Theodor Fliedner (21 January 1800 – 4 October 1864[1]) was a German Lutheran minister and founder of Lutherandeaconess training. In 1836, he founded Kaiserswerther Diakonie, a hospital and deaconess training center. Together with his wives Friederike Münster and Caroline Bertheau, he is regarded as the renewer of the apostolic deaconess ministry. His work in nursing was pioneering for Florence Nightingale, who spent a few months in Kaiserswerth in 1850.
In the Netherlands he became acquainted with the ancient church office of deaconess while spending time among the Moravian Church, which had revived the institution in 1745.[2] In England he met with English social reformer, Elizabeth Fry, who demonstrated her work among her nation's impoverished and imprisoned people.[1] He returned home not only with a large financial collection for his municipality but also with new ideas about social work among the disadvantaged. He began by working among inmates at the Düsseldorf Prison, preaching the Gospel and ministering to spiritual and physical needs. He walked to and from Düsseldorf every other Sunday until a regular prison chaplain was appointed. The German prisons were then in a very bad state; but those interested in their improvement banded together,[4] and in 1826, Fliedner created the Rhenish-Westphalian Prison Society (Rheinisch-Westfälische Gefängnisgesellschaft). Fliedner realized that the first step must be toward looking after the prisoners on their release, and accordingly, in 1833, he opened at Kaiserswerth a refuge for discharged female convicts.[4][1] To better support and teach Kaiserwerth's children, he founded a school in 1835 which became the venue for a women teachers' seminar.[5]
Deaconess Training
Pastor Theodor Fliedner. German social welfare stamp. 1952
In many cities, there were no hospitals at that time. Following somewhat the model of the early Christian Church's diaconate, incorporating ideas learned from Fry and the Mennonites, and applying his own thoughts, Fliedner developed a plan whereby young women would find and care for the needy sick. For this, he needed to create Kaiserswerther Diakonie, an institute where women could learn both theology and nursing skills. He opened the hospital and deaconess training center in Kaiserswerth on 13 October 1836. Deaconesses took vows to care for their poor and sick charges, but they could leave their work and return to outside life if they so chose.[1] Between 1836 and 1847 Fliedner also opened an infants' school and one for their teachers, a girls' orphanage, and a women's asylum.
Gertrud Reichardt was the first deaconess commissioned by the new school. Florence Nightingale trained there as a nurse in 1850.[2] One of the associated Kaiserwerth professional schools was later named in her honor. Another noted student was the Swedish Maria Cederschiöld, a pioneer of nursing in her country.[6]
After his wife, Friederike, died in 1842, he found a new life companion (and important employee) in Caroline Bertheau. They opened institutes for the diaconate in 1844 in Dortmund and in 1847 in Berlin with the support of King Frederick William IV of Prussia, and his wife Queen Elizabeth.[4] Fliedner's attention became completely focused on this aspect of the ministry and in 1849 he resigned his pastorate and turned completely to working with the diaconate, including increasing activity abroad, founding "mother houses" across central and Eastern Europe, and as far as Jerusalem.[1] Fliedner's movement has been cited as the model for the Inner Mission movement which Johann Hinrich Wichern developed.[7] In 1855 Fliedner received the degree of Doctor of Theology from the University of Bonn, in recognition of his practical activities.[1]
Legacy
Because of these efforts, deaconess institutes arose in Paris, Oslo, Strasbourg, Utrecht, and elsewhere. By the time of his death in 1864, there were 30 motherhouses and 1,600 deaconesses worldwide. By the middle of the 20th century, there were over 35,000 deaconesses serving in parishes, schools, hospitals, and prisons throughout the world.[8]
A sign of the international respect Fliedner garnered is that his most famous pupil came from outside Germany. English nursing reformer Florence Nightingale first visited in 1841. She was impressed by the religious devotion and noted most of the deaconesses were of peasant origin.[9] She graduated from the facility in 1851. Today, one of Düsseldorf's hospitals (Florence-Nightingale-Krankenhaus) bears her name. [10][11]
^"Vår historie". Lovisenberg diakonale høgskole. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
^Hardy, Susan and Corones, Anthony, "The Nurse's Uniform as Ethopoietic Fashion", Fashion Theory, Vol.21, No.5. (2015), pp. 523-552. doi=10.1080/1362704X.2016.1203090
^Baly, Monica F. (2002). Nursing and Social Change. Routledge. p. 113. ISBN978-0-203-42487-2.
^"Florence Nightingale Biography". biography.com. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
^"180 Jahre bewegte Geschichte". Kaiserswerther Diakonie. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
^Theodore Fliedner Opened 1st Deaconess Center . October 13, 1836 (Glimpses of Christian History. Christianity Today International)
Other sources
Calder, Jean McKinlay (1971) The Story of Nursing ( Methuen; 5th edition)
Kruczek, Dietmar (1999) GermanTheodor Fliedner: Mein Leben, für das Leben. Eine Biographie über den Gründer der Kaiserswerther Diakonie (Neukirchen-Vluyn: Aussaat)
Sticker, Anna (1989) GermanTheodor und Friederike Fliedner (R. Brockhaus Bildbiographien)
Wentz, Abdel Ross (1936) Fliedner the Faithful, Biography of Theodore Fliedner (The Board of Publication of the United Lutheran Church in America)
Winkworth, Catherine (2008) Life of Pastor Fliedner of Kaiserwerth (1867) (Kessinger Publishing, LLC.)
Worman, J. H. (1879). "Fliedner, Theodor" . In Ripley, George; Dana, Charles A. (eds.). The American Cyclopædia.
theodor, fliedner, january, 1800, october, 1864, german, lutheran, minister, founder, lutheran, deaconess, training, 1836, founded, kaiserswerther, diakonie, hospital, deaconess, training, center, together, with, wives, friederike, münster, caroline, bertheau,. Theodor Fliedner 21 January 1800 4 October 1864 1 was a German Lutheran minister and founder of Lutheran deaconess training In 1836 he founded Kaiserswerther Diakonie a hospital and deaconess training center Together with his wives Friederike Munster and Caroline Bertheau he is regarded as the renewer of the apostolic deaconess ministry His work in nursing was pioneering for Florence Nightingale who spent a few months in Kaiserswerth in 1850 Theodor Fliedner Contents 1 Background 2 Career 2 1 Deaconess Training 3 Legacy 4 Selected works 5 References 6 Other sources 7 External linksBackground EditFliedner was born in Eppstein in Hesse Germany He was the son of a Lutheran minister and studied theology at the University of Giessen and the University of Gottingen as well as at Herborn Academy the theological seminary in Herborn 1 He was for a time a house teacher In 1821 he assumed the pastorate in the poor municipality of Kaiserswerth now in Dusseldorf 2 When the town could no longer support church and ministry due to an economic crisis he undertook journeys to collect donations Beginning in Westphalia these travels also took him to the Netherlands and England 3 Career EditIn the Netherlands he became acquainted with the ancient church office of deaconess while spending time among the Moravian Church which had revived the institution in 1745 2 In England he met with English social reformer Elizabeth Fry who demonstrated her work among her nation s impoverished and imprisoned people 1 He returned home not only with a large financial collection for his municipality but also with new ideas about social work among the disadvantaged He began by working among inmates at the Dusseldorf Prison preaching the Gospel and ministering to spiritual and physical needs He walked to and from Dusseldorf every other Sunday until a regular prison chaplain was appointed The German prisons were then in a very bad state but those interested in their improvement banded together 4 and in 1826 Fliedner created the Rhenish Westphalian Prison Society Rheinisch Westfalische Gefangnisgesellschaft Fliedner realized that the first step must be toward looking after the prisoners on their release and accordingly in 1833 he opened at Kaiserswerth a refuge for discharged female convicts 4 1 To better support and teach Kaiserwerth s children he founded a school in 1835 which became the venue for a women teachers seminar 5 Deaconess Training Edit Pastor Theodor Fliedner German social welfare stamp 1952 In many cities there were no hospitals at that time Following somewhat the model of the early Christian Church s diaconate incorporating ideas learned from Fry and the Mennonites and applying his own thoughts Fliedner developed a plan whereby young women would find and care for the needy sick For this he needed to create Kaiserswerther Diakonie an institute where women could learn both theology and nursing skills He opened the hospital and deaconess training center in Kaiserswerth on 13 October 1836 Deaconesses took vows to care for their poor and sick charges but they could leave their work and return to outside life if they so chose 1 Between 1836 and 1847 Fliedner also opened an infants school and one for their teachers a girls orphanage and a women s asylum Gertrud Reichardt was the first deaconess commissioned by the new school Florence Nightingale trained there as a nurse in 1850 2 One of the associated Kaiserwerth professional schools was later named in her honor Another noted student was the Swedish Maria Cederschiold a pioneer of nursing in her country 6 After his wife Friederike died in 1842 he found a new life companion and important employee in Caroline Bertheau They opened institutes for the diaconate in 1844 in Dortmund and in 1847 in Berlin with the support of King Frederick William IV of Prussia and his wife Queen Elizabeth 4 Fliedner s attention became completely focused on this aspect of the ministry and in 1849 he resigned his pastorate and turned completely to working with the diaconate including increasing activity abroad founding mother houses across central and Eastern Europe and as far as Jerusalem 1 Fliedner s movement has been cited as the model for the Inner Mission movement which Johann Hinrich Wichern developed 7 In 1855 Fliedner received the degree of Doctor of Theology from the University of Bonn in recognition of his practical activities 1 Legacy EditBecause of these efforts deaconess institutes arose in Paris Oslo Strasbourg Utrecht and elsewhere By the time of his death in 1864 there were 30 motherhouses and 1 600 deaconesses worldwide By the middle of the 20th century there were over 35 000 deaconesses serving in parishes schools hospitals and prisons throughout the world 8 A sign of the international respect Fliedner garnered is that his most famous pupil came from outside Germany English nursing reformer Florence Nightingale first visited in 1841 She was impressed by the religious devotion and noted most of the deaconesses were of peasant origin 9 She graduated from the facility in 1851 Today one of Dusseldorf s hospitals Florence Nightingale Krankenhaus bears her name 10 11 He is commemorated as a renewer of society in the Calendar of Saints of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on 4 October and by the Evangelical Church in Germany on 5 October 12 13 Selected works EditFliedner s writings were almost all of a practical rather than theological nature Included were 1 Kollektenreise nach Holland und England 1831 Liederbuch fur Kleinkinderschulen 1842 Kaiserswerther Volkskalender from 1842 a yearly almanac of Kaiserswerther Armen und Krankenfreund from 1849 with information from his various institutions Buch der Martyrer und anderer Glaubenszeugen der evangelischen Kirche 1850 Kurze Geschichte der Entstehung der ersten evangelischen Liebesanstalten in Kaiserswerth 1856 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Theodor Fliedner References Edit a b c d e f g h Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Fliedner Theodor Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 10 11th ed Cambridge University Press pp 501 502 a b c Kiefer James E Theodor Fliedner pastor founder Biographical Sketches of Memorable Christians of the Past Retrieved 30 December 2019 Fliedner Theodor The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Retrieved 15 July 2016 a b c Gilman D C Peck H T Colby F M eds 1905 Fliedner Theodor New International Encyclopedia 1st ed New York Dodd Mead Theodor Fliedner heiligenlexikon de Retrieved 15 July 2016 A Maria Cederschiold urn sbl 14717 Svenskt biografiskt lexikon art av O Centerwall hamtad 10 March 2015 Gilman D C Peck H T Colby F M eds 1905 Inner Mission New International Encyclopedia 1st ed New York Dodd Mead Var historie Lovisenberg diakonale hogskole Retrieved 15 July 2016 Hardy Susan and Corones Anthony The Nurse s Uniform as Ethopoietic Fashion Fashion Theory Vol 21 No 5 2015 pp 523 552 doi 10 1080 1362704X 2016 1203090 Baly Monica F 2002 Nursing and Social Change Routledge p 113 ISBN 978 0 203 42487 2 Florence Nightingale Biography biography com Retrieved 15 July 2016 180 Jahre bewegte Geschichte Kaiserswerther Diakonie Retrieved 15 July 2016 Theodore Fliedner Opened 1st Deaconess Center October 13 1836 Glimpses of Christian History Christianity Today International Other sources EditCalder Jean McKinlay 1971 The Story of Nursing Methuen 5th edition Kruczek Dietmar 1999 German Theodor Fliedner Mein Leben fur das Leben Eine Biographie uber den Grunder der Kaiserswerther Diakonie Neukirchen Vluyn Aussaat Sticker Anna 1989 German Theodor und Friederike Fliedner R Brockhaus Bildbiographien Wentz Abdel Ross 1936 Fliedner the Faithful Biography of Theodore Fliedner The Board of Publication of the United Lutheran Church in America Winkworth Catherine 2008 Life of Pastor Fliedner of Kaiserwerth 1867 Kessinger Publishing LLC Worman J H 1879 Fliedner Theodor In Ripley George Dana Charles A eds The American Cyclopaedia External links EditWorks by or about Theodor Fliedner at Internet Archive Theodor Fliedner pastor founder A Background of the Deaconess Community The Deaconess Community of the ELCA Kaiserswerther Diakonie website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Theodor Fliedner amp oldid 1134901493, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
