Peter Cahensly

Simon Peter Paul Cahensly ( born October 28, 1838 in Limburg an der Lahn, † December 25, 1923 in Koblenz ) was a German merchant, and Catholic social policy. In particular, he was concerned about the support of German emigrants deserves.

Life and professional commitment

Cahenslys grandparents were originally from the Swiss Grisons, but also had a house in Limburg, which later became the family seat. Cahensly attended secondary school in Limburg and the Real Gymnasium in Trier. He then completed a commercial education in Cologne and worked as a merchant in Le Havre later. There he learned the hard lot of the emigrants know overseas. Professionally, he traveled to many parts of Germany and many European countries. In 1868 he took over the family in Limburg, the wholesale business with groceries and worked in banking. Cahensly expanded the business further.

Cahensly was a strict Catholic, so he attended mass daily and live the apprentices of his company with him was to educate them also to good Christians. Also he strengthened himself, for the settlement of the SAC in Limburg.

1870 was one of the founders of Cahensly Nassauer messenger who was henceforth printed in the Limburg Vereinsdruckerei to their founders Cahensly also belonged.

Emigrants Help

Cahensly founded in 1871 the " St. To this organizational help and provide protection Raphael Club for the protection of German emigrants. " Was important to him but also the religious component because the club took care, in particular, the " salvation " of the emigrants.

As Secretary General of the Association Cahensly 1883 traveled to the United States. The goal was the living conditions of the emigrants on the crossing to get to know her situation after arriving in New York City as well as in the target areas. During the three -month trip, he visited German settlers in various states.

In 1898 he was appointed to the Advisory Council for the emigrants being. A year later he became president of the St. Raphael Society. In the long run led Cahenslys activity to improve the conditions in the ports and on the emigrant ships. It created international organizations to protect emigrants. In Germany came last but not least, at the instigation of Cahensly an empire Law on Emigration Office ( 1897) to pass.

In addition to the emigrants, he also worked to bring Catholic seafarers by establishing seafarer missions as well as Italian seasonal workers.

Dispute over the Cahenslyismus

In the United States the attempt of his club met German -speaking pastoral care for emigrants to create resistance as you partly to assert a national " Cahenslyismus " imputed to him. In fact Cahensly claimed as speaker of part of the German -born Catholics who were anti- liberal mostly because of the culture war in their homeland, a certain amount of independence and consideration of this group by the church hierarchy in America. In contrast, the Archbishop John Ireland and Cardinal James Gibbons called for a rapid Americanization of immigrants. Pope Leo XIII. wrote in 1899 then the letter " Testem benevolentiae " to Cardinal Gibbons, with whom he wanted to bring calm to the American lively discussion.

Political action

Cahensly was also politically active. He was from 1904 to 1914 the city council, and council member. He was also a member of the Reichstag for the Centre Party 1886-1916 the Prussian House of Representatives and from 1898 to 1903.

End of the 19th century, he campaigned for the preservation of the soda fountain, after the wells had 1875 lost its leading position in the market and was acquired by the bottle manufacturer Friedrich Siemens in 1894. Also called Cahensly an extension of the so far agreed with the communities of Lower and Upper House seltzer trunks on the citizens of several adjacent communities, but could not prevail. He also fought unsuccessfully on behalf of the Westerwald Kannenbacker for the contractually agreed with Siemens loss of two million jars per year, to the fulfillment of the company did not stop.

Honors

1899 Cahensly received the Papal Cross of Honor "Pro Ecclesia et pontifice " in gold, and in 1907 was appointed papal chamberlain secret. On October 28, 1913, he was made an honorary citizen of the town of Limburg. Today in Limburg, the Peter -Paul- Cahensly school and a street named after him.