Martin Buber

(08.02.1878 - 06.13.1965) Austrian-Jewish religious philosopher

When you think about relationship formation and appreciation, it is probably not get away from Martin Buber! He understands dialogue as an anthropological principle of man. In his major work "Me and You" (1923) he deals with the relationship of man to God and to fellow human beings. From the developed "dialogic principle" can be basic approaches to the relationship derived design on the other hand, which (not only) are for the encounter with people with disabilities is of great importance:

"OTTO SPECK speaks as regards the labelling of an educative relationship from the "interaction between two equal persons".

He follows the basic idea of ​​a dialogic relationship, as formulated by the Jewish theologian Martin Buber.

SPECK called traits of an I-Thou relationship (in Speck, Otto: "Menschen mit geistiger Behinderung und ihre Erziehung", Ernst Reinhardt Verlag, Munich / Basel, 1990, p 278) This includes

·         the recognition of otherness

 (I will take the other as he is. He does not have to be just as I am.)

·         the immediacy between that encounter each man

 (This is about real openness for my opponent. I go to the other people who come close to him, take him really true, listen to him, dedicate myself to him completely.)

·         the exclusivity in the Encounter

 (This means that I turn only at the moment of encounter just one person. This I turn to quite. In the next moment, I can already again another person turn.)

·         the reciprocity of trust

 (One trusts the other. A high degree of confidence about caring person must usually muster. He goes often completely in the hands of the supervisor. However, the caregiver or caregivers must have confidence in the will, forces and Facing awareness of his opponent.)

·         the dialogical responsibility

 (As nurses or parent families, I accept responsibility for my opponent. It allowed me not go to my well-being, but for his welfare, his needs, his progress.). "

(Source: Christine Schulz in "Heilerziehungspflege-Fernunterricht", Lehrbrief 3, Seite 16, Hoffbauer Stiftung, Potsdam, überarbeitete Version 2007)