“Independent Living is having the same range of options and the same degree of self-determination that people without a disability take for granted.” (Adolf Ratzka)
These words perfectly represent what Adolf Ratzka believed and dedicated his life to. A pioneer of the Independent Living movement in Europe, Adolf Ratzka sadly passed away on Sunday, July 21, at the age of 80, during an accident.
Adolf Ratzka, born on November 20 in 1943, in Germany, was an advocate for disability rights who played a crucial role in promoting the right to independent living in Europe. User of personal assistance, ventilator and power chair since 1961, when at the age of 17 he became paralyzed due to Polio, he constantly fought for greater autonomy and inclusion of disabled people.
After spending five years in a hospital in Munich, in 1966 a scholarship enabled Ratzka to move to the University of California in Los Angeles. This experience was crucial in his life, as it was there that Ratzka first came into contact with the Independent Living movement. The support he received through direct payments for personal assistance from the German state allowed him to hire, train, and manage his own assistants, enabling him to live independently in a dormitory.
Ratzka’s experience in California deeply influenced his vision of disability rights and independent living: when he returned to Europe, he became a leading figure in introducing and advocating for the independent living principles.
In 1984, Adolf founded the STIL cooperative in Sweden – the Stockholm branch of the American Independent Living movement – which employs 1,300 personal assistants for disabled people, all recruited, trained and managed by the 200 members they assist. In addition to STIL, Ratzka established the Independent Living Institute in Sweden, furthering his efforts to promote self-determination and accessibility for disabled people. Individuals and organisations throughout Europe took it as an example and started to advocate for disability rights and independent living, and for empowering disabled people to take control of their own lives.
Ratzka’s contributions to the Independent Living movement were deeply rooted in his personal experience and his belief in the necessity of self-determination for disabled people. Talking about the context in California, he once remarked “You don’t sense pity or Christian mercy,” highlighting his advocacy for a human rights-based approach to disability – one that emphasises equality, freedom of choice, and empowerment – rather than a model focused on pity and charity. “We are profoundly ordinary people”, he once said referring to the disabled community.
The European Network of Independent Living (ENIL), which Ratzka helped to found, says goodbye to this extraordinary individual. His vision and dedication have left an indelible mark on the movement and people across Europe and beyond. His words will continue to encourage and educate future generations about the importance of independent living and self-determination. ENIL’s thoughts are with Adolf’s family, particularly his wife Doro Riedel and his daughter Katharina Ratzka, as well as his friends and colleagues worldwide.
“It is hard to say goodbye to a friend, a colleague, my greatest mentor and a fellow activist for the Independent Living movement. I met Adolf Ratzka in 1993. He has been a great leader for Independent Living. He introduced personal assistance in Sweden that became a part of the Swedish disability reform and made a great difference for the lives of many people, including my own life. We immediately started a dialogue in 1993 on what there was to do to gain equal rights for disabled people, a dialogue that has continued until this week. Adolf respected me and asked me to join the STIL Board. This was an honor for me and the beginning of my career within disability rights.
He employed me in 2017 as the Director of the Independent Living Institute. I was to replace Adolf which no one could do. He gave me a great challenge and a great honor.
Adolf had an accident this weekend and is no longer on this earth. With age I know death is on the doorstep but to know that Adolf is gone leaves an immense sadness and a great emptiness. May Adolf rest in Power.”
Jamie Bolling, ENIL Co-Chair and Director of the Independent Living Institute
Funeral arrangements: The funeral of Adolf Ratzka will be held on August 12 in Hoppets Kapell in Stockholm at 12:15, with a memorial service at 14:00 in Enskedde Terrasen. Everyone is invited, but they must register. The homepage for registration will be set up next week (from Wednesday 31 July) at this link, will all the information: http://minnessidor.fonus.se. In lieu of flowers,
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Adolf Ratzka Memorial Fund for Migrants with Disabilities, set up by his family and the Independent Living Institute.
Account holder: Stiftelsen Institutet för Independent Living
Bank Adress: Swedbank AB (publ), Box 4142, SE- 131 04 Nacka-Stockholm, Sweden
IBAN: SE46 8000 0832 7997 4619 3235
BIC: SWEDSESS
A rememberance event for Adolf will also be held during the Freedom Drive in Brussels, on 24 September from 18:00, where we will be marking the 35th Anniversary of ENIL. If you would like to share your memories or photos with Adolf, or express what he meant to you, please send these to Antonella Candiago antonella.candiago@enil.eu until 30 August.
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