About us

Haus der Begegnung was opened in 1966 by Bishop Paulus Rusch as a “centre for social education and connection”. It grew out of the work of social movements such as the KAB (Catholic Workers’ Movement) and KAJ (Young Christian Workers), and the core values of these groups continue to influence the centre to this day. From the outset, the centre has been committed to helping shape the economy and the world of work in a humane way, guided by the principles of Catholic social teaching. This remains a central part of our mission today.

The educational programme at Haus der Begegnung offers guidance on social and ethical questions and encourages people to develop their own views without prescribing ready-made answers. The centre serves as a meeting place for local groups that are permanently based here, while also welcoming up to 50,000 guests each year to around 1.500 events organised by Haus der Begegnung, as well as programmes run by external organisers and visiting groups. Visitors come from a wide range of social, cultural and professional backgrounds. Like the adult education sector as a whole, Haus der Begegnung is committed to making education accessible to everyone.

Haus der Begegnung is an ISO-certified, Ö-Cert-accredited, church-affiliated educational institution and a member of the Forum Katholischer Erwachsenenbildung (Forum for Catholic Adult Education). As part of the worldwide church, the centre is rooted in faith in Jesus Christ and committed to respectful dialogue with other religions and Christian denominations. A central part of our work is engaging with the tensions between church and society.

The socio-political focus of the educational programme is shaped by four specialist areas: Work and the Economy; Socio-political Issues and Ethics; Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue; Creation Care and Sustainability. The centre is also home to several diocesan specialist roles, including the Environmental Officer, the Officer for Worldview Issues and the Diocesan Representative for Interreligious Dialogue.

Haus der Begegnung is designed as a place for the whole person. The accessible, modern architecture invites visitors to pause, connect with others and engage with both the familiar and the unfamiliar. The transition from outside to inside reflects the tensions of contemporary life and encourages a creative approach to navigating them.

Haus der Begegnung is committed to helping shape a future for generations to come while promoting respect for planetary boundaries. It has been a Climate Alliance member and a certified Green Event location for many years and has also been recognised multiple times as an inclusive organisation.

Welcome to Haus der Begegnung.

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Dr. Magdalena Modler-El Abdaoui

Mag. Manuela Schweigkofler

Bildungsteam

MMag. Daniela Soier

Dr. Martina Loth

Dr. Verena Sauermann

Martin Hörtnagl

Dipl. theol. Bernd Zeidler

Mag. Mirjam Müller PHD

Event Management and Reception

Johanna Buchegger

Sabine Köck

Sabrina Lener

Claudia Waldegger

Facility Management

Benjamin Zanon

Gerd Baumann

Helmut Bierent

Cleaning Team

Gordana Janicijevic

Andelka Crnoja

Blazenka Illic

Lemia Rashedi

Service Team

Consuelo Di Zacomo

Christoph Perktold

Andrea Spiegel

Thomas Weiß

Katrin Tjankow

Manuel Lottersberger

Bernadette Gammersbach

Kitchen Team

Karl Heinz Fürnschuss

Zlatko Janicijevic

Zivomir Milosevic

Ramazan Öksüz

Dimitris Tsiotis