The v. Bodelschwingh Foundation Bethel started as a home for persons with epilepsy, founded in 1867 by the Home Mission  in Bielefeld. Its objective was to provide a home for persons with “seizure afflictions” at a time when persons with mental or physical weakness were increasingly being pushed to the edge of society. Friedrich Simon came to Bethel as the institution’s first managing director. Friedrich von Bodelschwingh, who significantly influenced the institution, succeeded Simon in 1872. Under his management—and the management of his successors—Bethel developed into one of Europe’s largest Christian social welfare service entity. The number of people whose lives have been touched by contact with Bethel is enormous–the figure runs into millions. We perceive Bethel’s history as the history of these persons regardless of whether their path through life brought them in touch with Bethel as employees or disabled persons or as friends, supporters, family members, students, politicians or clergymen. There are innumerable stories of persons who have received help at Bethel in a moment of need or for several decades. Our chronicle only presents a few milestones in 150 years of Bethel history: