SONNENSCHEIN, CARL. - German sociologist, b. July 15, 1876 in Düsseldorf, ordained a priest in 1900, d. Feb. 20, 1929 in Berlin. The son of artisans, S. showed from the time of his theological studies in Rome a lively interest in social questions and Christian democracy, and a lively enthusiasm for the student movement.
Having returned to his homeland, in the various places of his ministry (Aachen, Cologne-Nippes, Eberfeld, München-Gladbach) he set forth a new vision of political and social problems, becoming a pioneer of a new method of intensive apostolate in the great cities. In München-Gladbach in 1907 he founded the Sekretariat sozialer Studentenarbeit to give the student youth a solid social formation by means of social circles, of various courses organized in the university cities, of congresses during vacation time, of his review Die sozialen Studentenblätter and of the Students' Library, not forgetting either works of charity, 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 an academic Catholic reading room; he founded a people's high school and various other institutions of a cultural and charitable character, and he directed the Catholic review Das katholische Kirchenblatt für Berlin, where his famous Notizen appeared, acute observations on various current problems. Not always understood, at times even justly criticized, S. remains a true pioneer of the social apostolate and of the new methods of the priestly ministry in the great 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).