The Scheuern Foundation (German: Stiftung Scheuern) is a diaconal institution for disabled people. It cares for people with intellectual disabilities, acquired brain damage, and mental illness. The Scheuern Foundation supports these groups of people with a wide range of services, from individual forms of housing, education, and training to jobs in sheltered workshops and in local companies. It also focuses on therapeutic support for people with disabilities, day and leisure activities, guest care as part of preventative care, and much more.
The Scheuern Foundation, a civil law charitable organization, is headquartered in the Scheuern district of Nassau. Along with several listed buildings located there, the foundation manages numerous other homes in the Rhine-Lahn-Westerwald region. It has approximately 1200 employees and is a member of both Diakonie Hessen and the Bundesverband Evangelische Behindertenhilfe (BeB) (Federal Association of Protestant Disability Assistance).
The Scheuern Foundation has a long and eventful history dating back to its establishment in 1850, with some of its buildings being significantly older. During the National Socialist era, the Scheuern Foundation was the only institution associated with the Inner Mission to serve as an intermediate institution for the Nazi killing center Hadamar, setting a precedent with its takeover. For over 1500 people, the Scheuern Foundation was the last stop before they were murdered. During this time, 153 individuals died within the facilities of the Scheuern Foundation. The post-war era until the 1980s saw a modification in the attitude towards disabled individuals in society. There was no conscious confrontation with the National Socialist past until the mid-1990s. There have been ongoing structural changes up until the present year of 2020 and beyond.
Location and description
The primary complex of the Scheuern Foundation is in the Scheuern district, adjacent to the town of Nassau in the Mühlbach valley, encompassing the surrounding forests and the Nassau Castle. Due to its size, the facility dominates the townscape of Scheuern.Nach Auskunft des Bürgermeisters vom 16. April 2011 hat Scheuern 777 Einwohner, davon 381 in der Stiftung Scheuern To the north and east, the facility's grounds are bordered by the Mühlbach river, which is accessible via a bridge. The foundation's grounds extend from a valley in the northeastern area to a ridge in the west, while Friedhofstrasse and the Am Schimmerich street border the southern perimeter of the grounds.
The central part of the complex includes several historic buildings, such as Haus am Bach, Haus Bodelschwingh, Weißen Haus, Schlösschen, Alten Haus, and the Casino (with a central kitchen). These structures are all listed buildings.
Beyond the central area, the Scheuern Foundation possesses various vital components. Within Nassau, the foundation owns the Wohnheim Lahnberg, with six houses in total, alongside the Neuzebachweg house, a Gerhart-Hauptmann-street residential building in the downtown area, an orthopaedic shoe technology shop, and a workshop for individuals with disabilities in Mühlbachtal. Additionally, the foundation has another sheltered workshop in Singhofen. The Elmar-Cappi-Haus in Bad Ems operates as a residential facility for individuals with acquired brain damage and intellectual disabilities, a counselling center for those experiencing mental illness, a vocational integration service, an assembly and service centre with a print shop, and a worldshop. In Nastätten, there are two homes for disabled individuals and a worldshop. In Laurenburg, the foundation owns a residential home and a day support center. In Hillscheid the foundation manages a CAP market offering job opportunities subject to social security contributions for six people with different disabilities, amongst others. There is also the Hofgut Mauch in Misselberg, a fruit farm integrating controlled cultivation.
Organization
The Scheuern Foundation is an institution for disabled people. It offers assistance, support, and encouragement based on individual needs. The procedure for designing care for people with disabilities (GBM) (Gestaltung der Betreuung von Menschen mit Behinderung) is used for quality assurance.
It is committed to enabling individuals with disabilities to actively engage in societal activities and lead self-determined lives. As a member of the Diakonisches Werk Hessen und Nassau e. V., the Federal Association of Protestant Disability Assistance, and the Federal Association of Foundations, the Scheuern Foundation offer 650 specialized residential placements. These are complemented by outpatient services like assisted living. The Langauer Mill, a workshop for individuals with disabilities, provides approximately 180 work and training opportunities. Those unable to work in a workshop due to the nature and severity of their disability are supported in the day support center.
The Werkstatt für behinderte Menschen (WfbM) (workshop for people with disabilities) within the Scheuern Foundation has been officially recognized by the state since 1977 and operates as an economically independent entity within the foundation.
Approximately 430 individuals find suitable employment across various locations in these workshops as part of their integration into the workforce. Some employees reside in the foundation's residential facilities, while others commute to work.
History
Founded as a rescue center for homeless boys
The middle of the 19th century was characterized by the social upheavals of industrialization. Traditional family relationships broke down and traditional village communities disintegrated. This breakdown left many children and youth facing poverty and homelessness. In response, several towns established rescue centers, offering these neglected boys a place to call home and guiding them toward becoming responsible citizens.Stefan Koppelmann Ein Streifzug durch die Geschichte der Heime Scheuern in Stadt Nassau Ursprung und Gestaltung Geschichte und Geschichten pp. 162, Stadt Nassau 1997
The Protestant chaplain Burchardi, teacher Reichard, and Countess Henriette von Giech, daughter of the Imperial Baron vom und zum Stein and an advocate of Burchardi's plan to establish a rescue center, were instrumental in its founding two years after the 1st Wittenberg Church Congress held in 1848. This church conference proved pivotal in the history of the Scheuern Homes. Johann Hinrich Wichern's lecture promoting the foundation of rescue homes was instrumental in inspiring Burchardi's organization of a similar home in Nassau. This lecture also led to the establishment of the Central Committee for Inner Mission in 1848 - an umbrella organization for numerous similar initiatives.
To initiate and operate the rescue center, an association was formed, dedicated to gathering donations. Teacher H. Reichard, a friend of Burchardi's, offered his schoolhouse in Hömberg for use as accommodation, where the first boy was accommodated on October 18, 1850.Heime bauen Wohnangebote im ganzen Kreis aus In: Rhein-Lahn-Zeitung vom 22. Juni 2010
The following year, Countess von Giech facilitated the relocation of the rescue center to Langenau Castle between Obernhof and Nassau. Eduard Zais oversaw the necessary construction work.
By 1865, the rescue center housed twenty boys, but that same year, Countess von Giech died. Concurrently, the association successfully acquired the small castle in Scheuern along with a mill and some land. The small castle, the central structure of the Scheuern Homes, had its origins in a small moated castle built in 1596 as a widow's residence for Countess Maria von Nassau-Idstein. She inhabited this castle from 1607 onwards.Schlösser, Burgen und Museen im Naturpark Nassau S. 21, Zweckverband Naturpark Nassau The association incurred significant debt with these acquisitions, which impeded their work. To seek assistance, the association's board approached Johann Hinrich Wichern who dispatched Moritz Desiderius Horny, one of his most experienced employees, to Scheuern.Stefan Koppelmann Ein Streifzug durch die Geschichte der Heime Scheuern in Stadt Nassau Ursprung und Gestaltung Geschichte und Geschichten S. 163, Stadt Nassau 1997
From a rescue center to a facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities
From 1863 onwards, Horny took on the leadership role at the home. There was a realization that numerous rescue centers had emerged in the administrative district of Wiesbaden, resulting in an oversupply. This led to a shift in the institution's focus, recognizing a lack of dedicated institutions for individuals with mental disabilities.Stefan Koppelmann Ein Streifzug durch die Geschichte der Heime Scheuern in Stadt Nassau Ursprung und Gestaltung Geschichte und Geschichten pp. 165, Stadt Nassau 1997Bernhard Fischer Heime Scheuern 1963–1987 pp. 60, Heime Scheuern 1987
The latter half of the 19th century was marked by substantial social change. Between 1871 and 1910, the populations of Frankfurt, Wiesbaden, and Offenbach saw significant growth: Frankfurt by 355%, Wiesbaden by 207%, and Offenbach by 148%, mainly due to rural exodus.Martina Schrapper: … 100 Anfragen zum Theil dringlichster Art … In: Christian Schrapper, Dieter Sengling (Hrsg.): Die Idee der Bildbarkeit – 100 Jahre sozialpädagogische Praxis in der Heilerziehungsanstalt Kalmenhof. Juventa Verlag, Weinheim/München 1988. For working-class families, most of whom lived at the subsistence level, the placement of a disabled family member in an institution was a considerable relief, especially since the state governor paid for the placement after the Supportive Housing Act was amended in 1892.From 1869 onwards, the tasks were to educate and treat "educationally capable individuals with intellectual disabilities" and to care for and support "educationally incapable individuals with intellectual disabilities." The statutes of 1872 explicitly stated that the Scheuern Homes were a Protestant institution, and therefore all employees were required to profess their Protestant denomination. However, pupils of other denominations were also accepted and received religious instruction specific to their beliefs.
Debt relief and expansion Horny achieved a milestone by eliminating the institution's debt, hiring a hospital doctor in 1878, and overseeing its consistent expansion. Over a sixteen-year period between 1870 and 1886, the Scheuern Homes received 1,225 admission applications, of which 807 had to be declined due to space and staff constraints. To address the growing demand, additional properties were procured: the Knabenhaus (now the Altes Haus) in 1875 and the Langauer Mill in 1888. Moreover, new constructions were initiated, such as the Mädchenhaus (now the Weißes Haus) in 1886 and the Rote Haus (now the Haus Bodelschwingh) in 1895.Stefan Koppelmann Ein Streifzug durch die Geschichte der Heime Scheuern in Stadt Nassau Ursprung und Gestaltung Geschichte und Geschichten pp. 164, Stadt Nassau 1997
During this time, the institution established workspaces and workshops intended for both educational and commercial purposes. These spaces encompassed various trades, including carpentry, basket weaving, tailoring, straw weaving, and a bakery. Livestock breeding and agriculture also played essential roles in the economic foundation of the Scheuern Homes.
The Supportive Housing Act of 1892 brought a change to institutions like the Scheuern Homes. With the provincial governor assuming the costs of accommodating disabled family members, the homes' economic basis strengthened, making them less reliant on donations.
Schools were increasingly controlled by the state at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1902, the government mandated the development of a curriculum for the first time. The name Anstalt Scheuern was utilized from 1905 onward.
The First World War and the years that followed