Francke Foundations
A pastor and professor in Halle, Francke began to take an interest, not just in giving to the poor every Thursday, the town's alms-giving day, but also in educating them in the principles of Christianity.
In the spring of 1695, Francke founded the Paedagogium, a school for higher education for members of nobility and middle class.
In the tympanum of the Orphanage, which is decorated with two eagles rising up to the sun, is written (Isaiah 40:31) “But those who wait for the Lord’s help, find renewed strength; they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired.” A visitor to the institution, Baron Canstein, wrote to a member of the Prussian government in 1706 that his visit was so pleasant and so quickening to his faith that he could not deny himself the privilege of describing the home - "a kind of little world, yet all in harmony and a state of great efficiency."
"He began with nothing; he never was beforehand with his means, yet he received so much, that though venturing to build of brick and stone, and in an expensive style of finish, he was not in arrears for this work."
In the 18th century, Francke Foundations started a publishing house, a book store, a printing office, a pharmacy and a Cabinet of Artefacts and Curiosities.
An invention in letter pressing, and with financial support byvon Canstein, allowed the institute to produce inexpensive Bibles in a large quantities.
In the early 19th century, August Hermann Niemeyer took over direction of the Foundations, renewing the educational programs and resolving financial issues.
The royal paedagogium (Königliches Pädagogium) was rebuilt in 1848, Because of its good reputation and its revenues, the Francke Foundations were growing and a new building for Lateinische Hauptschule (Latina) was built.
In 1946, during the Soviet occupation of East Germany the presidium of the province of Saxony abolished the Francke Foundations and turned over all its assets and buildings to the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg.
Today the Francke Foundations buildings are almost completely restored and the ensemble has been revived as cultural and scientific, social and educational institution.
On the grounds of the Francke Foundations there are now besides the institutions owned by the foundation – the Historic Orphanage, the Archives, the Historic Library and three kindergartens, children's creative education center Krokoseum – the Faculty of Theology and the Institute for Education, the Interdisciplinary Research Centres for Enlightenment Studies (Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für die Erforschung der europäischen Aufklärung) and Interdisciplinary Centre for the Studies in Pietism of the Martin Luther University (Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Pietismusforschung), four schools (Landesgymnasium Latina "August Hermann Francke", Grundschule "August Hermann Francke", Reformschule Maria Montessori, Sekundarschule "August Hermann Francke"), a Protestant Seminary, a social workshop for young people, two church rooms (St. Georgs Kapelle, Orthodoxe Hauskirche zum Heiligen Kreuz) and the German Federal Cultural Foundation (Kulturstiftung des Bundes).
Since 1728 the books have been housed in a purpose-built building whose original library fittings, including the stage-set like shelving, have been preserved in their entirety.
In recent years comprehensive and innovative cataloguing projects could be carried out with the financial support of the German Research Foundation.
The Chapel of the Holy Cross and the resurrection of Jesus, installed in the vaults of House 24 in the year 2000, is the only Orthodox Church in Saxony-Anhalt.
