"Apart from janitor, I think...", he did pretty much everything at the Protestant University of Applied Sciences Ludwigshafen: student at the Seminar for Social Professions in Speyer (the EFH's predecessor institution), teacher of methods, graduate teacher, professor, vice-rector, finally (last) rector and, after leaving the - then merged - university in 2008, lecturer. This is how Jürgen Mangold described his career in an interview with Arnd Götzelmann. Jürgen Mangold died on November 10 at the age of 80.
Jürgen Mangold came from Mannheim. After an education as a radio and television technician, he completed a second training course at the Protestant Seminary for Social Professions in Speyer to become what was then known as a care worker. After his training, he worked in Mannheim at the General Social Service in the area of family welfare. He was soon recruited as a methods teacher for the Protestant University of Applied Sciences in Ludwigshafen, which was in the process of being founded. He remained permanently associated with it. Jürgen Mangold was curious and interested, and he wanted to make changes, but also wanted to maintain contact with practice. He took a two-year leave of absence to set up a residential community for young people at risk of drug addiction for the drug association in Mannheim, which he had co-founded. Back at the EFH, Jürgen Mangold decided to catch up on his studies. Ernest Jouhy and Martin Rudolf Vogel as well as Hartwig Zander played a decisive role in this decision, which meant that he was also influenced by Marxism in addition to his - as he put it - Protestant background.
As a university lecturer, Jürgen Mangold was not interested in imparting knowledge quickly in a way that would be relevant to examinations and the utilization of knowledge. Instead, he followed the principles of dialogical didactics and participatory learning. He was concerned with the organization of educational spaces, including reflection with regard to the shaping of society. He wanted to preserve the university as a special place of social reflection or make it so.
Against the background of his experiences in practice and university teaching, Jürgen Mangold was interested in the development of the theory and systematics of social work from a very early stage. He was the first to introduce the new - and controversial - science of social work into the professional discourse at the Protestant University of Applied Sciences. With his commitment and ideas, he influenced both local and national discussions. The focus of his theoretical work was the attempt to "solve the problem of an action-oriented theory of social work through the application of social science theories of action and subject". He formulated a "subject-theoretical justification of social work" (in reference to Leontjew, Séve and Holzkamp).
Jürgen Mangold was one of the influential figures at the Protestant University of Applied Sciences Ludwigshafen, which he played a key role in shaping. Be it in the study reform processes in social work and its new conception, in the opening for Health Sciences degree programs - and not least in the merger with the then University of Applied Sciences for Business. From his point of view, the merger was necessary because there was no other perspective in sight that would have made it possible to continue the work.
Jürgen Mangold was a man of many talents and interests. Music, theater, but also someone who could make almost anything himself: Honey or beer - pretty much anything that could be eaten and drunk. His mulled wine before the Christmas break in Maxstraße, to which everyone felt invited, whether from education or administration, students or staff, was legendary. Jürgen Mangold was unconventional in many ways - not just when it came to his socks - always friendly but never conformist, critical but always interested in solutions, political but not dogmatic.
It is sad for the Departments that Jürgen Mangold has passed away, hardly anyone wanted to believe that he was already eighty years old. Even though he had been retired for a long time, he somehow remained present, and not just during his visits to the Department. This is another reason why we will miss him very much.
Prof. Dr. Hans-Ulrich Dallmann, Dean of the Department of Social and Health Sciences
