The DRK-Schwesternschaft "Bonn" e.V.( DRK Sisterhood) stems from the “Katholischen Krankenfürsorge-Verein” ( Catholic Health Care Association ) founded 1906 in Cologne. As elsewhere in Germany, including Cologne, the lack of qualified caregivers resulted in establishing this association.
Its particularity was that its members preferred a denominationally commitment, none belonged to a Order, but their service as lay sisters run. As a motto to the sisters was the word from the parable of the Good Samaritan “Go and do likewise”.
In 1911 joined the association , while respecting its autonomy and its confessional character, the German Red Cross and was called from now on “Katholischer Krankenfürsorge-Verein vom Roten Kreuz” (Catholic Health Care Association of the Red Cross). In addition, the association was initially also a member of the Caritasverband. This dual membership is unique in the history of sisterhoods by the German Red Cross. For the sisters since then also apply the principles of the German Red Cross.
After the end of the Second World War the sisterhood in 1948 was a newly founded association The “Maternity House” moved to Bonn in 1949 to Venusbergweg, 1968 the sisterhood was unnamed and to this day carries the name:DRK-Schwesternschaft “Bonn” e.V..
For their self-conception the DRK-Schwesternschaft “Bonn” e.V. has a double root: The Red Cross principles and a Christian attitude positively reinforcing each other in their effectiveness and timeliness.
The DRK-Schwesternschaft “Bonn” e.V. today
The DRK Schwesternschaft “Bonn” e.V. is an association of women and men in the caring professions, orientated in their professional identity on the principles of the German Red Cross. Currently people of fifty nations belong as members in the sisterhood. These include nurses, paediatric-nurses, geriatric-nurses, midwifes, health professionals, directors of home and care, teachers for nursing, educationists of care, nursing researchers, nursing care assistants, retired members and apprentices in nursing.
The members of the DRK-Schwesternschaft “Bonn” e.V. are working in various fields of action: University clinics, hospitals, homes for the elderly in clerical sponsorship in the area Bonn – Cologne – Düsseldorf as well as in homes for the elderly and assisted living in own sponsorship.
In addition, the DRK Schwesternschaft “Bonn” e.V. trains at various schools health care nurses, male nurses, nurse assistants, geriatric nurses and geriatric male nurses. It offers young people the opportunity of a voluntary social year in Germany or participate voluntary service in Great Britain.
The DRK-Schwesternschaft “Bonn” e.V. is a non-profit making association. Pursuant to statutory the assembly is the main decision-making body. The members select of two bodies representing the interests: The Advisory Board and the Board of Director. Each member has the opportunity to even say, to share the responsibility and the advice.
To the statutory duties the sisterhood involves the promotion of public health and assistance for young people in need. In this social contract, the sisterhood is actively involved in order to meet the permanent change in the process of nursing needs. This provides continuity and solid training in the caring professions as well as the opportunities to care related studies. Furthermore the members voluntarily participate in humanitarian foreign use as part of the Red Cross.
Through the experiences described above, each member in the community of the DRK-Schwesternschaft receives individual support and develop their professional and personal skills.
In addition to 33 next Red-Cross-sisterhoods in the Federal Republic of Germany, the DRK Schwesternschaft “Bonn” e.V. is a member of the Association of Sisterhoods by the German Red Cross. The Association consists of approximately 21.000 nationwide members and belongs as a division of the German Red Cross to the International Red Cross and the Rothalbmond. In addition the DRK Schwesternschaften are committed to nation wide health and occupation policy.