History of Arbeiterwohlfahrt

Geschichte der Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO)
History of Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO)

Philipp Kufferath, Jürgen Mittag (eds.)
Dietz-Verlag, Bonn 2019
464 pages
ISBN: 978 3 8012 4265 7

Founded in December 1919, the Arbeiterwohlfahrt looks back on a history of more than 100 years. As the central association of the independent welfare service, it is one of the most important players in social policy in Germany. It is active in the fields of children, youth, senior citizens, health care and nursing; it also cares for people in need of help and protection on a broad voluntary basis and stands up politically for equal opportunities and participation in society.

This overall presentation of the "History of Workers' Welfare" deals with the foundation, development and change of the association up to the present. The authors show that the history of the AWO reflects the manifold political and social changes in Germany, but that the association itself has also repeatedly influenced the shaping of welfare and social policy. In doing so, not only structures and activities, but also the people and places that have played a central role in the history of workers' welfare are taken into account.