Adolph Kolping (1813-1865) was a German priest and social reformer who campaigned for the social and professional interests of young craftsmen and labourers. Coming from a humble background, he recognised the difficult living conditions of many craftsmen during his years as a journeyman. In 1849, he founded the ‘Catholic Journeymen's Association’ in Cologne to offer young craftsmen a sense of community, education, and prospects for the future. His idea quickly spread and led to the creation of the international Kolping Society.
His vision was also taken up early on in Brixen: the Catholic Journeymen's Association was founded in 1857 and since then, has offered young craftsmen support and a strong community. The association was banned during the fascist era, but was re-founded after the Second World War by Canon Adolf Pertramer as the Kolpingsfamilie Brixen. Today, Kolping Brixen consists of voluntary members who organise themselves in the Kolpingsfamilie and the Verein Kolpinghaus Brixen.
