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.”
https://steinmuehle.de/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/10/RWHerbstfest-8981b.jpg6681200konnertzhttps://steinmuehle.de/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/11/Logo_SchuleInternat_Steinmuehle_2026_3.pngkonnertz2023-10-06 09:25:122026-06-18 17:37:17Attendance at the Fall Festival Was Exceptionally High: Athletic Challenges, Lots of Fun, and Carefree Hours
Things were quiet on campus for six weeks while the boarding school students enjoyed their well-deserved summer vacation. After arrival Sunday, the houses came back to life. The rooms were lovingly decorated, and new and familiar faces were warmly welcomed. And after the first week of school, the first joint activity for the residential groups was already on the schedule: the annual house trips.
The Mill in Fantasialand
The students from the Mühle went to a guesthouse in Leverkusen. After a delicious dinner, a group sat outside in the sun to sing together and get in the mood for the next day. Saturday’s schedule was packed with activities. Early the next morning, the group set off for Fantasialand, where they spent the rest of the day. The group was particularly taken with a roller coaster that had a quick-start feature. As soon as they got off the ride, they immediately got back in line for another go. To protect themselves from the sun, they quickly turned the park maps into hats.
The Eco-Friendly Cabin at the Glamping Site
The Biohaus made itself at home for the weekend retreat in Groß-Eichen. In large tents, which were also equipped with a kitchen, the group kicked off their time together with a delicious barbecue, for which the sunny terraces were the perfect setting.
Just like at the mill, a trip to an amusement park was on the agenda for the Biohaus on Saturday. The group headed out together to the Steinau an der Straße Adventure Park. In addition to the petting zoo, the park offered many small rides. The bumper cars and the summer toboggan run were especially popular. With the warm weather, ice cream was of course a must before heading back to the campground in the evening for a second barbecue.
Nature and Culture with the Bremerhaus
The residential group from the Bremerhaus headed a little further afield to Durbach in the Black Forest. Surrounded by sprawling vineyards, the group was able to relax and unwind in peace and quiet at the vacation home they had booked, which featured shared rooms.
Saturday was spent sightseeing and shopping in Strasbourg, about 40 km away. After taking a walk together, the group split up. Some of the young people took the opportunity to wander around, while others preferred to see the city from the water on a boat tour.
For the new residence director, Sandrine Fischer—who was experiencing a residence trip for the first time—the highlight, however, was a short, optional hiking tour on Sunday morning. The teens were also thrilled by the panoramic views that unfolded before them across the vast landscape. A perfect balance of culture and nature!
Water Activities at the Main Store
The kids from the main campus made the most of the last of the summer weather. After the group arrived at the campground near Kalkar, they headed straight to the swimming lake to cool off. “It was so awesome,” said student Mika as he recounted the school trip. In the evening, they had a barbecue before the group headed across the Dutch border the next day to tackle the swirling currents of Center Parcs’ fastest whitewater ride. The underwater world of a sunken city surrounded by tropical fish also sparked excitement. Afterward, they satisfied their hunger at a French fry restaurant. That evening, the real water lovers jumped right back into the campground’s swimming lake. But the secret highlight of the trip was a parrot the group got to meet at the campground. 😉
Relaxation and Action in Bad Sachsa
The Westfalenhaus set off for a self-catering house in Bad Sachsa, where the residential group had already stayed two years ago. Once everyone had found a place to sleep, they got right to work preparing dinner. Thanks to the summer-like weather, nothing stood in the way of a long evening of barbecuing. They played games and chatted late into the night.
The next morning, after a delicious breakfast, we headed straight to a Clip’n Climb gym, where everyone really let loose. The group supported one another as they tested their limits and overcame challenges. One of the students even made it onto the center’s record board in speed climbing and took second place in his age group.
In the evening, we went on an outing to the Sonnenblick observation deck, where we were able to enjoy the sunset together.
At Holidaypark with the Hessenhaus
For the Hessenhaus, too, the group trip included a visit to an amusement park. First, however, the residential group set up camp for the weekend at a campground near Speyer. The young people took on the challenge of lighting the fire for the barbecue themselves and ultimately received active support from a group of firefighters. The group spent the rest of the evening getting to know one another and playing games.
For many of the teenagers, the freefall tower at Holidaypark was the highlight of the weekend. They also tried out the various rides in small groups.
Before the Hessenhaus group set off back to Marburg on Sunday, they once again demonstrated their teamwork skills. They used handcarts to transport their luggage back to the cars, and then enjoyed a few hours of sunshine by a lake before heading home. Of course, a few water acrobatics exercises were a must.
Starting Sunday afternoon, cars slowly began rolling back onto the boarding school grounds. Everyone enthusiastically shared their many experiences from the past few days and exchanged stories. The final of the Basketball World Cup was playing in the tea room, and the sense of community continued on the Lahn grounds as well. With such a great start to the new school year, we’re looking forward all the more to many more experiences to come.
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The “Elementary School Open Stage” event is a new addition to the Steinmühlen calendar and served as a final—but wonderful—opportunity for the 4th-grade class to say goodbye to elementary school. Parents even made time during their lunch break to come see their children perform on stage. They were truly amazed at how much dedication the boys and girls had shown in memorizing the passages from *The Sorcerer’s Apprentice* and at how skillfully the musicians played their instruments. The singing was also powerful and cheerful, and it was wonderful to see that the joy was able to overshadow the sadness. It was especially touching that the third-grade students gave each and every fourth-grader a flower as a farewell gift. That came from the heart! The event ended with a farewell song from everyone to everyone and with a huge thank you to teachers Lisa Smit and Maria Gloerfeld.
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Cedric Engels (28), also known as Doctor Whatson, spent an entire day visiting the Steinmühle to get a sense of what plus-MINT means at the Steinmühle. Suffice it to say, he was impressed!
Dr. Whatson is one of Germany’s most successful science bloggers. He has just under 18,000 followers on Instagram and 318,000 subscribers on YouTube.
His posts are about science, space, technology, and the future—in short, videos that will blow your mind.
@DoktorWhatson finds the plus-MINT program so fascinating that he visited the Steinmühle in Marburg in the summer of 2023. He is accompanied by the Steinmühle students, who are presenting their exciting projects to him.
And here’s the video of Dr. Watsons’ visit:
Enjoy watching!
What is plus-MINT?
Particularly talented students with a gift and passion for mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, or technology (MINT) receive special support at plus-MINT boarding schools specifically selected for this purpose. One of these special boarding schools is Steinmühle.
Who is eligible to apply for plus-MINT?
Students who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in STEM subjects, have already (successfully) participated in STEM competitions, are involved in extracurricular clubs focused on these subjects, and/or show exceptional dedication and sustained enthusiasm for STEM topics are eligible to apply.
The application period for the 2024–2025 school year has already begun!
Anyone interested in joining the plus-MINT program can apply online at https://plus-mint.de until January 31, 2024.
All additional information about the program can also be found at https://plus-mint.de.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact Steinmühle directly at any time:
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One Year of Plus-MINT Talent Development at Steinmühle / The next application period is already underway
For the past year, Steinmühle has been one of seven boarding schools in Germany participating in the plus-MINT talent development program. We spoke with Dr. Jutta Töhl-Borsdorf, the head of the MINT and plus-MINT departments at Steinmühle.
Hello, Dr. Töhl-Borsdorf. Looking back, what all happened during the first year of plus-MINT? Oh, quite a lot. It all really got started in October 2022. That’s when YouTuber Marcel Häfele, aka Techtastisch, came to Steinmühle with some spectacular experiments. That really got all the students from the research labs excited.
In November, the annual plus-MINT conference took place. Many students and staff members from the other plus-MINT boarding schools came to Steinmühle for the event. The atmosphere was fantastic. The same was true in January 2023, when we hosted our first plus-MINT Math Camp at Steinmühle. This was followed by the plus-MINT Astronomy Camp in Heidelberg. And in July of this year, YouTuber Dr. Whatson finally came to Steinmühle for a video shoot (the link to the video can be found at the end of the interview).
Many day students from Steinmühle also took part in all of these events. That makes me personally very happy. It’s a great opportunity for everyone and helps STEM and plus-MINT grow together.
That sounds like a very exciting and varied program. Do the plus-MINT students already have their own project?
Yes, indeed, the “Boat Project.” The four of them are working there in collaboration with the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Marburg—that is, with the support of Dr. Christoph Reudenbach. They are building a boat equipped with sensors to semi-automatically measure water quality in the Lahn River and collect water samples. It’s a very ambitious project.
Have there been any STEM achievements to report this year?
Yes, you could certainly say that! The Steinmühle won the Hopp Foundation’s school award for its commitment to STEM education as part of the “Jugend forscht” state competition.
The boat project by the plus-MINT students played a major role in the application. The prize money of €2,500 came at just the right time, since the necessary sensors are quite expensive. The money also made it possible to purchase a high-performance 3D printer. Now, of course, we’re hoping for success when the project’s results are presented at “Jugend forscht.” So please keep your fingers crossed! Beyond the public recognition that comes with success, what’s most important, of course, is that the students are given every opportunity to fully pursue their interests in the natural sciences.
How did you personally experience the first year with the four plus-MINT students?
It’s labor-intensive, but very exciting. A first run-through like this is never perfect. We had actually planned to start with something involving biological and chemical water analysis, since we didn’t know much about the four students’ STEM interests. However, three of the “STEM students” are primarily interested in physics and math. So we had to improvise at first. But with the boat project and the university partnership, we found a great project that’s interesting for everyone.
Still, the four of them had to find their footing as a group first. We had the opportunity to get to know four remarkable and very different young people. Of course, there were also some “dry spells” along the way. As is often the case in science, things don’t always work out the way you imagine at the beginning. In any case, the four of them have already demonstrated perseverance and a willingness to work hard.
What makes the plus-MINT program special? That a framework is being created for students passionate about STEM—one they certainly didn’t have in this form at their former schools. They’re working on a major project in the STEM module and have many other opportunities to conduct research and network across regions. Clara, for example, has been studying mathematics at the University of Marburg since last semester, and Fabian is starting his biology studies this semester.
Because all plus-MINT students live in the boarding school, they can meet up at any time to continue discussions, conduct research, or simply have fun.
Speaking of having fun, what else can the plus-MINT students expect at the Steinmühlen Boarding School?
The plus-MINT students are part of the boarding school community. In addition to their STEM talent and passion, the MINTis are teenagers at the boarding school. They have the same rights and responsibilities. They attend the study hall, eat together, choose their extracurricular groups, and live in one of the six residential groups on campus. They contribute their share to the community. Fabian and Marlene, for example, are active on the boarding school council. Fostering the academic talents of our STEM students is one of our goals. However, to integrate into the workforce and succeed in the future, young people also need team spirit, empathy, and self-confidence. A boarding school can provide optimal support on this journey.
That sounds great! Is the plus-MINT talent development program continuing at Steinmühle?
Yes, plus-MINT is definitely continuing. We were able to welcome four more MINTis to Steinmühle at the start of the new school year. In total, there are now 8 plus-MINT students at Steinmühle. Now the goal is to raise even more awareness of this great opportunity at Steinmühle and to encourage even more young people to apply for the next round (the 2024–2025 school year).
What are Steinmühle’s STEM plans for the future? We would like to further expand the program for our day students. We want children and teens not only to participate in camps and competitions, but also to work on collaborative projects. To do this, we urgently need a larger lab so that all research groups can have their own workspace—a place where they don’t have to constantly put away their experimental materials, but can continue working on their projects during breaks or free periods.
Another issue is access to the SFM, the Central Hesse Student Research Center. Unfortunately, it’s relatively far from the Steinmühle for our students.
And—we want our school to become climate-neutral. Of course, we’re also planning to involve our STEM students in this effort, for example with the hydroelectric power plant.
Those are some very ambitious plans! In addition to financial resources, you’ll probably need a lot of personnel as well. How are you going to manage that?
I’m happy to share some good news: Our STEM mentor team at Steinmühle has grown! I’m very pleased to have the support of Dr. Sven Freibert and Mr. Jonathan Gröb, and I’d like to welcome them both once again. That means there are now five of us in the STEM department at Steinmühle.
What are your suggestions for the plus-MINT and MINT programs at Steinmühle?
It’s clear: more time for students. My greatest wish would be to “streamline” and reform the curricula. Our society is changing rapidly right now, but the state ministries of education are barely responding. Why not give students more time to work on their strengths and interests? Our students have so much to accomplish and too little time for projects close to their hearts, especially in high school, where we have little influence.
Are there still possible solutions at the Steinmühle?
At the next SchiLf (in-school teacher training session), Steinmühle will explore a new school schedule model designed to provide more opportunities for independent work and interest-driven learning. I expect this to bring many improvements for STEM subjects. Currently, our structures—with WU, the GuFi Lab, the STEM module, and the Open Lab—are very complicated, and there’s a gap in 7th grade that’s currently only being filled by the Open Lab. For example, forming groups has become extremely complicated.
Of course, this applies not only to STEM but also to the other subject areas. After all, we at Steinmühle want to do justice to all students!
I, too, would like to have more time to focus more on the subject matter with the students again. I’m just as fascinated by the STEM subjects as they are. I enjoy having in-depth discussions with the students and sparking their interest. I always learn something new myself with every project—that’s really great. But there’s so much administrative work to do these days that there’s hardly any time left for the students.
Yes, science requires time AND space. You’ve already mentioned that there’s a shortage of space.
That’s correct. We’d like to have a STEM lab to make our school even more attractive to future STEM and plus-STEM students.
How do you become a plus-MINT student at Steinmühle? You can apply online for the plus-MINT program until January 31, 2024, starting with a short letter of motivation (initial application). Steinmühle accepts students entering 10th or 11th grade. In the second round of the selection process, you submit teacher recommendations, report cards, etc.
Once you’ve cleared these hurdles, you’ll be invited to a 4-day selection camp at the Birklehof in the Black Forest. Passing the camp there isn’t as difficult as you might think. A large number of spots are made available.
The alternative is a wildcard (free pass), which can be awarded by plus-MINT students or teachers; if you receive one, you’ll be invited directly to the selection camp.
In addition to interest and aptitude, key admission criteria include extracurricular involvement in STEM fields, academic performance, as well as personality and social skills.
We hope to receive many applications for the coming school year!
The current application deadline for the plus-MINT Talent Development Program is January 31, 2024.
For more information, visit www.mint-verein.de
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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.
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First day of school under bright sunshine: On Tuesday, September 5, 16 new elementary school students gathered at Steinmühle to celebrate their start at the Bilingual Elementary School.
Of course, the girls and boys had plenty of support with them. Whether parents, older or younger siblings, or grandparents—the Steinmühle Forum filled up quickly. The new students were first welcomed by Janine Küster (principal of the Bilingual Elementary School) and her deputy, Lori Herrmann: “Today, you are entrusting us with the most precious thing you have. We truly appreciate this trust,” said Küster and Herrmann, who delivered the welcome remarks in both German and English.
But before the students were assigned to their classes, they were treated to a colorful program put on by the existing Flex classes. Songs were performed in German and English, in true Bilingual Elementary School style. Whether it was Mozart’s “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” or “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from the musical *Mary Poppins*, the elementary school students thrilled their new classmates with energetic musical performances. Then it was time for the long-awaited part of the program: With the students assigned to the existing Flex classes led by Maria Bick and Dr. Sebastian Verbeek (Flex a) as well as Katrin Weißenborn and Maria Gloerfeld (Flex b), the 16 students officially began their school year. After being called by name, each student was allowed to go up on stage and join their respective teacher duo. Accompanied by processional music, they then headed straight to their classrooms for their first lesson.
Meanwhile, Janine Küster and Lori Herrmann gave the parents a brief glimpse into daily life at the Bilingual Elementary School through a slide show, offering them a preview of what their own children can expect in the coming weeks and months.
Of course, the entire event was captured in photos, so that not only the school backpack and the school goodie bag will be remembered, but also the first day of school at Steinmühle, with all its little details.
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During the final week of the summer break in Hesse, from August 28 to September 1, 2023, the SFM organized a STEM summer camp for students from Central Hesse. The program featured exciting experiments, interesting STEM sites, and, of course, lots of fun. A total of 40 students from grades 7 through 12 signed up for the camp. Three 7th-grade students from Steinmühle were also there. Maya Fischer, Anna-Lena Griesler, and Justus Pöschl had a great time.
The workshops were led by the SFM team, including Steinmühlen teachers Malte Klimczak and Dr. Jutta Töhl-Borsdorf, who are on secondment to the SFM.
All students were able to sign up for the various activities on their own and thus put together their own personalized schedule. Specifically, the following 11 workshops were offered:
Robotikum – Guide and create dialogs with the Nano voice bot
The Lahn—Together, we’re investigating how clean the Lahn is
Mathematikum – We Get to the Bottom of Mathematical Models + Viseum – Explore Optics from Every Angle
Chemikum – The Vast World of Hydrogen and Climate
MS Wissenschaft – On a floating science center, you can dive into the depths of our universe
Genetics – Genetic Fingerprinting
FIRST LEGO League – Work as a team to solve tricky challenges using LEGO robots
WOW Experiments — It’s easy to spot a phenomenon, but how do I figure out what’s behind it?
Microcontrollers + Soldering – We’re Building an Environmental Monitoring Station
3D Printers – Discover the Technology and Possibilities of 3D Printers
Planetarium – Let’s Discover Our Night Sky Together
The camp came to a close with a group barbecue at the Elisabethschule boathouse on Friday, which was also attended by many parents.
During the final week of the summer break in Hesse, from August 28 to September 1, 2023, the SFM organized a STEM summer camp for students from Central Hesse. The program featured exciting experiments, interesting STEM sites, and, of course, lots of fun. A total of 40 students from grades 7 through 12 signed up for the camp. Three 7th-grade students from Steinmühle were also there. Maya Fischer, Anna-Lena Griesler, and Justus Pöschl had a great time.
The workshops were led by the SFM team, including Steinmühlen teachers Malte Klimczak and Dr. Jutta Töhl-Borsdorf, who are on secondment to the SFM.
All students were able to sign up for the various activities on their own and thus put together their own personalized schedule. Specifically, the following 11 workshops were offered:
Robotikum – Guide and create dialogs with the Nano voice bot
The Lahn—Together, we’re investigating how clean the Lahn is
Mathematikum – We Get to the Bottom of Mathematical Models + Viseum – Explore Optics from Every Angle
Chemikum – The Vast World of Hydrogen and Climate
MS Wissenschaft – On a floating science center, you can dive into the depths of our universe
Genetics – Genetic Fingerprinting
FIRST LEGO League – Work as a team to solve tricky challenges using LEGO robots
WOW Experiments — It’s easy to spot a phenomenon, but how do I figure out what’s behind it?
Microcontrollers + Soldering – We’re Building an Environmental Monitoring Station
3D Printers – Discover the Technology and Possibilities of 3D Printers
Planetarium – Let’s Discover Our Night Sky Together
The camp came to a close with a group barbecue at the Elisabethschule boathouse on Friday, which was also attended by many parents.
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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.
https://steinmuehle.de/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/08/MG_5253_b.jpg8251200konnertzhttps://steinmuehle.de/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/11/Logo_SchuleInternat_Steinmuehle_2026_3.pngkonnertz2023-08-31 21:58:422026-06-18 17:37:15A cozy get-together, but also a time to say goodbye: The faculty’s annual summer party is a roller coaster of emotions
Hessian Television conducted interviews and filmed our inclusive eight
Shortly before the start of summer break, we marked our partnership between Steinmühle and the German Institute for the Blind (blista) with the official opening of the inclusive Steinmühle Water Sports Center: At our club’s summer festival, a team of visually impaired and sighted athletes rowed in the “Blind Date” eight to the applause of all visitors, while a team from Hessischer Rundfunk broadcast the event live on the “Hessenschau” program.
Hessenschaureporter Robert Hübner and his team arrived at the boathouse early this Monday, before the start of summer break, to get everything ready: Interviews with Olympic eight-man champion Filip Adamski, para-rower Moritz Hagen, and Martin “Stromi” Strohmenger, the successful coach and rowing instructor at Steinmühle. blista and Steinmühle have been working together on inclusive initiatives for a long time, and now this collaboration is visible to the outside world as well. Across from the Steinmühle boathouse, a sign on the dock points to the inclusive water sports center. People with other physical disabilities are also welcome there, as long as their condition allows them to row.
Active Inclusion
At the summer festival, para-rower Moritz Hagen impressively demonstrated how visual impairment and rowing can go hand in hand. “It’s really about body control,” he told the reporter, adding that he was happy to be actively integrated as an athlete with a disability.
Moritz Hagen has been training intensively for about a year alongside Björn Eckert, another visually impaired rower. Both are highly ambitious.
Several prominent figures from the rowing world attended the event at the Steinmühlen Boathouse, where RuS Chairman Aron Stürmer and outgoing principal Bernd Holly led the program. In addition to Olympic champion Adamski, the event was also attended by the former world champion in the double sculls, Stephan Krüger, Steinmühle’s current rising star Marc Weber, and Lucas Schäfer—a native of Gisselberg, 2016 Olympian, and holder of the 6,000-meter ergometer world record, which was set at Steinmühle—were also in attendance. Steinmühle students Maxim Dyck, Maurits Juhre, and Lennart Holly were also in attendance. The athletes now row in the Bundesliga. We were also delighted that public figures attended our event, including First District Deputy Maria Zachow and Cappeler Mayor Peter Hesse.
Significant investments
“We see ourselves as part of the city’s community,” explained Egon Vaupel, chairman of the Steinmühle School Association, in his speech, referring equally to Steinmühle, rowing at Steinmühle, and the founding of the inclusive water sports center. Vaupel described Claus Duncker, the former CEO of blista and current treasurer of RuS Steinmühle, as “one of the driving forces behind this sustainable partnership.” The Steinmühle School Association alone has invested half a million euros in the project to date. The project, including its infrastructure and personnel resources, can currently be used equally by both institutions. Steinmühle maintains a cooperative relationship with blista and its new CEO, Patrick Temmesfeld.
Michael Neirich coordinates
When it comes to rowing, Steinmühle is looking to the future with optimism. The boarding school and the school have provided the team with more top rowers, as well as some who have (re)discovered rowing. Steinmühle physical education teacher Michael Neirich has taken on the role of coordinating the rowing program.
In light of these structures, RuS President Aron Stürmer, Vice President and Steinmühle School Principal Björn Gemmer, and School Director Dirk Konnertz look back on the summer festival with satisfaction and are optimistic about the future of rowing at Steinmühle. The sport is and will remain an important part of the school and boarding school.
