Herbert Sedlmeier: A life for inclusion and solidarity ends tragic
Herbert Sedlmeier: A life for inclusion and solidarity ends tragic
Germering, Deutschland - A man who dedicated his life of inclusion went from us: Herbert Sedlmeier died at the age of 68. As a city council and social officer in Germering, he campaigned for people with restrictions for decades. Born in 1957 with a genetic defect that is known as a glass bone disease, "inclusion" was still an unknown term in his childhood. At a time when he was rejected by school authorities and health insurance companies, it was his brother Georg who taught him reading, writing and arithmetic.
It is particularly noteworthy that Herbert was added to the first class after a school test and was even transferred to the third later. His career initially seemed challenging, but he mastered all the hurdles and left the school with medium maturity to enter the Germering city administration. He worked in various offices for almost 40 years, especially in the youth, family and social welfare office. He also took the office of chairman of the staff council and disabled person for the district. Sedlmeier was a voice of reason and tirelessly campaigned for accessibility and the interests of his fellow human beings.
a man of engagement
since 1996 he represented the CSU in the city council, but does not plan to start again. In addition to his political activity, he was also active in culture and led the farmers' stage of Unterpfaffenhofen, where he organized theater performances and the Germeringen strong beer festival. The person behind the politician lived independently in his own apartment and traveled a lot, which reflects his joie de vivre and openness. Tragically, he died of the consequences of an accident, which many affected deeply in Germering.
Against the background of this personal story, it is important to look at the general situation of people with disabilities in Germany. At the end of 2023, around 7.9 million people with severe disabilities lived in Germany, which corresponds to almost 10% of the population. Despite legal progress, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabilities, which requires equality, the need to catch up on inclusion remains enormous. The obstacles in everyday life are versatile: Numerous hurdles have to be overcome from a lack of accessibility in schools to the labor market and cultural events. According to a Forsa survey, over 60% of teachers believe in the need for inclusion, but only 30% consider it practical.The way to inclusion
The current situation illustrates that many barriers do not come from individual impairments, but through social conditions. The overview of inclusion shows that the employment participation of people with impairments from 53% in 2017 also differs to 81% in humans without impairment. Although there is state grants for professional inclusion, implementation is often complicated and characterized by a lack of personnel and resources. This is reinforced by the fact that access to cultural events and artistic professions for people with disabilities is often restricted.
In this context, the requirement is loud to make more legal obligations to the private sector on accessibility. Developments in disability policy must be driven steadily in order to fulfill the political mandate of social participation and to combat discrimination. The high number of people who rely on integration assistance - in 2023 it was over a million - shows the urgent need for extensive social inclusion.
Herbert Sedlmeier's life and commitment are not only an example of personal use in the field of inclusion, but also an urgent appeal, not to lose sight of the challenges that people with restrictions face. His commitment will not only be remembered in Germering, but far beyond. "A life for inclusion" was not only his motto, but his destiny.
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| Ort | Germering, Deutschland |
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