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Nikolaus Ehlen (born 9 December 1886 in Graach an der Mosel, died 18 October 1965 in Velbert) was a German pacifist teacher. He was a Catholic pioneer of the Selbsthilfe-Siedlungsbau, which was a movement to help workers get their own home. == Life == Nikolaus Ehlen was born as the son of a wine-grower in Graach an der Mosel near Bernkastel. Already in his youth he felt the urge to become a priest and after his Abitur, he enrolled in the Priestergymnasium (institute of higher education for people wishing to become a priest) in Trier. After two semesters of studying theology he changed his plans and enrolled at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster in physics, chemistry, mathematics and philosophy. He was a student of Joseph Geyser. After his Staatsexamen and Promotion, he worked at the Hohenzollern-Gymnasium in Sigmaringen as a Studienassessor (some rank of teacher). From November 1916 on he participated in World War I as a volunteer in the Champagne and at Verdun. Afterwards, he continued to be an Assessor in Sigmaringen until he accepted a position as Oberlehrer and Studienrat (higher rank of teacher) for mathematics and chemistry in the town of Velbert. Influenced by the writings of Friedrich Wilhelm Foerster, it was important to him to teach his students self-knowledge and "self-education". His "Reformpädagogik" (reform movement in teaching which at this time in Germany was usually quite authoritarian and military-style) is illustrated by the following anecdote as told by himself: ''One day, there was a well-drawn caricature of a teacher on the blackboard in my Obertertia (grade ). The director (the one with the black frock coat and the sparkling white collar) comes to me outraged: "What a disgrace for this class and the school! We will find the author. Otherwise () he will be punished very hard." I asked the director for full freedom in the investigation. Then I talked to my class. I praised the well-made painting. - "But this whole thing must be very painful for the old Professor (teachers were called professors at this time) who is depicted on the blackboard! You are way to decent for such an insult to him. This afternoon, I expect the student who drew this in my flat". And he came. Together, we decided on his punishment. From this day on, I had the unrestricted trust of the old director and of my class. .〔Barbara Wolandt und Gerd Wolandt:(Nikolaus Ehlen - ein Leben für den Nächsten ),〕'' 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Nikolaus Ehlen」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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