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June 2014 back issue
by Fabian Weiss
Wolfskinder explores the effects of an institutionalised life on young adults. In recent years the German youth welfare
service has been confronted with a growing number of teenagers who cannot cope with life – mostly due to their
biographical background and the pressures of society. Choice of career, tensions within the peer group or a lack of love
and care are just some factors which can lead to attention from the youth welfare office.
Through subtle and spontaneous observations of documents, letters and other captured fragments of their lives, the
viewer gets the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the difficulties of teenage life in the passage to adulthood within the
German youth welfare system.
The title Wolfskinder (German for feral children) – alludes to the common practice of sending troubled teenagers to
remote, countryside areas to get them away from a mostly urban background.
Axel, 17, being lifted through the spider web, an adventure based learning game. Each of the 19 teenagers from the
vocational school class from Ravensburg have to get through the net without touching any strings, otherwise, they
have to start over again. The game is meant to strengthen team effort and foresight.
Sebastian, 19, having a break from chucking wood. In a hut in Austria, several teenagers having intenstive social
education (from the agency 'Phöinix') can earn some extra pocket money by helping to prepare wood for the winter.
Marcel, 17, and Alessandro, 17, play fighting during a break on their canoe trip on the river Moder in France. At the
Heinrich-Wetzlar-Haus at the Schloss Stutensee, they are kept locked away for several months with other young
offenders to avoid remand in custody while they wait for their trial. This youth service programme aims to work in a
positive way with them instead of allowing them to become badly influenced during remand in custody.
Jan, 15, looking surprised at the dead fish that Hamid, 19, caught during their canoe trip on the river Moder in France.
Max receives a break-up letter from his girlfriend in the detention centre of juvenile delinquents in Dusseldorf. He has
to stay for 4 weeks for several crimes including robbery and threatening other people.
A lot of the one-to-one counselling programmes for troubled teenagers involve animal therapy. They often take place
on farms to get away from former peers and from a hostile urban landscape. Felix, 15, is holding a chicken to make it
fly at his foster family home in Userin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Tim, 17, walking his rounds in the courtyard of the juvenile detention centre in Dusseldorf. Every day he has 30
minutes when he can walk outside. He has been sentenced to 4 weeks for multiple robbery. Youth welfare tries to help
him with certain social programmes during his stay.
A lot of the one-to-one counselling programmes for troubled teenagers involve being sent to remote places. They are
often on farms to get away from former peers and from a hostile urban landscape. Felix, 15, in his new campervan in
Userin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Adrian, 12, gathering mushrooms at a farm near Gdansk, Poland, where he has lived with three counsellors for about
two years. He cannot live with his family due to physical abuse and drug abuse at home. Nevertheless he is missing
his family and has been trying to call his mother for about 2 months – a futile exercise.
Niko, 13, on an Island pony from his foster family in Tröbsdorf. In the beginning, his parents were against the proposal
of the youth office, but then agreed. It may be that he remains in foster care. However, should he go back home, Niko
will try to get along better with his mother’s new partner. Niko's biological father got divorced and when he got together
with his new girlfriend, he had to choose bewteen Niko and her. Now Niko only his father's phone number which he
found on the internet. He visits his mother every 2 months.
Anton, 17, has lived for several years with the Zinneckers, a circus family from Brandenburg. They take care of
troubled teenagers and integrate them into the everyday life at the circus. Taking care of the animals plays a central
role. In addition to circus training, Anton gets educated in a correspondence school. But usually there is just little time
for homework due to the amount of work for the circus.
Florian, 16, has worked at the family circus Alamos since last year. His father is an alcoholic, his brother died in a car
accident and his sister tried to suffocate him. Before the youth welfare service could get involved, he chose to leave
home and stay with the circus. The circus family also takes troubled teenagers from the youth welfare office and helps
them by keeping them occupied and through working with animals.
A vocational school class from Ravensburg having an informal getting to know each other at the start of the new
school year with adventure-based learning. A lot of the kids have a criminal past. Part of the afternoon programme is
to build a chain of people over a slack-line, called Mohawk Walk, where they have to work together and take care of
the weakest in order to complete the task.
Niko, 13, in the barn at his foster family home in Tröbsdorf. but then agreed.
Every teenager of the residential youth group 'IG II' at Schloss Stutensee can write their wishes in the diary, but there
are strict rules on the application process. The most common request is a renewed participation in the shared meal or
cake for visiting parents. Most of the teenagers are here because of a court order.
The teenagers from the closed group home 'IG 2' at Schloss Stutensee waiting for their minute of silence for
misconduct to be over.
Celina, 13, hiding under her blanket, Bavaria.
