Kommune Niederkaufungen

Kommune Niederkaufungen is one of the largest intentional communities in Germany. Founded in 1986, it is an egalitarian, left-wing, income-sharing commune with consensus decision-making. It is situated in a complex of former farm buildings in the historic centre of the village of Niederkaufungen (Kaufungen), seven kilometres from the city of Kassel (Hessen). It has grown from 15 founder members to 62 adults and nearly 20 children and teenagers (2009). It is a member of "Kommuja", the German network of political communes and egalitarian communities.

The Kommune Niederkaufungen has a set of five main core principles. These were formulated in a pamphlet in 1983, the "Grundsatzpapier". They are:

Although not explicitly listed as a core principle in the "Grundsatzpapier", ecological ideas have been important since the start. A wish to become ecologically and economically sustainable is expressed in the pamphlet and is seen as the sixth commune core principle. In addition, the wish to find a site near but not in a city was expressed in this "vision document", as was the further aim to reach a membership of 100 adult members.

Nearly all members of the commune work in commune owned collectives. These include

Each work collective decides independently on work hours, work responsibilities and holidays.

Members of the commune live in eleven living groups of between four and ten people. Two groups are explicitly women's living groups. One is a men's group. The others are mixed. Each individual communard has her or his own room. Other facilities in the living group (bathrooms, common rooms, tea kitchens etc.) are shared. Each living group organises its own household affairs. Most living groups have regular group meetings and some take holidays together.

As part of the attempt to reduce the ecological footprint of the commune, various technological measures have been taken in the last few years. These are:

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