Council of International Fellowship
in Deutschland e.V.

Verein zur Förderung des internationalen Austausches von Fachkräften in der sozialen Arbeit

History

"My life was saved. I want to dedicate my life to assuring that something like the Holocaust never happens again. People, especially youth must learn early to respect religious, racial or other differences, understand each other and to live together." (Henry B. Ollendorff as remembered by his wife Martha)

  1. Introduction - Henry B. Ollendorff
  2. History of the Cleveland International Program (CIP)
  3. The Cleveland International Fellowship (CIF)
  4. The Cleveland International Fellowship in Germany (CIF/G)

This survey was written by Gerhard Schmidt (CIP-participant in 1971) with the assistance of Gisela Senssfelder (1957). Anita Gerdes (1958) and Herbert Schüttler (1968) gave further information.

A more detailed version of the report can be ordered by e-mail (history@cif-germany.de) and will be sent to you for 4 Euro.

1. Introduction - Henry B. Ollendorff.

The thoughts which Martha Ollendorff wrote down for the CIF World News of August 1999 explain in a few words what the Cleveland International Fellowship signifies.
Heinz Ollendorff, born 1907 as the son of an oculist in the town of Esslingen/Württemberg grew up in the City of Darmstadt. He left Germany in 1938, his wife followed in 1939, both became American citizens. After studying again, this time Social Work in New York, Henry worked with underprivileged children in Cleveland/Ohio.
Friends all over the world bewailed the death of Henry B. Ollendorff an February 10th 1979.

2. History of the Cleveland International Program (CIP)

In 1954 the US Department of State asked Henry B. Ollendorff to go to Germany to participate there in the re-education program. Working with these young people and conducting training courses for German youth leaders and social workers made him think to start an exchange program - for the time being for young Germans only.

The first 25 participants travelled to the US by boat in 1956 in order to get to know life in a free society and then pass their experiences on to young people at home. At the suggestion of this pioneer group the program was extended to include participants from other countries. The "Cleveland International Program" (since 1965 "Council of International Programs") was born. Cleveland/Ohio became the seat of the organisation.

In 1958 the German federal government began to offer a program in Germany for American colleagues. The French government followed 1965 with a similar program.

3. The Cleveland International Fellowship (CIF).

CIF was founded during the international conference in Hamburg on November 6th 1960 and incorporated as a non-profit association on May 26th 1964.

The first CIF emblem was designed during the Hamburg conference by John Berge, Norway and Rolf Örjes,

Sweden.The international secretariat of CIF was located in Germany from 1960 to 1971, transferred to Sweden in 1971 but returned again to Germany in 1975 and again from 1989 to 1991. In between other countries hosted the international secretariat.

4. The Cleveland International Fellowship in Germany (CIF/G).

In the beginning CIF/G was the most active of all CIF groups, and standing international comparison also had the largest membership. 93 out of a total of 148 CIP participants joined the organisation immediately.

CIP participants organised the first international conferences: 1958 in Henry`s home town Darmstadt, 1959 at Burg Liebenzell/Black Forest and 1960 in Hamburg. The first conference organised by CIF took place in Dassel/Solling. In 1964 the Dutch group organised a conference in the Netherlands, the first one outside of Germany. CIF/G organised three more international conferences, those commemorating the 5th, 10th and 20th anniversary of CIF: 1965 in Königstein/Taunus, 1975 in Berlin and 1980 once more in Königstein/Taunus.

Aims and objecitves of CIF were and are:

  • to keep relations between participants through personal contacts, conferences and reunions, and the publication of the "Cleveland International"; to provide possibilities for in-service training and the exchange of professional experiences;
  • to assist the CIP in recruiting and selecting new participants for the program;
  • to facilitate technical assistance by participants in the professional areas of youth and social work in developing countries;
  • to sponsor the invitation of American youth and social workers to countries participating in the CIP.

P.S.: The original title Cleveland International Fellowship was changed in October 2003 and is now in line with the generally used international name. In the beginning the program was limited to Cleveland/Ohio and only later extended to other US states and countries

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