Former Students & Alumni

Back at the Steinmühle with the podcast “Des Pudels Kern”

Collaborations & Partnerships, Events & Celebrations, Former Students & Alumni, News

“Des Pudels Kern” is the name of a podcast that recorded a live segment on campus during Steinmühlen Festival Week: After an extensive look back at the past during festival events and the like, the focus has now shifted to the future. Former Steinmühlen students Philipp-Leo Mengel, Philipp Kreiter, and Marco Kosic posed the following question to the audience in the boarding school’s well-attended tea room: Does school actually prepare students well for the future, and does it inspire future innovators?

The Environment Influences Innovative Thinking

What could schools do better to inspire innovative ways of thinking and ideas in their students? What role does education play in fostering creativity and adaptability? — Two essential qualities for innovation.

The participants reflected on their own formative school experiences and examined which structures and teaching methods foster innovative thinking. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of environments that support experimentation, a willingness to take risks, and critical thinking. At the same time, the podcast episode questioned traditional educational approaches and emphasized how interdisciplinary approaches and tackling real-world problems can better prepare students for the challenges of a rapidly changing world. In doing so, they compared educational systems in different countries and also noted a correlation with the social environment. Good grades in school or college are not necessarily an indication of strong professional performance. The podcasters cited examples of students who struggled in high school, such as Steve Jobs and Dr. Martin Luther King.

Respond flexibly to problems

The podcasters noted that schools can learn from innovators to raise awareness and create the necessary conditions. As for the personal qualities of potential innovators, the key points ranged from “being good at math and science” to “responding flexibly to problems” and “knowing how to search effectively on Google”. Other qualities mentioned included an open-minded approach to outcomes and an answer to the question: “How do I apply my knowledge?” The role of college dropouts and career changers was also discussed.

Leo, Philipp, and Marco have personally experienced in recent years that the conditions for innovative projects, startups, and ultimately for innovative thinking and action are not the same everywhere in the world. Leo, who is now an economist at Bocconi University in Chicago, studied at Oxford and at University College London. Philipp Kreiter also studied at Oxford and now works at Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart as a product manager for strategy for the Mercedes-Benz Operating System.

Steinmühle as a Learning Organization

The third member of the trio, Marco Kosic, works in the creative industries. He is an editor and communications consultant who focuses on topics relevant to culture and society. Among other things, he is responsible for the design of the podcast, which covers a wide range of topics in the fields of culture, philosophy, music, and science and is often produced in collaboration with institutions such as WDR.

“For us at Steinmühle, hosting this event was both refreshing and educational,” enthused Dirk Lange, a member of the school administration. “After all, Steinmühle sees itself as a learning institution—and there were plenty of opportunities to learn something new.”

15. July 2024

Fun Takes Center Stage: Steinmühle Has the Largest Contingent at the Marburg Night Marathon

Contests & Awards, Former Students & Alumni, Life at Boarding School, News, Sports & Health

With nine relay teams, three half-marathon runners (Leon Vielhaben, Ron Owen, and Clara Freudenstein), and one marathon runner (Marlon Welsch), Steinmühle was once again the largest group of runners at this year’s Marburg Night Marathon.

The groups were diverse, meaning they were mixed in terms of running ability and not focused on achieving particularly high rankings. Fun and camaraderie were once again the main priorities this year, reported Principal Björn Gemmer, who successfully participated in the race. His group secured the top spot among those who finished. The fact that this particular group didn’t have a name—and that this was even noted on the certificate—was a minor source of amusement.

The following photos, showing all participants, depict—in no particular order—those who started the Marburg Night Marathon at the Steinmühle.

Have fun scrolling!

9. July 2024

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

… and it’s spinning again!

Digitalization & AI, Ecology and Sustainability, Former Students & Alumni, News

After ten years of “retirement,” the stone mill wheel was set in motion again

After decades of constant, round-the-clock rotation, the millwheel of the stone mill could no longer hide the signs of wear and tear: Both the left and right bearings had practically disintegrated; they had “worn out.” The worst part of this situation was the terrible squeaking that constantly echoed through the neighborhood. Ten years ago, a decision was finally made: We’ll block the millwheel; we’ll shut it down.

No matter how bustling the activity on the Steinmühle grounds became from then on, its millwheel—the actual symbol featured in the school and boarding school’s logo—stood still. Every now and then, voices were raised calling for the millwheel to be brought back to life. At first, to no avail.

A few months ago, a change began to take shape. At that time, Principal Björn Gemmer also suggested that people please take care of the traditional millwheel. With the upcoming anniversary, the time seemed right to take this step: “Steinmühle Moves” and “Steinmühle Runs” were the slogans used in recent promotional campaigns. — But the millwheel—was that supposed to stay put?

“We got to work on it,” recalls Till Buurman, referring to the challenging undertaking that could only be accomplished as a team. The mill wheel had to be lifted out using a hydraulic tool from the auto body repair trade, the kind normally used to straighten dented cars. Once it was jacked up, the old bearings were removed and new ones installed. The wheel was then put back in place—a meticulous process that required strength, patience, and skill.

That makes the excitement over the revitalized landmark all the greater across the entire Steinmühlen campus. And it’s not just the school administration and management who are thrilled to see things in motion everywhere—in the school and the boarding school—and even when looking at the mill building.

4. July 2024

Passionate Historian Presents a Lecture and Chronicle to Mark the Anniversary

Former Students & Alumni, News, Politics, Business & Responsibility

Willi Stehling? The one who teaches the wind instrument class…? The one from the ski course…? The one who writes books…? The one who gives lectures? The one who taught geography…? The one from the 5th-grade choir…? The one who taught swimming…? The one who works as a tour guide?

– That’s all correct. The versatile retired teacher returns to the Steinmühle regularly—to have coffee with other alumni, but also to give lectures. History is what fascinates him, and to share the history of Marburg and take people on a journey into the past of our university town, Stehling also works as a city tour guide. He has already written several books to share his wealth of knowledge, preserve details, and give readers a sense of just how many interesting events have taken place in our historically rich city.

Historian Stehling’s connection to the Steinmühle, his former employer, virtually inevitably led him to compile a chronicle to mark its 75th anniversary. It was obvious that Stehling would put the earliest details of the Steinmühle into words: the history of the Steinmühle building, the origins of the rural school camp, and the prehistory and early history of the school and boarding school.

The Steinmühle celebrated its anniversary as a school on May 10, 1049. 75 years and two days later, Willi Stehling stood in the Steinmühle auditorium and gave a lecture on “Dr. Joseph Müller and His Private Schools in Marburg”—a historical retrospective tracing the school’s origins, without which it is difficult to understand Steinmühle.

Founder Joseph Müller and educator Gerhard Buurman were brought together through their activities in the Association of German Private Schools. Buurman invested 40,000 Deutschmarks in 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, the Steinmühle had 226 boarding students—more than ever before and more than ever since.

Excellent research

To compile a work that not only presents facts spanning 75 years but is also an enjoyable read, one needs not only historical research but also archival work done with passion. This was accomplished by Edeltraud Buurman, the wife of Frerich Buurman, the son of Gerhard Buurman. It was a magnificently accomplished—and by no means easy—task that brought to light just how much activity, life, and movement have taken place on the Steinmühlen campus over the past 75 years.

Direction, Organization, Overview

The lead role in conceptualizing this 187-page work was entrusted to the person who already keeps track of everything in day-to-day school life: Principal Björn Gemmer. Alongside Willi Stehling and numerous individual authors, he also contributed a great many pieces to the overall work, ensured the correct sequence and proper alignment of text and photos, and made the layout process run smoothly.

After a busy anniversary season filled with numerous events, the Steinmühle is now taking a summer break before kicking off its “75 plus 1” year.

Currently, the school has a total of 820 students, of whom about 100 live in the boarding school and the rest are day students from the city. There are currently about 1,000 people on campus, including all staff members.

3. July 2024

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

A cozy get-together, but also a time to say goodbye: The faculty’s annual summer party is a roller coaster of emotions

Events & Celebrations, Former Students & Alumni, News

The stress is melting away; after a long school year, summer vacation is just around the corner. The evening sun bathes the schoolyard in a warm, atmospheric light. The smell of the barbecue fills the air, and glasses clink. For the Steinmühle School Association, the annual summer festival on the last Thursday before summer vacation is a top priority.

To ensure that all colleagues can enjoy a wonderful evening, no expense or effort is spared, and a feast is served. Saying goodbye to colleagues is the only downside to this festive evening. “It would be even better without them,” you hear here and there. But everyone knows full well that part of this celebration is also recognizing the contributions of the employees who, for various reasons, will soon no longer be part of the Steinmühlen team.

Many former teachers are here tonight. Every year, quite a few of them take the opportunity to spend a few hours with the colleagues they worked with during their school days. Tonight, many of them are also here for Bernd Holly, who is retiring. The farewell ceremonies for the principal have been taking place at the Loop since early July, and he admits in his usual laid-back manner, “I’m done.”

Among the other colleagues leaving Steinmühle is Bella Gnodte. She will be working at blista in the future. “A creative, dedicated, and well-liked colleague”—Steinmühle regrets her departure. Victoria Kaster will also be teaching at a different elementary school in the future, which her colleagues find very unfortunate. Janine Küster, the principal of the Steinmühle Bilingual Elementary School, highlights Victoria Kaster’s “warm, loving nature” and describes her as someone “who took on every challenge.” “You were a true pillar of our elementary school,” adds Dr. Rainer Nietzke on behalf of the works council. “It’s really hard to see you go.”

Mathematics and physics teacher Julia Bernzen, née Riemenschneider, is moving to Hamburg in the far north for family reasons. She joined Steinmühle as a student teacher in the spring of 2016 and was offered a permanent contract. “You were always there whenever help was needed,” her colleagues recall of the popular teacher, who was equally well-regarded in conversations with parents, students, and her team. Julia Bernzen served as head of the mathematics department for some time and taught the subject at both the bilingual elementary school and the upper secondary level. Her colleagues concluded: “It was always a pleasure to work with you.”

After these tributes, a musical interlude seemed like the perfect choice. Ulrike Wilmsmeyer, Frank Wemme, Kristina Sokoli, Daniel Sans, and Anna Prokop sang a farewell canon.

Next up was Eberhard Wieth, a math and computer science teacher. Like Bernd Holly, he, too, is leaving Steinmühle to retire. Among other things, Principal Björn Gemmer highlighted his dedication to the StoneApp, which Eberhard Wieth had initiated as a “student package” in his computer science classes. Characteristic descriptions of the departing teacher included terms like “the cheerful bear,” but there were also memories of how it all began for Eberhard Wieth at Steinmühle. “I was your mentor,” recalled Constanze Oestreicher-Gold, head of the upper school, with a smile.

Actor David Bennent celebrated with the Steinmühle

Between speeches, performances, and a buffet prepared by the boarding school kitchen, school director Dirk Konnertz welcomed a very special guest: David Bennent. The professional actor, who rose to fame for his role in the film “The Tin Drum,” was at Steinmühle for the second time as an instructor for a workshop led by Ines Vielhaben and celebrated with the Steinmühle faculty.

Once again, there was music afterward. Kristina Sokoli, Anna Prokop, Daniel Sans, and Frank Wemme used their voices and instruments to express their appreciation for their departing colleagues and musically conveyed the message, “We will miss you.” As a new member of the school administration, Tobias Karlein then passed the baton back to Bernd Holly: “Over the past six months, you’ve been a role model to me in every way, and we’ve almost become friends.”

The outgoing principal admitted, “It’s difficult when you’re constantly getting standing ovations.” Saying goodbye had not been easy for him. Tenor Felix Müller, a Steinmühle high school graduate this summer and future student at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, began singing “Time to Say Goodbye.” The fact that Steinmühle not only wins awards for achievements in the natural sciences, math competitions, athletic successes, or reading skills, but also produces graduates who gain admission to a leading university for music, theater, and the visual arts, demonstrates once again just how well-rounded the school is.

31. August 2023

Abitur 2023: Time flies when you’re having fun

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2023 High School Graduation Ceremonies: First Use of the Renovated Gymnasium

A proud graduating class is leaving Steinmühle: proud of having the highest Abitur score in the school’s history, proud of their sense of community, proud of their classmate who has just received a “fresh” acceptance to the Mozarteum in Salzburg, proud of a classmate’s Social Award for so much volunteer work that one wonders when she even had time for school. The graduates can also be proud that they were the first class in a long time to celebrate the evening on their own grounds—namely, in the renovated gym. But this graduating class has a very special bond with Principal Bernd Holly. Both they and he are leaving Steinmühle for good. The young people are heading out into the world, while Bernd Holly is retiring. Such is the passage of time.

What is time? Björn Gemmer, the remaining member of the school’s former co-principal team, made this the topic of his speech at the high school graduation ceremony. To the surprise and delight of the audience, he began his speech with the first verse and the chorus of Udo Jürgens’ 44-year-old song “1000 Jahre sind ein Tag” (1,000 Years Are a Day), ultimately noting how well such an old song—in terms of its message—still fits into today’s world, but also to the graduates’ school careers.

The principal praised his colleagues for sparking the students’ curiosity as early as the lower and middle grades about a wide variety of topics—many of which, across different subjects, often centered on the theme of time, whether it was the time project in 6th grade or, later on, the classification of historical periods in history or art classes.

According to philosophical theories, the secret to one’s individual perception of time lies in the answer to the question of how fulfilling a period of time is—and the answer as to why those nine years had simply flown by so quickly was quickly found: “Because they were so fulfilling.”

As part of the morning program—which included speeches by students Paul Martin and Linda Hübl, interspersed with musical performances—certificates were handed out following the tutorials, accompanied by brief remarks from the tutors, and awards were presented. What a celebration!

Of course, these results—and the individual achievements that each person defined for themselves—had to be celebrated. On this hot summer day, the evening was celebrated as airily as possible in the renovated gym: doors open for a light breeze, the buffet set up outside in the pavilion—with a delicious selection of food that left everyone in awe. What a fantastic kitchen team—the boarding school staff! The relaxed program, which included the graduates’ tributes to all the tutors, provided opportunities for breaks in between—for conversations at tables and in small groups around the grounds—and for taking a deep breath, especially when some of the speeches and the appreciation expressed in them truly touched the heart.

It is virtually impossible to give all the speakers, those presenting awards, and the honorees the attention they deserve in a single article. However, it’s safe to say that the graduation ceremony took place in a fitting setting. This marked a successful first attempt at holding this important day in the renovated sports hall instead of in a tent or an expensively rented venue. School Director Dirk Konnertz said, “We are planning a suitable usage concept for this hall that will also make other events possible.”

31. August 2023