our work into context.

How has your work changed over the past 20 years?

First of all, we had to publicise the idea of the foundation. In the beginning, we had little money to distribute and a large number of independent youth welfare organisations that submitted applications via the youth welfare office. Over the past two to three years, we have realised that there are relatively few sponsors. Now that we have a bit more money, we could do more.

Is there a particular experience that has shaped your work?

During the coronavirus years, we weren't able to implement much of the actual programme. That's why we created a Christmas parcel campaign and once for the start of school. Meeting the children and receiving a kind word - these are experiences that leave a lasting impression. And they encourage us to continue on our path as far as possible.

What do you wish for the future of the foundation?

That the idea of the foundation becomes even more widely publicised and can be integrated even more broadly into urban society. I hope that there are more people who look beyond their own horizons and say: "Where can I get involved, where can I help?" It doesn't always have to be money. I also hope, of course, that the city will continue to support us as a municipal foundation as much as it can. I think that will go a long way towards ensuring that the foundation can continue to develop and thrive.