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Elke Schilling's Journey from East Germany to a Million Calls Against Loneliness

A disrupted family business, a career in programming, and a hotline that just hit a million calls. How one woman turned adversity into purpose. Her quiet Berlin apartment tells a story of simplicity—but her impact is anything but small.

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The image shows an old map of the city of Berlin, Germany, with a black background. The map is...
The image shows an old map of the city of Berlin, Germany, with a black background. The map is detailed and shows the streets, buildings, and other landmarks of the area. The text on the paper provides additional information about the map, such as the names of the streets and landmarks.

Elke Schilling's Journey from East Germany to a Million Calls Against Loneliness

Elke Schilling, born in Leipzig in 1944, has led a life shaped by resilience and reinvention. From growing up in a large family to founding a vital support service for the elderly, her journey spans East Germany's post-war era, a career in programming, and a commitment to combating loneliness in later life. This year, her organisation Silbernetz marked a major milestone by receiving its one-millionth call.

Elke Schilling was the sixth and youngest child in a family of five brothers. Her father had built a mid-sized business in Leipzig after the war, producing electrolytic capacitors. But in 1961, the East German state partially expropriated the company, and by 1971, it was fully taken over.

After finishing tenth grade, Schilling trained as a lab technician for paints and varnishes while earning her *Abitur*. She later enrolled in mathematics but had to pause her studies when she became pregnant. Balancing childcare, household duties, and education, she eventually worked as a programmer before the fall of the Berlin Wall. After reunification, she transitioned into self-employment as an organisational development consultant. Her personal life reflects a love for simplicity and natural materials. In her Berlin apartment on Glasgower Straße—a quiet side street branching off Barfussstraße and running parallel to the once-grand Müllerstraße—she has embraced wood in her functional design. A climbing wax plant (*Hoya carnosa*) winds from her sideboard up to the ceiling, adding a touch of green to her space. In 2018, Schilling founded *Silbernetz*, a hotline dedicated to fighting loneliness among older people. The service reached a significant moment on 2 January this year when it took its one-millionth call. Throughout her life, themes of administration, economics, and volunteer work have driven both her career and her community contributions.

Schilling's path—from a disrupted family business in Leipzig to a self-made career in Berlin—culminated in the creation of Silbernetz. The hotline's millionth call underscores its growing role in supporting isolated elderly individuals. Her story reflects adaptability, a passion for problem-solving, and a lasting impact on those facing solitude in their later years.

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