The Life of Karl Koenig

In 1940, Dr Karl Koenig founded the Camphill movement for people with special needs. Camphill has since grown into an international organisation and Koenig's pioneering work has benefitted the lives of countless people. But who was this extraordinary man and what inspired him? This engaging new biography draws on Koenig's letters and diaries and never-before published archival material to tell the story of the founder of Camphill. It describes Koenig's childhood growing up in a Jewish family in cosmopolitan Vienna at the beginning of the twentieth century, his passionate friendships, and his deepening awareness of social and spiritual issues. As a young medical student, he discovered anthroposophy and the work of Rudolf Steiner, which eventually led him to dedicate his life to helping people with special needs. This was a task he pursued with an unwavering devotion in the turbulent years that followed, which saw him flee from Nazi regime and endure internment on the Isle of Man, before finally settling in Aberdeen, Scotland, where he established the first Camphill community. This book presents an inspiring portrait of a person whose ideals of compassion, dignity and human connection continue to inspire communities around the world. It will appeal to those with an interest in special needs education who want to know more about the exceptional individual behind the worldwide success of the Camphill movement.