CASPARY, EUGEN

CASPARY, EUGEN (1863–1931), German social welfare pioneer. Born in Berlin, Caspary became one of the leading figures in the social welfare work of the German Jewish community during the first three decades of the 20th century. He evolved new methods for meeting social problems and improving social services. At the close of World War I, he established an employment program for released Jewish prisoners. As Germany's postwar inflation reduced the capabilities of existing welfare programs and increased sharply the community's needs, Caspary enrolled and directed 1,000 volunteers to serve in food kitchens, to work in playgrounds, and to operate the free loan funds. During the years 1917–28, when he was director of the Central Welfare Bureau for German   Jews, he unified many small, separate programs for the care of orphans. (Joseph Neipris)