Neighbourly love every day
Imst - the cradle of SOS Children's Villages
Hermann Gmeiner and the SOS Children's Village are inextricably linked with the town of Imst. From here, an idea spread around the world that gave countless children a new home and hope.
Hermann Gmeiner - A life for children in need
Hermann Gmeiner, born in 1919 in Alberschwende, Vorarlberg, grew up as one of nine children in modest circumstances. The early loss of his mother and his experiences during the Second World War left a deep impression on him and awakened in him the desire to provide a loving environment for disadvantaged and orphaned children. After the end of the war, he began studying medicine in Innsbruck, but soon realised that he could provide more lasting help as a social pioneer.
In 1949, Hermann Gmeiner put his visionary idea into practice and founded the world's first SOS Children's Village in Imst, Tyrol. His idea was revolutionary: every child should not only receive accommodation, but also grow up in a family community with an SOS mother and siblings. The first family home - the "House of Peace" - was opened in 1951 and laid the foundations for a unique social movement worldwide.
The idea developed rapidly from Imst: within a few years, over a hundred children were already living there and the successful concept spread, initially in Austria, but soon also internationally. Today, there are over 500 SOS Children's Villages in more than 130 countries, where children are given a sense of security, education and prospects for a self-determined life.
Hermann Gmeiner remained true to his mission throughout his life and died in Innsbruck in 1986. He found his final resting place symbolically where it all began - in the SOS Children's Village in Imst, the home and origin of his life-changing idea.
