Embarking on new times and spaces The recruitment and qualification of teachers for Religious Education according to Article 7.3 of the Basic Law in East Germany from the beginning of the 1990s to the mid-2000s

Abstract

After the Peaceful Revolution and the accession of the GDR to the scope of the Basic Law, Religious Education was (re)introduced in most East German federal states in accordance with Article 7.3 of the Basic Law. This upheaval was associated with a significant shortage of teachers: Thousands of them had to be found and qualified for the subject. Against this background, the article outlines the challenges faced by the training of teachers for Religious Education after 1989/90 and presents the recruitments and qualifications of these teachers from the beginning of the 1990s to the mid-2000s. Furthermore, it will be discussed whether and, if so, what indications can be derived from the presented contemporary historical developments for the current situation of teacher shortage.