The History of the ESG

We look back: During the last decade of the 19th century, the work of the CVJM and private initiatives brought about the formation of Bible circles at German universities. From these Bible circles the German Christian Student Union (DCSV) arose in 1895. The following year, the Student Association for Mission (SFM) was founded. In 1905, the German Christian Association of Women Students was founded. All three initiatives were later integrated in the ESG. In 1907/08, the first office and registered society were established.
Already the early documents of the Christian student movement demonstrated substantial disagreements over fundamentals, identity, goals and structures, as well as student participation compared to the older board. These documents also illustrate the attempt to find a position between the ecumenical movement and the Protestant institution. In 1920, the ESG Secretary General Paul Humburg was already of the opinion that: For the insider, the history of the DCSV and its spiritual currents are practically a survey of the history of the church and theology.
As a result of the work of influential supporters and a pronounced patriotic commitment during the First World War, the ESG grew into an extensive social welfare institution. However, after 1918 the ESG had to restart on a much smaller scale. Here too we find questions which still occupy us today: Questions regarding the significance of the nationwide work and the structural regionalization. In 1923, the ESG experienced changes with the increase in youth organizations and the associated need for increased order and tighter organization. Since 1920, even the regional church recognised the significance of Christian work at universities. The first ministry positions at universities were set up in the Rhineland.

With the start of the Third Reich, there were conflicts over the political position and also a certain support for nationalist and National Socialist goals. However, a strong line formed against conformity with the NS-university groups. As a result, in 1938 the DCSV was banned. During the war, when Christian students and members of the “Bekennende Kirche” united, the church increasingly took institutional responsibility for the students. The concept of a Student Christian Movement working in increased cooperation with the Protestant Church of Germany was formed. First conferences for university ministers were developed.

After the end of National Socialism, the ESG developed into the organization it is today. The DCSV did not re-establish itself. The unresolved duality between the independent student movement and the regional church student ministry in the West and East was sanctioned in the post-war ESG. Starting in 1947, a national institution with an office was established. The independence of the student movement was emphasised even more than before the war. In the fifties, the Christian student involvement blossomed. Besides the theological processing of the NS-history, the topic east-west played an enormous role.

In the sixties, the ESG was the first group within the church which took up the issues of the student movement. This was particularly true for the ESG in the West. Conflicts ensued with the institution, which was previously always consciously submitted to. New views and terminologies, formerly foreign to the Church, appeared in publications and announcements of the ESG. The theological hermeneutics also changed. This revealed existing differences and led to polarized debates. A complete split could barely be avoided.

The eighties also brought increasing plurality to the ESG. The work at the national level was most able to retain the experiences and positions gained from the past. After the reunification of Germany in the nineties, formerly separate associations were unified and it appeared that even after a 40-year division of east and west, connections could be found between varying congregational concepts (i.e. between small and large or extroverted and introverted congregations).

The history of the ESG has no specific starting point. Those who are involved with the ESG soon choose a specific starting point and draw their own conclusions. However, the awareness of these starting points is always present in the ESG.