Hermann Gmeiner’s Humanistic Concept

Abstract

The article describes the main idea of the concept developed by the Austrian pedagogue Hermann Gmeiner (1919–1986), i.e., that of SOS Children’s Village as a model of family education. Four principles substantiated by him (mother, family, home, village), which for decades have underpinned the work of SOS Children’s Villages, are analysed here. The following aspects are discussed: the essence of the work of children’s villages, the specific problem of setting up a structurally and functionally feasible natural family, in which the child learns human and national values, receives long-term, short-term, individual, socio-pedagogical and therapeutic care. Some attention is also given to the popularization of the pedagogical ideas of Gmeiner and the operation of children’s villages in different parts of the world.