Dominikus-Ringeisen-Werk

The Dominikus-Ringeisen-Werk (DRW) is a Catholic church foundation under public law (kirchliche Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts) headquartered in Ursberg in the Swabian region of Bavaria, Germany. It was founded in 1884 by the Catholic priest Dominikus Ringeisen (1835–1904), who opened a "Kretinenanstalt" — an institution for people with disabilities — in the former Premonstratensian abbey of Ursberg. Ringeisen is regarded as one of the pioneers in Bavaria who professionalized support for people with disabilities and their families. In 1897 he received permission to found the St. Josefskongregation Ursberg, a Franciscan sister community that took over the care and provision of the people entrusted to the institution and carried responsibility for the rapidly growing organization for many decades. Today the Dominikus-Ringeisen-Werk describes itself as a church institution under the umbrella of Caritas, committed to the mission of its founder. Its self-declared guiding principle is "Jeder Mensch ist kostbar" (Every human being is precious). It accompanies, promotes and supports people with disabilities, offering home, security and a life perspective, and operates at more than 30 locations in Bavaria. Its services span various forms of housing, workshops and handicraft businesses, vocational schools and specialist training, pastoral and spiritual care, and a range of advisory and assistance offerings. The organization is structured into regions, following a decentralization and regionalization process that began in the 2010s. Ownership and governance reflect its religious origins. In 1996 the institution was transferred into a church foundation under public law named "Dominikus-Ringeisen-Werk." The St. Josefskongregation established the foundation and continues to be significantly involved in major decisions through the chair of the foundation council, while day-to-day business is carried out by the foundation. The organization is active in prevention and compliance work to protect the people entrusted to it from violence, and it engages with topics such as sustainability, new forms of living, and the German Federal Participation Act (Bundesteilhabegesetz). The DRW is not a conventional commercial brand but a large Catholic social enterprise and charitable provider brand. Its public identity is expressed through its signet (mark), its motto "#dubistkostbar," and its many facilities and businesses in Ursberg and beyond, including the Ursberg monastery brewery with beer garden, the monastery nursery, the host bakery with a tradition of nearly 120 years, the monastery museum, and the Ursberger Laden. It also offers guided tours for visitor groups at various locations.

The Dominikus-Ringeisen-Werk traces its origins to 1884, when the Catholic priest Dominikus Ringeisen (1835–1904) opened a "Kretinenanstalt" — an institution for people with disabilities — in the former Premonstratensian abbey of Ursberg in Swabia. He was one of the pioneers in Bavaria who professionalized support for people with disabilities and their families. In 1897 he received permission to found the St. Josefskongregation Ursberg, a Franciscan sister community. The sisters took over the care and provision of the people entrusted to the institution and, with up to 1,000 sisters at times, carried responsibility for the rapidly growing organization. Ringeisen expanded the institution quickly beyond Ursberg. He acquired buildings and land in nearby Krumbad, Pfaffenhausen, Percha, Fendsbach, Maria Bildhausen and Grönenbach, creating living and working places for people with disabilities. Demand was great, and many people asked for admission for themselves or their relatives, often out of deep need. To counter overcrowding of dormitories, several large construction projects were undertaken. In 1901 the west wing of the Ursberg mother house and the Haus St. Florian were completed; two years later Haus St. Martha and the St. Camillus hospital followed. Among other properties, the castle in Bad Grönenbach and a former Cistercian monastery in Maria Bildhausen were acquired. Many of these projects were not completed during Ringeisen's lifetime; he died on 4 May 1904 in Ursberg. His successor was Maurus Gerle, who continued the diverse tasks with practical experience and tireless diligence. In 1927 the secularized Kloster Holzen, north of Augsburg, and in 1929 a former rural education home in Breitbrunn am Ammersee were acquired. The period from 1933 brought danger. Between September 1940 and August 1941, as part of the Nazi "Aktion T4" euthanasia program, 519 residents of the institution were transferred to other facilities. Of these, 199 were gassed in killing centers, and 180 more died from starvation diets or lethal injections. Only in 1984 did the institution publicly acknowledge its role during the Third Reich. After the horrors of the Second World War and Nazi terror, the Dominikus-Ringeisen-Werk sought to return to normal life. In Percha am Starnberger See, the sisters were able to recover 42 Tagwerk of meadow orchards that had been sold under pressure during the Third Reich. Given wartime experiences, it seemed sensible to keep and expand self-sufficiency. There was lively construction activity in Ursberg and its branches, and renovation of old buildings improved residents' quality of life. After years of deprivation, efforts were made to make leisure time varied: traditional theater performances were joined by film screenings, an outdoor pool was built on the Mindel, and excursions were undertaken. From 1970 came a time of change. After the economic miracle years, the development of the Dominikus-Ringeisen-Werk stagnated. A key reason was that since the 1950s the number of entries into the St. Josefskongregation had steadily declined; by the mid-1960s new recruits practically ceased. More and more temporary staff had to be hired, but they, like the sisters, were mostly not specially trained. The general council of the sisters therefore decided to found a specialist school for Heilerziehungspflege (special education care) to meet the increased demands of disability assistance. At the beginning of the 1970s, a comprehensive general renovation began with the goal of significantly improving residents' living standards. The measure had a construction volume of around 60 million marks and was completed only in the 1990s. From 1990 came a time of reorientation. Because the number of sisters in the St. Josefskongregation continued to decline, the leadership faced difficult decisions; it became increasingly difficult for the sisters to bear complete responsibility for the institution. Therefore, as of 1 January 1996, the church foundation Dominikus-Ringeisen-Werk was established. This was a courageous and forward-looking step for the religious community: courageous because it gave up a work it had cherished and cared for over 100 years, and forward-looking because it gave the institution a long-term future perspective. Through the chair of the foundation council, the St. Josefskongregation remains significantly involved in major decisions today, while day-to-day business is carried by the foundation. Since 2005, regional and decentralized offerings for people with disabilities in Bavaria have increasingly emerged. From 2010 came a time of reorganization. The entry into force of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008 had major effects on the Dominikus-Ringeisen-Werk: on the path to an inclusive society, a decentralization and regionalization process was initiated with the "Projekt Zukunftsentwicklung." As a result, decentralized living options increasingly arose in numerous municipalities around the existing large locations. In 2013 the organization was restructured. The former branches in Maria Bildhausen, Kloster Holzen, Breitbrunn am Ammersee and Pfaffenhausen henceforth operated as part of the overall institution at regional level. The resulting regions include Unterfranken and Landkreis A... (as described in the source). Today the DRW is present at over 30 locations in Bavaria as a church foundation under public law.

• 2013

  Restructuring and regionalization of the Dominikus-Ringeisen-Werk; former branches operate as part of the overall institution at regional level.

• 2008

  Entry into force of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, with major effects on the DRW.

• 2005

  Increasing emergence of regional and decentralized offerings for people with disabilities in Bavaria.

• 1996

  Transfer of the institution into a church foundation under public law named "Dominikus-Ringeisen-Werk" as of 1 January.

• 1984

  The institution publicly acknowledges its role during the Third Reich.

• 1940

  Between September 1940 and August 1941, 519 residents are transferred to other facilities under the Nazi Aktion T4 program; 199 are gassed and 180 more die from starvation or lethal injections.

• 1929

  Acquisition of a former rural education home in Breitbrunn am Ammersee.

• 1927

  Acquisition of the secularized Kloster Holzen north of Augsburg.

• 1904

  Death of founder Dominikus Ringeisen on 4 May in Ursberg; Maurus Gerle succeeds him.

• 1903

  Completion of Haus St. Martha and the St. Camillus hospital.

• 1901

  Completion of the west wing of the Ursberg mother house and Haus St. Florian.

• 1897

  Founding of the St. Josefskongregation; the religious community takes over responsibility for the institution with up to 1,000 sisters.

• 1884

  Founding of the institution by the Catholic priest Dominikus Ringeisen in the former Premonstratensian abbey of Ursberg.

A Catholic church foundation and social enterprise under the umbrella of Caritas, positioned as a pioneer and professional provider of support and assistance for people with disabilities in Bavaria, guided by the principle "Jeder Mensch ist kostbar" (Every human being is precious).

• Residential services and assisted living

  Various forms of housing for people with disabilities, including around 1,000 residents at the Ursberg founding site.

• Workshops and handicraft businesses

  Numerous workshops and handicraft businesses at the Ursberg campus and other locations.

• Vocational schools and specialist training

  Specialist school for Heilerziehungspflege founded to meet increased demands of disability assistance.

• Hostienbäckerei Ursberg

  Host bakery with nearly 120 years of tradition, where sisters of the St. Josefskongregation bake thin white hosts; guided tours available.

• Klosterbräuhaus Ursberg

  Monastery brewery with beer garden at the Ursberg site.

• Klostergärtnerei

  Monastery nursery at the Ursberg site.

• Klostermuseum Ursberg

  Monastery museum at the Ursberg site.

• Ursberger Laden

  Shop at the Ursberg site.

• Café KostBar

  Café offering lunch, snacks and coffee/cake at the Ursberg site.

1. 1Das Dominikus-Ringeisen-Werkdrw.de
2. 2Unsere Geschichtedrw.de
3. 3Über unsdrw.de
4. 4Führungendrw.de
5. 5Dominikus-Ringeisen-Werkwikidata.org
6. 6Dominikus-Ringeisen-Werkde.wikipedia.org