Adolph Kolping
Adolph Kolping ( born December 8, 1813 in Kerpen near Cologne, † December 4, 1865 in Cologne ) was a German Catholic priest who dealt in particular with the social question, and the founder of the Kolping Society.
- 4.1 Kolping Museum
- 4.2 200 - year celebration in 2013
- 4.3 Radwanderweg
Life
Childhood and crafts teaching
Adolph Kolping was the fourth of five children of the wage shepherd Peter Kolping († April 12, 1845 ) and his wife Anna Maria, née Zurheyden († April 4, 1833 ). He grew up in modest circumstances. From 1820 to 1826 he attended elementary school. At age 12, he learned at the request of parents in Kerpen first shoemaking. His childhood described Kolping spite of family poverty than happy. According to the teaching and the trade test Kolping worked from 1829 to 1832 as a shoemaker in Sindorf, Düren and Lechenich and then in one of the then leading workshops in Cologne. The offer to marry into this operation, he refused and joined the site.
How to get admitted
Kolping was horrified by the often inhumane living conditions and lifestyles of most craftsmen, whom he met during his travels. A potentially caused by these conditions illness forced him as a 22 -year-olds, temporarily giving up the activity as a craftsman. Nearly two years later - at the age of almost 24 years - he attended high school in order to study it and to become a priest. Before Kolping entered the Marzellengymnasium in Cologne in the fall of 1837, he took lessons at the local pastors in Latin.
After only three and a half years Kolping was a high school; on April 3, 1841, he received the " certificate of maturity ". He then studied in Munich (1841-1842) and Bonn (1842-1844) and, from the March 26, 1844 at the Archbishop's Clericalseminar in Cologne theology. In Munich he was Wilhelm Emmanuel von Ketteler, the future Bishop of Mainz, to study friend with whom he could discuss the social question. That he was able to study without economic hardship, he owed substantially Marialen ( Mary Helen) Meller (* April 16, 1809, † May 19, 1878 ), a daughter of the landowner whose sheep herding his father. She had taken the vow in the care of a people close to her to support a theology student. Received support Kolping but also by other benefactors.
Priests and " journeyman father "
Kaplan in Elberfeld
On April 13, 1845 he was ordained a priest in Cologne Minoritenkirche and then first in Elberfeld, today a part of Wuppertal, as a chaplain appointed to the parish of St. Lawrence and religion teacher at the secondary and Gewerbschule to Elberfeld. He met again in the same social situation as it did in Cologne as a journeyman. With deep poverty, slavish labor exploitation and general impoverishment linked for many young men mental neglect and apathy to a milieu that gave little hope for a meaningful life. In June 1847 he was elected as the successor of the company founded by Wermelskirchen offset Kaplan Steenartz the second Church President in 1846 by Johann Gregor Breuer ( 1820-1897 ) Catholic journeymen association, which far from its members and particularly in the years of traveling home social support, education, socializing a religious support was. Kolping recognized the importance of the journeyman club and was anxious to carry out the idea about Elberfeld, which, however, only of a major city was made possible after his conviction. He therefore asked Archbishop John of scourge for a job in Cologne.
Founder of the Cologne journeyman Association
1849 returned Kolping as Vicar back to Cologne, where he founded on May 6, with seven companions in the Columba School Cologne Journeymen's Association; on 1 January 1850, the club had 550 members. As in Cologne rapidly emerged in other cities journeymen's associations; up to Kolping's death in 1865 there were 418 with 24,000 members. In the autumn of 1850 Kolping closed the clubs Elberfeld, Cologne and Dusseldorf to " Rheinische journeyman League", the 1851 " Catholic Journeymen's Association " was called to discuss the Rhine borders to be open. This merger has been the nucleus of today's international Kolping Society.
The club should give the wandering journeymen a similar footing as offered by Kolping conviction only the family, and he initiated journeyman hospices should be a family house for the members, " in which they to some extent find their family, like-minded and equal friends and with them together in an intimate friendly way. " journeymen the houses were therefore not only homely hostel, but also school, which enabled the young craftsmen to form their religious, political and technical. They should also provide an opportunity for socializing.
Furthermore, nurses were in the club chosen, who were obliged by statute, a patient who has reported them to visit in the course of 24 hours and to find out about the disease as well as their reason, if necessary, summon medical help and care for the sick. About this Nursing addition Kolping introduced himself as a pastor for cholera victims available. A compensation of the City of Cologne for these activities, he refused; the money was used for the Journeymen's Association.
Gesellenhaus on Breite Straße in Cologne
The journeyman hospices held Kolping essential and tried since 1851 to purchase a house for the journeyman club Cologne. In a specially brought out brochure he asked in " begging articles in favor of the Hospitiums " to raise funds for the home. On August 14, 1852 he bought in Broad Street for 14,200 thalers a property with a large building and garden to set up meeting rooms and a hospice for traveling companions. On 8 May 1853 the house was ready for occupation, which was not only hostel, but a kind of home school.
Kolping as a publicist
Already in his time as Kolping wrote poetry and was working as a journalist during his studies from time to time. Since the years in Elberfeld then Kolping worked alongside his pastoral activity more and more as a writer and journalist. He wrote, among other things, the " Rhenish Church Journal ", which appeared in Dusseldorf, was from 1850 and editor from 1852 to 1853 editor of the " Catholic People's Calendar," and from 1854 to 1865 editor of the " calendar of the Catholic people ." From 1850 to 1854 he wrote for the " Rhenish Church leaf " before he founded the weekly newspaper " Rheinische folk music ", whose first issue was published on 1 April 1854, and quickly became one of the most successful Catholic press organs of their time. In addition Kolping worked until his death as a freelance contributor to various newspapers and magazines.
Kolping saw in the press work is a possibility, the grievances of the 19th century and in particular the economic as well as emotional distress of many people point out to relieve them. Working as a journalist brought him also for his life's work, the Journeymen's Association, necessary economic security.
Last years of life
From his youth Kolping met serious diseases. Nevertheless, he got himself elected in 1858 Praeses of all hitherto existing 180 journeymen's associations and put all force one to spread the Journeymen's Association on. To this end he undertook sometimes arduous journeys. However, in September 1861, he had to participate in the Catholic in Munich and at the meeting of the Gesellenvereinspräsides cancel after his health had deteriorated threatening. In May 1862 but it was granted Kolping to travel to Rome and present to the Pope his work. In recognition of Pius IX gave him. a precious chasuble, which is still preserved.
Temporarily located Kolping health seemed to stabilize, but in spring 1865, he was suffering from severe arthritis in the right forearm. Once again, he traveled to promote the Journeymen's Association: In September he went to Trier and took part in the inauguration of the journeyman house. Afterwards, however, became more frequent choking, where he died in Gesellenhaus on Breite Straße four days before completion of 52 years of age.
Since 1862 Kolping was rector of Minoritenkirche (Cologne), in which he was buried according to his wish on April 30, 1866. He was initially buried in the Melatenfriedhof.
Successor of Adolph Kolping in the Office of Praeses
Beatification
On March 21, 1934 Opened Karl Joseph Cardinal Schulte, Archbishop of Cologne, formally the beatification process for Adolph Kolping.
On October 27, 1991 Kolping of Pope John Paul II was beatified. The Roman Catholic Church celebrates the commemoration of Adolph Kolping on December 4. Previously visited by Pope John Paul II on 15 November 1980, the Minoritenkirche Cologne. At the grave Kolping he prayed and formulated the sentence: ". Such models as Adolph Kolping we need for the Church today " The canonization process continues.
Kolping and Kerpen today
Kolping Museum
1963 150th to Kolping birthday, a museum under the auspices of the Kolping Society was in an annexe of the house, the Kolping brother William built yet during his lifetime in 1849 on the site of new, Kolping birthplace was at the Kerpen, set up the originals or timely documents and exhibits to life, work and aftereffect exhibited. The basis of the furniture came from the estate of his niece Anna Catharina Kolping ( 1841-1914 ), daughter of his brother William, who had led Kolping household and inherited him. She had moved to Kerpen after the death of her uncle again. The built there cobbler's workshop (table and tool ) from the mid-19th century to date from the possession of Adolph Kolping. The house was bought in 1913 by the General Council of the Catholic journeymen association. The furniture has been 1926 is the Kerpener Journeymen's Association. House and museum concept underwent a thorough renovation in Kolping 2013. Viewing is free of charge according to agreement with the local Kolping House.
200 - year celebration in 2013
Kolping celebrates the 200th birthday of his native city with the series of events Kolping comes from Kerpen. In addition, the city has received an official approval to use the designation Kolping city of Kerpen.
Radwanderweg
On the initiative of students of the high school of the city of Kerpen and with the support of the bicycle-friendly city of Kerpen (since 2012) and sponsors was 20 km (with extension 30 km) marked the anniversary year a long circular route that leads to numerous memory stations from the life Kolping, which also the city's attractions.
Others
1967 Kolping and Crafts Museum was opened in Faltertor in Dettelbach. Kolping streets are home to numerous places.