Deutscher Gemeinschafts-Diakonieverband

The Deutscher Gemeinschafts-Diakonieverband (DGD) is a German diaconal-missionary network headquartered in Marburg. It traces its origins to the founding of a Gemeinschafts-Schwesterhaus (community sister house) in Borken, East Prussia, on 20 October 1899 by Pastor Carl Ferdinand Blazejewski. After his death in 1900, Pastor Theophil Krawielitzki brought the young sisterhood to his parish in Vandsburg, West Prussia (today Więcbork, Poland), and built a motherhouse for them — the first Deaconess Motherhouse of the Protestant community movement. Further motherhouses followed in Marburg (1908, "Hebron"), Gunzenhausen (1909, "Hensoltshöhe") and Elbingerode (1921), and in 1922 the organization was legally constituted as the Deutscher Gemeinschafts-Diakonieverband with its seat in Marburg. Additional motherhouses were founded in Lachen (1932) and Velbert (1945, then called "Neuvandsburg-West"). Today the DGD network comprises more than 100 institutions across the fields of education, health and care, media and mission, guest and conference houses, life communities, life parks, congregational work and services. With more than 5,000 employees according to its own website (over 4,000 according to Wikipedia), it is one of the large diaconal employers in Germany, a member of the Diakonisches Werk of the Protestant Church and of the Evangelischer Gnadauer Gemeinschaftsverband. It maintains close ties to the AEM Arbeitsgemeinschaft Evangelikaler Missionen. Its motto "Weil Leben mehr ist" ("Because life is more") expresses its holistic approach of serving God and people. The DGD operates hospitals, senior and care facilities through the DGD-Stiftung, educational offerings from school and vocational training to theological study at the Evangelische Hochschule Tabor in Marburg, six national and four international deaconess houses, six life parks, around ten guest houses, publishing houses such as Francke-Verlag and Brunnen-Verlag, Alpha bookshops, Chrismedia, Marburger Medien and Marburger Mission, as well as congregational and community work. Member organizations include deaconess motherhouses in Elbingerode, Gunzenhausen (Stiftung Hensoltshöhe), Lachen, Lemförde, Marburg-Wehrda ("Hebron") and Velbert, plus partner communities in Switzerland, the United States, the Netherlands, Brazil, Japan and Rwanda. The DGD is a registered voluntary association (e.V.) led by a Vorstand. Its history includes a contested period during National Socialism, when director Theophil Krawielitzki dissolved DGD membership in the Gnadauer Gemeinschaftsverband in early 1935; the DGD rejoined in March 1946 after a confession of guilt under his successor Arno Haun. In November 2012 the DGD-Stiftung was founded, taking over the role of shareholder of DGD-GmbH Krankenhausbetriebe and Diakonie-Krankenhaus Harz GmbH. Leadership has changed several times in recent years: Joachim Drechsel chaired the board from 2016, followed by Claudia Fremder and Hubertus Jaeger from 2020, and Frieder Trommer became chairman in 2021. In June (recent news on the website) Frank Spatz was introduced as the new chairman of the board.

The origins of the Deutscher Gemeinschafts-Diakonieverband (DGD) lie in the spiritual revival movement in eastern Germany in the 1890s. Pastor Theophil Krawielitzki was active in Vandsburg (today Więcbork, Poland) at that time. On 20 October 1899, Pastor Carl Ferdinand Blazejewski founded a Gemeinschafts-Schwesterhaus (community sister house) in Borken, East Prussia. After Blazejewski died on 24 May 1900, Krawielitzki brought the young sisterhood to his parish in Vandsburg and had a motherhouse built for them — the first Deaconess Motherhouse of the Protestant community movement. Further deaconess motherhouses were founded in 1908 in Marburg ("Hebron"), in 1909 in Gunzenhausen ("Hensoltshöhe") and in 1921 in Elbingerode. In 1922 the organization was legally constituted as the Deutscher Gemeinschafts-Diakonieverband with its seat in Marburg. In 1932 another deaconess motherhouse was founded in Lachen, and in 1945 the Diakonissen-Mutterhaus Bleibergquelle in Velbert, then still under the name "Neuvandsburg-West". Founded in the context of the revival movement, the association unites faith communities, diaconal services and missionary engagement. The political and church-political stance of the DGD during the National Socialist era and the church struggle is controversial. In early 1935 the then director, Pastor Theophil Krawielitzki, dissolved the DGD's membership in the Gnadauer Gemeinschaftsverband. Only in March 1946 did the DGD, represented by Krawielitzki's successor, Pastor Arno Haun, rejoin the Gnadauer Verband after submitting a confession of guilt. In November 2012 the DGD-Stiftung was founded, which took over the tasks of the shareholder of DGD-GmbH Krankenhausbetriebe and Diakonie-Krankenhaus Harz GmbH. In 2016 Pastor Joachim Drechsel took over the chairmanship of the board; after his retirement, Claudia Fremder and Hubertus Jaeger continued this work from 2020. In 2021 Frieder Trommer became chairman of the board of DGD e.V. Most recently, Frank Spatz was introduced as the new chairman of the board at a festive service on 7 June, marking a significant personnel and structural change after five years under the previous leadership. Today the DGD network comprises more than 100 institutions in the fields of education, health and care, media and mission, guest and conference houses, life communities, life parks, congregational work and services. With more than 5,000 employees (according to its website; Wikipedia states over 4,000), it is one of the large diaconal employers in the Diakonisches Werk of the Protestant Church and a member of the Evangelischer Gnadauer Gemeinschaftsverband. It maintains close ties to the AEM Arbeitsgemeinschaft Evangelikaler Missionen. Its motto "Weil Leben mehr ist" reflects its central approach: to value life as God's gift in its diversity and uniqueness and to serve God and people holistically.

• 2025

  Frank Spatz introduced as new chairman of the board at a festive service on 7 June, marking a significant personnel and structural change.

• 2021

  Frieder Trommer becomes chairman of the board of DGD e.V.

• 2020

  Claudia Fremder and Hubertus Jaeger continue the board leadership after Drechsel's retirement.

• 2016

  Pastor Joachim Drechsel takes over the chairmanship of the board.

• 2012

  Founding of the DGD-Stiftung in November, taking over shareholder tasks of DGD-GmbH Krankenhausbetriebe and Diakonie-Krankenhaus Harz GmbH.

• 1946

  In March, the DGD rejoins the Gnadauer Verband after a confession of guilt, represented by Arno Haun.

• 1945

  Founding of the Diakonissen-Mutterhaus Bleibergquelle in Velbert, then called "Neuvandsburg-West".

• 1935

  Director Theophil Krawielitzki dissolves DGD membership in the Gnadauer Gemeinschaftsverband.

• 1932

  Founding of another Diakonissen-Mutterhaus in Lachen.

• 1922

  Legal constitution as Deutscher Gemeinschafts-Diakonieverband with seat in Marburg.

• 1921

  Founding of a Diakonissen-Mutterhaus in Elbingerode.

• 1909

  Founding of the Diakonissen-Mutterhaus "Hensoltshöhe" in Gunzenhausen.

• 1908

  Founding of the Diakonissen-Mutterhaus "Hebron" in Marburg.

• 1900

  After Blazejewski's death on 24 May, Pastor Theophil Krawielitzki brings the sisterhood to Vandsburg and builds a motherhouse — the first Deaconess Motherhouse of the Protestant community movement.

• 1899

  Founding of a Gemeinschafts-Schwesterhaus in Borken, East Prussia, by Pastor Carl Ferdinand Blazejewski on 20 October.

A diaconal-missionary network serving people holistically, with the human being at the center, rooted in Protestant community movement values.

• DGD-Stiftung

• Evangelische Hochschule Tabor

• Francke-Verlag

• Brunnen-Verlag

• Marburger Medien

• Marburger Mission

• Diakonissen-Mutterhäuser

• Lebensparks

• Gäste- und Tagungshäuser

1. 1Deutscher Gemeinschafts-Diakonieverband e.V. – Official Websitedgd.org
2. 2Geschichte – woher wir kommen | Deutscher Gemeinschafts-Diakonieverband e.V.dgd.org
3. 3Deutscher Gemeinschafts-Diakonieverband – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
4. 4Deutscher Gemeinschafts-Diakonieverband – Wikidatawikidata.org