Events & Celebrations

A Place for Learning and Living: Steinmühle School and Boarding School Celebrates Its 75th Anniversary

Events & Celebrations, Former Students & Alumni, Life at Boarding School, News

The numerous invited guests brought plenty of praise with them when they gathered for the ceremony in the forum of the host institution, the Steinmühle School and Boarding School. It was a true anniversary worth celebrating, as the educational institution in southern Marburg turned 75 and marked the occasion with a week of festivities. Many well-wishers attended: from the school community, other schools, the school district office, the political sphere, various associations, and top officials from the Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs. The Steinmühle and its leadership, however, remained humble and grateful.

“We are here in a place of learning and life,” noted Egon Vaupel, chairman of the Steinmühle Marburg support association. At Steinmühle, he said, investments are made in education, training, and integration. These are the most important building blocks for the success of an institution that is known far beyond the district’s borders. However, he added, it is also important not only to acknowledge successes but also to admit mistakes.

Principal Björn Gemmer provided a retrospective, in words and pictures, of the most important historical milestones at Steinmühle in the period after 1949. The founder, Joseph Müller, and the educator, Gerhard Buurman, were brought together through their activities in the Association of German Private Schools. Buurman invested 40,000 German marks in the Steinmühle, which had 123 students on May 10, 1949. As an independently operated school and boarding school, the then “Landschulheim Steinmühle” received state recognition in 1955. In 1973, Steinmühle had 226 boarding students—more than ever before and more than ever since. Currently, the total number of students is 820, of whom about 100 live in the boarding school and the rest are day students from the city. Around 1,000 people are currently active on campus, including all staff members.

Significant Investment in Internationalization

Over the years, the Steinmühle has had many success stories, but it has also been involved in the occasional scandal that the press eagerly picked up on, such as when students helped a citizen of the GDR escape during a class trip in the 1980s. To this day, the school has retained, to some extent, the image of being “a school for the rich”—due to the fact that the private school operator charges tuition, and hardly any boarding school accommodates young people for free.

What is less well known is that Steinmühle enrolls 20 percent of its boarding students through youth welfare services, and the efforts it has made since the 1980s to take in refugees, most recently in 2015. Significant investment has also been made in Steinmühle’s international character. In Class 6i of the International High School track, in addition to German and English, the students also speak Russian, Ukrainian, Arabic, Turkish, Polish, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Flemish, Persian, Marathi, and Kurdish at home.

Praise for Sustainability

Much to the delight of Dirk Konnertz, the school and boarding school’s director, many former colleagues and alumni had also come to see what had become of “their” Steinmühle. Everyone praised the school’s diverse curriculum—particularly in the natural sciences—as well as its commitment to environmental protection and sustainability, and its active construction and modernization efforts. Among the alumni was Felix Müller, a 2023 Steinmühle high school graduate who is now a student at the Mozarteum in Salzburg; together with Gabrielle Sans on the piano, he provided the musical accompaniment for the event. Together with singer and teacher Anna Prokop and tenor Daniel Sans, Dirk Konnertz brought the evening to a musical close on the keyboard; at the very end, the event offered a unique opportunity to take a group photo of all the school principals from past years up to the present.

The Steinmühle welcomed the following guests: Dr. Manuel Lösel (State Secretary, Hessian Ministry of Culture, Education, and Opportunity), Christoph Aßmann (Director of the State School Authority), Michael Röhrig (Director of the Marburg Teacher Training Seminar for High Schools), Dirk Bamberger (Member of the State Parliament), Angela Dorn (Member of the State Parliament and Vice President of the Hessian State Parliament), Nadine Bernshausen (Mayor), Peter Hesse (Head of the Cappel Local Council), Dr. Falk Raschke (Executive Director of the Association of German Private Schools in Hesse), Hans-Martin Meth (Vice Chair of the Boarding Schools Association), Jasmine Weidenbach (Chair of the Steinmühle Support Association), Bianca Zenker (Chair of the School Parents’ Council), Joela Schwing and Lennart Holly (student representatives).

Steinmühle also welcomed: the Buurman family, principals from nearby schools, former and current faculty members from the school and boarding school, former and current students, parents, friends, and supporters of Steinmühle.

4. July 2024

100 Days at the Bilingual Elementary School: That calls for a celebration!

Bilingual Elementary School, Events & Celebrations, News

It’s just part of the routine and is marked in the calendar in big, bright red: the celebration for Flex Classes A and B at our bilingual elementary school after 100 school days! On that date—last Wednesday—as a change of pace from regular classes, there were brain teasers of all sizes, games of skill, writing and physical activities—all taking place in the classrooms and on the schoolyard. For this event, the elementary school teachers had come up with many great stations, which the students completed following a checklist. The lively morning celebration ended with everyone sharing a large cake. A detailed report on the celebration for our youngest students will be featured in the next issue of SteinmühlenMagazin.

13. March 2024

The large gym was a carnival paradise for the 5th and 6th graders

Events & Celebrations, News

It’s a good thing that Steinmühle has a huge—and brand-new—gym! Because when the entire 5th and 6th grades celebrate Carnival with such exuberance—including the International High School track—they need plenty of space! A total of eight classes made their entrance at 2:00 p.m. into their decorated temporary “realm of fools,” after careful preparation that included putting on costumes, applying makeup, and creating the stand-up comedy program. “Dance together and disco” was the call less than five minutes later. This was followed by the Carnival Costume Story as a stand-up comedy routine directed by René Schulenberg, which seamlessly led into the Carnival Olympics featuring the disciplines of biathlon (running and target throwing) and the three-legged race. These program items were followed by the second round of the disco. The young carnival-goers then enjoyed their carnival snacks. Of course, those who can party can also clean up afterward—a fact the students impressively demonstrated at the end for Middle School Director Frank Wemme, who was wearing a frog costume that day, and his staff. Once again, it was clear to see: The Carnival celebrations are always a welcome break from the daily school routine for our younger Steinmühlen classes!

15. February 2024

A Great Atmosphere at the Bilingual Elementary School’s Carnival Party

Bilingual Elementary School, Events & Celebrations, News

Last Thursday, the students at our bilingual elementary school whirled through the gym in fantastic, colorful costumes. After 1:00 p.m., Carnival was on the schedule! For the girls and boys in classes Flex a, Flex b, 3, and 4, a polonaise was the first item on the program. Everyone had already gotten into the spirit as they left their classrooms. Things can get a little loud during such boisterous celebrations, but the teachers used a megaphone to make themselves heard. The afternoon’s program included a costume show, the hat dance, time in the movement course, a team game with balls, and balloon contests. The afternoon culminated with french fries for everyone—but not before everyone pitched in to clean up together. The team led by elementary school principal Janine Küster—namely teachers Lori Herrmann, Lisa Smit, Lisa Forchheim, Maria Bick, Maria Gloerfeld, Katrin Weissenborn, Hannah Achenbach, Dr. Sebastian Verbeek, and Tobias Leisge.

15. February 2024

Two in One Go: Advent Afternoons for Grades 5 and 6

Events & Celebrations, News

Only a few times a year do as many parents and relatives gather at Steinmühle as they do for the Advent celebrations of grades 5 and 6. On Monday at 2 p.m., the 5th-grade classes invited guests to a festive afternoon in the Forum, while the 6th-grade classes welcomed their families to the Centrum. With Christmas treats, drinks, festive songs, and the occasional friendly chat, everyone had a pleasant time.

The focus of the 5th-grade classes’ performance in the Forum was on music. The 5th-grade wind ensemble, conducted by Andreas Jamin, and the choir, conducted by Daniel Sans, sang and played. Ulrike Wilmsmeyer, Frank Wemme, and Anna Prokop performed on instruments. The audience heard Christmas and winter-themed poems from the language workshop. Janne Bieber performed a gavotte accompanied by her father—a lovely duet for viola and piano.

The afternoon continued with arts and crafts, games, chatting, and eating cookies. At the Centrum, each sixth-grade class presented two different activities for the children in attendance. These had been coordinated in advance. Parents bringing “picnic baskets” made providing snacks much easier at both locations. Thank you very much for that!

We would also like to thank all the teachers involved who were responsible for organizing and carrying out the event. You made it a wonderful afternoon for all our guests!

22. December 2023

The Christmas Party Is Back—A Successful Comeback

Art, Music & Theater, Events & Celebrations, Life at Boarding School, News

Anyone who has been following Steinmühle for some time is likely familiar with the boarding school’s Christmas party. It’s a highlight every year, and after the pandemic years, it was once again held as the classic celebration. And although the last few Christmas parties—held as part of a cozy Christmas market in the boarding school courtyard—were a complete success, the students who have been living at the boarding school for some time were especially looking forward to this long-awaited comeback. As soon as the decision was made to revive the old traditions, outfits were planned and potential program items were developed. And so, weeks of rehearsals and anticipation were behind us, culminating last weekend in a successful Christmas party.

A sense of eager anticipation, a relaxed atmosphere, and a touch of nervousness—the curtain was closed, and the young people and guests in the audience waited, filled with curiosity, for the evening to begin. Soft Christmas music playing in the background set the stage for what was to come. Then the first notes of Etude Op. 8, No. 12 rang out on the piano, played by Mingzhou. “It was very impressive,” student Fabian said afterward. From that moment on, it was clear that the program would live up to every expectation. After a welcome speech by the boarding school administration, high school seniors Sarah and Fabian guided the audience through the program, which had something for everyone. In addition to a Christmas-themed tour of the Steinmühle, which transported the audience’s thoughts to a snow-covered landscape and thus set the mood for the celebration, some of the young people had prepared their own poems and poetry slams, which they performed. They gave the audience the chance to experience the many facets of the beautiful—and sometimes somewhat stressful—Christmas season. In addition, well-known fairy tales were reimagined in a humorous play and woven into a completely new and exciting story. Who could have guessed that a protest against wolves would suddenly break out while Hans and Little Hans were stomping through the forest together with Snow White? Time and again, hearty laughter could be heard from the audience as the dwarfs and the little goat ran through the hall shouting loudly. Andersen’s fairy tale “The Little Match Girl” was also adapted and given a completely new interpretation. With the help of a shadow puppet show, the guests were invited to follow the girl on her very personal journey to the stone mill.

A good Christmas party always includes a little music, and there was no shortage of it at the Steinmühle. Many musical performances and acts enlivened the evening and gave it a very special atmosphere. A small mini-orchestra sang about being home for Christmas, while another group performed a song by the Japanese duo Yoasobi, and of course, a dance performance was also part of the program.

After the successful performances, the assistant boarding school director—who was clearly thrilled with the program—invited everyone involved back onto the stage, where they were greeted with thunderous applause and a standing ovation. All the young people who had worked together to put on the evening’s performance were also thrilled. For Luisa and Janna, the stage show was the highlight of the evening.

Afterward, the guests made their way to the festively decorated dining hall, which was brightly lit by strings of lights and the glow of candles. A cozy atmosphere filled the room as the kitchen served a multi-course feast. The meal was accompanied by a quiz that included funny anecdotes from Steinmühle, among other things, and everyone eagerly joined in. In addition, the boarding school council had organized a Secret Santa exchange beforehand, so a small gift-giving ceremony could take place in keeping with the Christmas spirit.

Everyone was in high spirits at the party that followed as well. “The students were clearly having a great time,” said Sandrine, a teacher for whom this was also her first Christmas party, looking back. “And so were we as a team. It was just really wonderful.” Photos were taken, and above all, everyone danced happily.

The American author Edna Ferber once said, “Christmas is not a season. It’s a feeling.” And that contemplative and festive feeling of Christmas was everywhere at our boarding school celebration.

We would like to thank all the young people at the boarding school, the entire teaching staff, everyone who pitched in, the kitchen staff, and, of course, all our guests for a successful return of the Steinmühle Christmas party, and we are already looking forward to welcoming you back to the Steinmühle next year!

21. December 2023

A Milestone Just Before Its 75th Anniversary: Steinmühle School and Boarding School Now Operate Under One Roof

Events & Celebrations, Former Students & Alumni, Life at Boarding School, News

To mark the 75th anniversary of the Steinmühle next year, the school and boarding school have set a milestone: Starting January 1, 2024, both institutions will operate under one roof. To this end, Steinmühle gGmbH—a wholly owned subsidiary of the Steinmühle Marburg School Association (Schulverein Steinmühle Marburg e.V.)—will take over the business operations of Landschulheim Steinmühle GmbH & Co. KG. Dirk Konnertz, who has been managing the school association’s affairs since 2013, will also serve as managing director of the newly founded company.

The Steinmühlen Campus is large: It encompasses far more than just the buildings housing the high school, the international high school, the bilingual elementary school, the daycare center, the Forum, and two sports halls. The gGmbH will become the owner of all the land, the additional school and residential buildings, as well as the cafeteria, riding stable, and hydroelectric power plant.

A Win-Win Outcome After Fair Negotiations

For a year, boarding school director Olaf Bien and school director Dirk Konnertz had been negotiating the planned move in order to work out all the details by mutual agreement. “We deliberately took this time for fair negotiations in order to ultimately reach a win-win solution,” Dirk Konnertz recalls. Both sides are proud of the outcome and this historic step, which was taken shortly before the 75th anniversary of this long-established educational institution.

While the anniversary celebrations are scheduled for June 2024, the parties have already toasted the signing of the current agreement: Following a two-hour notarized presentation of the agreement’s contents by Notary Dr. Anton Schmölz, the parties signed the document. The occasion was celebrated with the second and third generations of the Buurman founding family, the board of the school association—Egon Vaupel and Gerhard Müller—senior staff members of the boarding school, and the school administration team led by Principal Björn Gemmer: “The school and the boarding school have always been in agreement regarding their educational goals, which has always allowed us to work well together at the operational level—that is, when it came to the students,” Gemmer recalls, adding: “I have great respect for the Buurman family for selling their family business to secure a positive future for Steinmühle. Emotionally, that certainly wasn’t easy.”

Further development of a modern and internationally oriented educational institution

The creation of the systemic conditions needed to implement our shared educational philosophy even more effectively through meaningful programs and offerings at Steinmühlenweg coincides with a shift in the image of German boarding schools. Located in the heart of Germany and the heart of Hesse, just outside the university city of Marburg and not far from the metropolis of Frankfurt, Steinmühle is one of the talent-oriented, modern, and internationally oriented institutions that, with their exceptionally diverse academic offerings, enable both specialization and personal development in equal measure, and at the end of students’ academic careers send young, cosmopolitan individuals out into society.

Managing Director Dirk Konnertz: “This development—made possible by our dedicated employees—can now advance even further and be secured thanks to the steps we have taken. The transformation of our Steinmühle into a sustainable educational institution for future generations now has a promising foundation.”

The culmination of twelve months of fair negotiations was the signing of the agreement last Friday. Front row, from left: Dr. Anton Schmölz, Dirk Konnertz, Olaf Bien, Dr. Randolf Boetzkes. Back row, from left: Anke Saß, Johanna Buurman-Rogalla, Frerich Buurman, Christiane Buurman, Gerrit Buurman, Gisela Buurman, Friedhelm Faecks, Gerhard Müller, Erwin Löber, Egon Vaupel.

13. December 2023

A Successful Fall Festival 2023

Events & Celebrations, Former Students & Alumni, Life at Boarding School, News

Once again this year, the Fall Festival—organized jointly by the school and the boarding school—was a highlight for many students, families, and alumni. For weeks, everyone had been working hard to plan the event and make the day unforgettable for everyone involved. From face painting and a haunted house to the evening festivities in the festival tent, there was something for everyone.

Preparations for the event began days in advance, with the boarding school students pitching in as well. The schoolyard gradually transformed into the festival grounds that visitors from previous years are likely already familiar with. Benches and booths were set up in the courtyard, and the stage was erected for the choir and band performances. This year, the school helped the boarding school with baking cakes, resulting once again in a varied buffet. As a result, the dorms smelled of delicious pastries for days on end, with one baking sheet after another being slid into the oven. Of course, a little tasting was a must. But who can resist fresh cinnamon rolls?

On the big day itself, the anticipation kept building. After the tables in the courtyard were decorated with the help of the Mühle residential group, the time had finally come, and the guests arrived, curious to explore the grounds and marvel at the program that had been put together. The Hessenhaus and the Biohaus worked hard to support the bake sale, and the students from the main building helped the kitchen with the barbecue, while the Westfalenhaus and Bremerhaus collected dishes all day long—because a celebration this big can only be a success if everyone pitches in together. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the students and the teaching staff for their active support!

The fall festival was marked by the presence of many familiar faces, all of whom were warmly welcomed. Time and again, people would say, “Back when I was at boarding school…” Alumni, current students, and faculty members happily exchanged stories about boarding school life, shared their experiences, and reminisced about shared memories. Once again, it became clear that the boarding school community extends beyond one’s time as a student and that Steinmühle often plays a formative role in the lives of young people.

We’re already looking forward to the next Fall Festival in 2024!

8. November 2023

Attendance at the Fall Festival Was Exceptionally High: Athletic Challenges, Lots of Fun, and Carefree Hours

Events & Celebrations, Former Students & Alumni, Life at Boarding School, News, Sports & Health

The day of the year when the Steinmühle, as a school and boarding school, attracts the most visitors to its grounds is the Fall Festival. A great many people came last Saturday to meet up, chat, and have fun. It seems there’s no longer any need for a Plan B in case of bad weather, because the sun always shines reliably—and that was the case this time, too.

The planning on campus—with its dozens of booths—the timing, and the coordination—all of that goes by one name: Frank Wemme. The head of the lower secondary school, nicknamed “Mister Herbstfest,” made sure, as always, that everything ran smoothly. Accompanied by plenty of music, the 6th-grade brass band, led by Stephan Reissig, welcomed the large crowd gathered on the school grounds—some standing around the stage, others sitting on benches and applauding. They’ve only been practicing their instruments for a year—which was hard to believe. Principal Björn Gemmer welcomed the guests, many of whom had come as entire families and even brought their grandparents along. They also enjoyed the rhythmic performances by the musical theater band, which played under the direction of Anna Prokop.

During the tour of the Steinmühle grounds, numerous activities stood out that had been well-received in the past and were therefore repeated. One example is the haunted house: Once again this year, people eager to experience it lined up! All the activities were spread out across the entire grounds—from the boarding school area with pony rides, to the Forum with its disco and karaoke, all the way to the boathouse, where coach Martin “Stromi” Strohmenger was waiting.

Pedal away for a smoothie

A few new features caught the visitors’ attention. Among them was a booth where “fortune tellers” offered interested visitors a glimpse into their future. Another great attraction was the smoothie bike, where visitors could make their own fruity fitness drink by pedaling. The bike was on loan from the Marburg Food Bank, which its chairwoman, Rita Vaupel—wife of school association chair Egon Vaupel—had made available to the Steinmühle for the fall festival.

Overall, many booths were focused on collecting donations. For example, the sports challenge on the soccer field—located in the back area of the campus—was also a charity event. The Steinmühle Friends Association, chaired by Jasmine Weidenbach, recruited new members at its beautifully decorated booth right at the entrance to the schoolyard. Not far from there, Executive Director Dirk Konnertz, Upper School Director Cornelia Oestreicher-Gold, and Dirk Lange—speaking on behalf of the entire school administration team—provided information about the various academic programs offered at Steinmühle.

It’s well known that the culinary aspect is a key part of the Steinmühle Fall Festival. For this reason, the selection of cakes, hearty dishes, and various beverages was once again extensive and delicious.

The Steinmühlen high school graduating classes of 1993, 1998, 2008, and 2013 had received a special invitation. Each class gathered in the tent for a group photo and, like many other alumni, raised a glass to “the good old days.”

6. October 2023

5th Grade Orientation: Steinmühle Welcomes New 5th Graders

Events & Celebrations, News

The Start of the School Year at Steinmühle High School: On Tuesday morning, September 5, 86 new students celebrated the start of their school year at Steinmühle High School.

The forum on the Steinmühle grounds quickly filled up. The young students brought their families along, filling every seat and standing space in the hall. The new students were welcomed by the 6th-grade students and the musical theater band, led by Frank Wemme, who also serves as the head of the lower secondary school at Steinmühle. A colorful program of songs featuring excerpts from last school year’s musical “Alles wird gut, sowieso” immediately invited the newcomers to sing along. Whether it was international hits like “Mamma Mia” (ABBA) or German-language classics like “Millionen Lichter” (Christina Stürmer)—the sixth-grade classes got everyone excited as they kicked off the new school year. After a round of enthusiastic applause for the stage performance, Principal Björn Gemmer welcomed the students and parents in a brief address.

After that, we moved right on to dividing the students into classes 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5i. The latter class is the continuation class of the Bilingual Elementary School and marks the beginning of the international high school track. As the Bilingual Elementary School has “grown,” there is already an international high school class, 6i.

Class teachers Lisa Braun, Nina Kvashko, Jennifer Bernhart, and Nina Merzenich began by assigning students to their classes. In pairs, the new students were called up to the stage to join their respective teachers.

While the students then made their way to their classrooms, the parents had the opportunity to chat with other families during a small get-together. Meanwhile, the Steinmühle staff and many family members took photos of the orientation, ensuring that the first day of school at Steinmühle High School will remain unforgettable.

Another lasting memory for new Steinmühlen students is always the welcome gift from the Friends of Steinmühlen Association, presented by its chairwoman, Jasmine Weidenbach, in the form of a Steinmühlen T-shirt.

27. September 2023