Gesellenverein

The Gesellenvereine (usual translation Journeymen's Unions) were German Roman Catholic societies set up in the nineteenth century.

The Cologne society soon acquired its own home, and opened there a refuge, or hospice, for young travelling journeymen.

He visited frequently the great industrial centres of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Hungary.

In a short time societies of young Catholic journeymen were formed in many Rhenish towns, in Westphalia, and finally throughout the German-speaking world.

Besides providing for Catholic doctrine, the societies conducted classes (book-keeping, arithmetic, drawing, literary composition, music, natural sciences, etc.)