Figure 1.-- Here we see Kaiser Wilhelm II visiting an orphanage in Ahlbeck named after him. The imperial and other German royal families supported a widerngeof charities. The boy wearing a smock probably worn for gardening and a girl in a sailor outfit greet the Kaiser. The boy is showing off prize cabages. The caption reads, "Unser Kaiser wird seinem Besuch im Kaiser Wilhelm-Kinderheim in Ahlbeck von einem kleinen Mädchen begrüßt." That translates as, Our emperor is welcomed on his visit to the Kaiser Wilhelm Orphanage (children's home) in Ahlbeck by a little girl. Ahlbeck was a wonderful place for an orphanag, aesort area on aaltic sea island. Ironically, the Kaiser wiuld play a central role in launching world war I, creating areater need for orphanages than any time since the Thirty Years War.

We have little historical information about German orphanages. We note references to orphanages from the the 18th century. Religious groups played a major role in Charity organizations, including orphanages. Both Catholic and Protestant churches played a major role. Jewish groups served the small Jewish community. One report indicates that the "Society for the Care of Orphans" ("Verein zur Versorgung der Waisen") in Hamburg was the second oldest Jewish orphanage in Germany (1766). Religious groups continued to play a central role in charity groups even after unification and the creation of the strong German state (1871). The royal families in Germany often supported charities. Here the Kaiser visits an orphanage named after him in Ahlbeck about 1910 (figure 1). The two world war created a need for institutions caring for children. In connection with World War I, one often thinks of Belgian and French orphanages. The last years of the War and the years immediately following World War I were terribly difficult in Germany. Large numbers of German civilians experienced hunger and malnutrition. Some even died of died of starvation, but we are not sure how many. (This was one factor in undermining civilian morale in World War I and a reason that the NAZIs attempted to avoid rationing in the early years of World War II, efforts which led to the plundering of occupied countries.) Unlike World War I efforts to feed Belgium, because of the War there was little interest in humanitarian assistance to Germany, even after the War. Many fathers were killed in the War and mothers had trouble feeding their children. Unemployment was rife and fathers that did return could not find jobs. Thus large numbers of children were put in orphanages at least temporarily because their parents could not feed them. One boy who spent 1916-18 in an orphanage with his brother recalls the meager food. His family was not allowed to supplement the food or even give a few coins. Such donations had to be turned over to the orphanage. He did not mention the clothing at the orphanage. After World War I, the difficult economic conditions probably caused more parents, especially single-parent families to put children in orphanages. After seizing power, the NZIs began to take over charity institutions, primarily by restricting find raising by religious groups. The NAZI welfare organization was the Nationalsozialistische Volkswohlfahrt/People's Welfare Organization (NSV). We do not have any details yet on orphanages administered by the NSV. After the War, the NSV along with all NAZI organizations were dissolved. Religious groups were able to resume their charity roles. And some orphanages were opened for the many children needing care. The NAZI assault on the churches, however, permanently damaged both the churches and their ability to support charity institutions. The state began to play a larger role. This was especially true in th Soviet zone (Eastern Germany) where the regime began an atheist campaign. Soviets authorities in former East Prussia put German orphans (often called Wolf children) in orphanages overseen by Soviet military officers but staffed mostly with Germans still remaining in East Prussia. The Soviets reported 4,700 German orphans in Kaliningrad (1947). They deported several train loads of German orphans to the DRR. Some of the trains took 4-7 days to get to the DDR. The children in many cases were not provided with food or toilet facilities. Some died. The number is unknown. The DDR opened the Kinderdorf Kyritz,children's village of Pinnow (1948). [Leiserowitz]

The 18th Century

We have little historical information about German orphanages. We note references to orphanages from the the 18th century. Religious groups played a major role in charity organizations, including orphanages. Both Catholic and Protestant churches played a major role. Jewish groups served the small Jewish community. Orphanages and other One report indicates that the "Society for the Care of Orphans" ("Verein zur Versorgung der Waisen") in Hamburg was the second oldest Jewish orphanage in Germany (1766).

The 19th Century

Religious groups continued to play a central role in charity groups even after unification and the creation of the strong German state (1871). The royal families in Germany often supported charities.

The 20th Century

Here the Kaiser visits an orphanage named after him in Ahlbeck about 1910 (figure 1). The two world war created a need for institutions caring for children. In connection with World War I, one often thinks of Belgian and French orphanages. The last years of the War and the years immediately following World War I were terribly difficult in Germany. Large numbers of German civilians experienced hunger and malnutrition. Some even died of died of starvation, but we are not sure how many. (This was one factor in undermining civilian morale in World War I and a reason that the NAZIs attempted to avoid rationing in the early years of World War II, efforts which led to the plundering of occupied countries.) Unlike World War I efforts to feed Belgium, because of the War there was little interest in humanitarian assistance to Germany, even after the War. Many fathers were killed in the War and mothers had trouble feeding their children. Unemployment was rife and fathers that did return could not find jobs. Thus large numbers of children were put in orphanages at least temporarily because their parents could not feed them. One boy who spent 1916-18 in an orphanage with his brother recalls the meager food. His family was not allowed to supplement the food or even give a few coins. Such donations had to be turned over to the orphanage. He did not mention the clothing at the orphanage. After World War I, the difficult economic conditions probably caused more parents, especially single-parent families to put children in orphanages. After seizing power, the NAZIs began to take over charity institutions, primarily by restricting find raising by religious groups. The NAZI welfare organization was the Nationalsozialistische Volkswohlfahrt/People's Welfare Organization (NSV). We do not have any details yet on orphanages administered by the NSV. After the War, the NSV along with all NAZI organizations were dissolved. Religious groups were able to resume their charity roles. And some orphanages were opened for the many children needing care. The NAZI assault on the churches, however, permanently damaged both the churches and their ability to support charity institutions. The state began to play a larger role. This was especially true in the Soviet zone (Eastern Germany) where the regime began an atheist campaign. Soviets authorities in former East Prussia put German orphans (often called Wolf children) in orphanages overseen by Soviet military officers but staffed mostly with Germans still remaining in East Prussia. The Soviets reported 4,700 German orphans in Kaliningrad (1947). They deported several train loads of German orphans to the DDR. Some of the trains took 4-7 days to get to the DDR. The children in many cases were not provided with food or toilet facilities. Some died. The number is unknown. The DDR opened the Kinderdorf Kyritz, children's village of Pinnow (1948). [Leiserowitz] We continue to see orphans in the post-War era, young childen who were orphaned after the War. We notice Save the Children helping to find orphans homes in Sweden. We also see children at the orphanages that were probably born just after the War. Some of the children were probably the result of rampant Red Army rapeing when they reached Germany in 1944-45. These were children either the mothers did not want or could not care for by themselves. Or if the husbands survived the War they did not want the child. We have not found information addressing this question in detail. We note some womem committed suiside. Some had abortions although we are not sure how availvle this option was.

Sources

Leiserowitz, Ruth. Von Ostpreußen nach Kyritz. Wolfskinder auf dem Weg nach Brandenburg (From East Prussia to Kyritz. Wolf children on their way to Brandenburg) (Brandenburgische Zentrale für politische Bildung: Potsdam, 2003),

Created: 1:25 AM 2/19/2016
Last updated: 11:49 AM 2/4/2019