Childhood between private and public, family and society: The history of raising small children is also a story about tensions between various institutions and professions that struggle to protect and promote the child. The contributions in this anthology select and deal with central themes and conflicts in the historical development of early childhood education from different perspectives.

The editors:
Prof. Dr. Diana Franke-Meyer, Evangelical University of Rhineland-Westphalia-Lippe
Prof. Dr. Dagmar Kasüschke, Schwäbisch Gmünd University of Education
Prof. Dr. Rita Braches-Chyrek, Otto Friedrich University of Bamberg

Introduction:
History of early childhood education. Forgotten connections

I PROBLEM AND LEGAL HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS
Childhood in historical perspective: Society and law Kindergarten or school?
Historical and current discourse lines on the relationship between elementary and primary education

II CONCEPTUAL AND INSTITUTIONAL CONNECTIONS
Evangelical infant schools as an instrument of church political efforts in Bavaria?

Friedrich Fröbel's kindergarten idea.
Beginnings of an institutional, conceptual and professional early childhood education

Mediation and appropriation in the wake of Friedrich Fröbel.
The interpretation of Fröbel's educational ideas and his toys.

'Spiritual motherhood' - impetus for a change of direction within kindergarten education?

The Fröbel-Montessori dispute

III PROFESSIONAL HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS

“How are you satisfied with my cutting and braiding?”
Professional identity and everyday experiences of the first kindergarten teachers as reflected in letters


On the story of the youth leader
Social-educational considerations for the professionalization and academicization of early childhood pedagogy and child and youth welfare