English Translation

- 2 - in the social field in its individual forms of development, an explanation of its prehistory, which begins with Leo XIII, is required. Leo XIII is called "social pope" by the Catholic Church. When, in the second half of the last century, the social problem as a result of the growth of industrialization increasingly demanded a solution, Leo XIII soon realized that the Catholic Church had an opportunity to gain influence on the political life of the peoples on the way through social activity. In 1882 he created a committee in Rome, which was commissioned with the Etudium of Social Questions. The leading and active member of this committee was the Swiss Prelate M e r m i l l o d. When he soon became bishop of Freiburg, Geneva and Lausanne, the committee moved to Freiburg/S,hweiz and adopted the title "Union internationale d'études sociales", which was later called "Union of Freiburg". By the way, the Belgian Cardinal Mercier also gave the name "Union internationale d'études sociales" to his social-scientific organization founded in Mecheln in 192o. The Union of Freiburg was made up of the most famous Catholic sociologists of most European countries. One of them, the Swedish Prelate B e c k still teaches today as a professor at the University of Freiburg/Switzerland. The Union of Freiburg held meetings for several years, during which mainly the following problems were discussed: the professional organization, the peasant property, the work and the fair wages, the credit, etc. The results of these meetings were sent to Rome and