SONNENSCHEIN, CARL. — German sociologist, born on 15 July 1876 in Düsseldorf, ordained a priest in 1900, died on 20 February 1929 in Berlin. The son of artisans, from the time of his theological studies in Rome S. showed a lively interest in social questions and Christian democracy, as well as a keen enthusiasm for the student movement.
Upon returning to his homeland, in the various places of his ministry (Aachen, Cologne-Nippes, Eberfeld, München-Gladbach) he put forward a new vision of political and social problems, becoming a pioneer of a new method of intensive apostolate in the large cities. In München-Gladbach, in 1907, he founded the Sekretariat sozialer Studentenarbeit to provide the student youth with a solid social formation
through social circles, various courses organized in university cities, congresses during the holiday period, his journal Die sozialen Studentenblätter and the Biblioteca degli studenti, without neglecting charitable works, especially for student soldiers during the war. After the First World War S. moved to Berlin. Personally poor, he succeeded in founding the Allgemeines Arbeitsamt and the Kreis der katholischen Künstler for artists; he opened a Catholic academic reading room; founded a people’s higher education school and various other cultural and charitable institutions; and directed the Catholic journal Das katholische Kirchenblatt für Berlin, in which his famous Notizen appeared, acute observations on various current problems. Not always understood, and at times also rightly criticized, S. remains a true pioneer of the social apostolate and of new methods of priestly ministry in the large cities.
Writings: Aus dem letzten Jahrzehnt des italienischen Katholizismus (1906); Kann der moderne Student sozial arbeiten? (1908-10); Die sozialstudent. Bewegung (1909-1910); Der sittl. Wert der gewirtschaftl. Arbeit (1909; 3rd ed. 1910); Ideelle Werte der christl. Gewerkschaftsbewegung (1910); Die student. Wohnungsfrage (1911); Die Notwendigkeit der geistigen Bildung des Arbeiterstandes (1911); Bonn am Rhein (1912); Wir und die Gemeinden (1912); Wie Studenten wohnen (1913); Notizen, Weltstadtsektrauchungen (10 notebooks, 1925-29); Sonntagsexuellen, Erklärungen (1928).