Evangelische Stadtmission Freiburg e.V.

Evangelische Stadtmission was found in the second half of the 19. century in Freiburg. It was a response to industrial development in Freiburg, which caused that many people moved to the city searching for a job, but it also caused poverty for many of these people. Additionally the purpose was to provide pastoral care for Protestants. The founding fathers were rather wealthy men from the only protestant parish in Freiburg-Herden. They were inspiried by Johann Hinrich Wichern, who learnt about the work of city missions in England and Scottland and “imported” it to Germany. Soon Ev. Stadtmission took over various tasks in the field of social work: pastoral care in clinics, a deposit of used furnitures, church services in suburbs without a protestant church, employment service, leisure facilities for different professional groups, social work with youth and with addicts, etc. Ev. Stadtmission was a pioneer in Freiburg offering different support and facilities of social work. Today, there are various facilities in and around Freiburg for elderly people needing care, a counselling center for drug abuse, a workshop for long-term unemployed people, railway mission, a bookstore, as well as a hotel and conference center. Additionally, part of Ev. Stadtmission is the protestant parish “dreisam3”. Soon a café within our facility “Paulussaal” will open, offering a location of meeting, discussion, relaxing or just enjoying a cup of coffee. The identity of Ev. Stadtmission is a connection of social work and belief in God, in love and in preaching the gospel; for us both belongs together. With this holistic approach Ev. Stadtmission will offer support to people in need, not only today, but also in the future.