Exhibition at the Steinmühle: People, Diversity, Future – Show Your Face! Raise Your Voice!

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“The exhibition PEOPLE, DIVERSITY, FUTURE – SHOW YOUR FACE! RAISE YOUR VOICE!” was created as a tool for educational and public outreach so that the cultural diversity of the people in the university town of Marburg and the Marburg-Biedenkopf district becomes visible as a statement and a symbol against xenophobia and racism,” explains Thomas Gebauer in an interview. Visitors can get a glimpse into his work in the atrium of the Steinmühle.

People think and feel differently, have different values and norms, and do not share a uniform conception of happiness. And yet all people deserve the same respect, regardless of their background, religion, or skin color. Thirty-five of the 120 exhibits in the “People, Diversity, Future” exhibition are currently on display in the atrium of the Steinmühle. The answers to the question, “What is my greatest happiness?” are just as diverse.

With this work, Thomas Gebauer aims to encourage reflection on the pursuit of happiness as a collective need and the sociocultural foundation of human civilization. In the future as well, activities accompanying the exhibition and writing projects, for example, are intended to deepen and broaden the understanding “that we are one indivisible human family, in which all people, without exception, share human rights and bear joint responsibility for all life and for the future of the Earth,” according to his statement.

A dynamic impetus for reflection

Thomas Gebauer thus provides a dynamic impetus for reflection on human happiness. Happiness, a concept that often devolves into a cliché when put into words, can indeed be described precisely and individually—but this takes time. “During the two years of preparation for this exhibition, I waited a very long time and with great patience for some of the answers, and in doing so I learned that human happiness seems to be something that is found rather than sought, and that while it varies greatly depending on people’s life situations, it always revolves around a core understanding of happiness.” “Everything takes time” also applied to the numerous appointments Gebauer had to organize over the two-year production period in order to photograph the approximately 140 women, men, teenagers, and children. A photographic presentation of the exhibition even includes 140 exhibits.

“In a specially produced exhibition newsletter, I published not only photos of the people and their thoughts on happiness but also a logo designed specifically for the “People, Diversity, Future” exhibition, in which the sun (light/insight), a sail (moon/tool), and a ship (Earth/human family) are integrated in multicolored form into the words PEOPLE DIVERSITY FUTURE,” explains Gebauer.

Everyone defines happiness differently

For me, happiness is “…being healthy…” “…my family being well…” “…being able to drink an Äppler in my Weidenhausen…”. – Some answers come up more often, while others are unique. Responses to the question of personal happiness often revolve around peace or spending time with loved ones. But there are other responses as well: “I’m happiest when I’m not thinking about whether I’m happy.” Or even “…I’m happy when all the plastic disappears from the oceans.”

People, Diversity, Future – “Show Your Face! Raise Your Voice!” is a very ambitious exhibition project. In October 2017, the association “Vielfalt Marburg e.V.” was able to secure Thomas Gebauer to bring the project to life, and Gebauer ultimately completed and unveiled it in October 2019. The theme fits well into current debates, explains chairwoman Nadine Bernshausen. It is the mission of the association “Vielfalt Marburg e.V.” to further promote a general spirit of internationalism and mutual understanding among people, so that a vibrant utopia can continue to be fostered: Being different should not only be accepted, but can also be perceived as exciting and enriching.

A Tool Against Racism

According to Gebauer, dialogue and shifts in perspective—as cultural tools—along with mutual recognition and understanding among people, are important goals of communication. He himself experienced the exhibition’s development phase as a kind of journey of discovery into the values and ideas that are “essential and truly important” to all people on Earth. Gebauer plans to show the “Human Diversity, Future” exhibition for an initial period of five years as a tool against racism and xenophobia in general, and hopes, “… that, in light of the fascinating diversity of our human family, the fear of what initially seems foreign to us in other people can be overcome in favor of greater openness and curiosity toward people both near us and those from distant, foreign cultural spheres.”

“Thomas Gebauer did a great job with that,” commented Ines Vielhaben, an art teacher at Steinmühle. “There is a great deal of support for this topic at Steinmühle.” She set up the exhibition with the 10th-grade class and the advanced art course and explored the messages it conveyed. The 11th-grade class, led by teacher Stephan Kersten, discussed the topic of “happiness” in their ethics class—it was a perfect fit!

María Rámos, who represents the International Affairs department at Steinmühle, also believes the exhibition fits into the school’s philosophy: “It did a good job of capturing different personalities.” Both teachers agree: “This initiative is an asset to Steinmühle. It inspires people to reflect and reminds them of important values.”

Contact Thomas Gebauer: https://agent21-art-and-repair.de

Exercise Equipment for Recess

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For some time now, the Steinmühle Bilingual Elementary School has had skateboards and jump ropes to help students stay active and have fun during recess. The sports equipment, valued at approximately 800 euros, was donated by gesundekids.“Gesundekids”is a nonprofit initiative of the Rotary Clubs in Germany. Under the motto “Fit for Life,” the initiative works nationwide to promote the health of children between the ages of 3 and 12. The Rotary Club of Marburg was pleased to receive the request from Steinmühle, which explained the need for physical activity equipment for the elementary school division by noting that many students—having moved to Germany only recently—often haven’t been able to form many social connections yet, struggle with language barriers, and spend a lot of time at their desks learning a new language. The goal is to create opportunities for physical activity and to encourage the students to cooperate and communicate with one another. The balance boards and jump ropes are ideal for this purpose.

Winter Clubs: Steinmühle Boarding School Handles Challenges with Ease

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Striking a balance between academic workload and extracurricular activities is a key factor in students’ success. This is why Steinmühle Boarding School places such a strong emphasis on offering high-quality and varied educational recreational programs. Tailored to the seasons, a different program is offered twice a year. The goal is to consciously experience leisure time—whether through physical activity or learning—together with others, rather than passively engaging in it in isolation.

Winter has always naturally presented the greatest challenges: gloomy weather, lethargy, limited outdoor activities, and early darkness. It’s easy to imagine that this year is particularly difficult. The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences are an additional obstacle we must contend with.

A successful concept is no accident

Nevertheless, the educational team has once again managed to put together a varied program. It takes safety considerations into account while still leaving room for students to experience a sense of self-efficacy and personal growth. It is no coincidence that the program is authentic and tailored to the boarding school student body. In the run-up to the program, educators aligned their ideas and possibilities with the students’ needs.

As many as 20 students want to learn to dance

The requests vary widely: Several students expressed a desire for a new pool table for cozy game nights, and as many as 20 students expressed interest in a dance club. Together with a professional dance instructor, the teaching staff has therefore organized dance activities that comply with COVID-19 guidelines to make learning standard dances as accessible as possible.

At first glance, creating a LEGO room might sound like a request tailored exclusively to the younger boarding school students. But that’s not the case, because while the younger students let their creativity run wild there during the day, the older students can use the space as a chill-out room in the evenings—and, of course, they’re also welcome to get creative with Lego.

“Exercise for Everyone” is the name of a new extracurricular activity format currently being piloted. A wide range of activities, created anew each week by several educators, serves as a pool of options for students at the Steinmühle boarding school. One of the activities becomes mandatory, while others can be chosen flexibly, depending on the students’ personal schedules. In the event of exams or illness, everyone can adjust their activities accordingly.

With this type of program, Steinmühle Boarding School aims to accommodate the individual students’ lifestyles and the increased demands placed on them, in order to learn from this experience and draw conclusions for the next cycle. “We are in a phase where we are taking a respectful yet critical look at our existing structures to see whether this increased level of flexibility helps students tailor their weekly schedules to better meet their needs,” says Patric Hahn, who is responsible for recreational educational programs at Steinmühle Boarding School.

Upcycling: Giving Old Shirts a New Life

In addition to these areas, which aren’t covered in the curriculum, the teaching team also draws on tried-and-true activities from the range of extracurricular clubs. These include classics such as badminton, soccer, basketball, jumping fitness, digital drawing, and hand lettering, as well as seasonal activities like lantern-making, guided fall walks, and learning cafés. Even though “traditional games” are currently being avoided in team sports, the focus is on technique and individual training.

Mainly on weekends, students also have the opportunity—with organizational support from teachers—to try new things in a safe environment and create their own activities. A great example is one student’s idea to repurpose old T-shirts.

Tax Returns & More: Tips for Later in Life

In addition to this structural change, a completely new topic area has been added to the range of extracurricular group offerings: Life Skills. The goal here is to provide answers to questions that arise after finishing school—questions that young people have often been able to address only with a shrug: How do I apply to college? What is a tax return, and how do I file one? How do I get insurance, and what kinds of insurance do I need? “This club is about preparing young people for life beyond their time at Steinmühle,” says club leader Nils Schwandt.

The combination of established programs and new formats tailored to the circumstances thus contributes to an increased sense of well-being for everyone involved in boarding school life—despite all the challenges!

 

Steinmühle and blista – A New Partnership for Inclusive Competitive Sports

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Steinmühle Marburg e.V. (Steinmühle) and the German Institute for the Blind (blista) are expanding and strengthening their collaboration in the area of sports programs for blind, visually impaired, and sighted students.

“With the partnership we entered into today, we are laying the groundwork to expand competitive sports programs at both schools and to demonstrate that children and young people with and without disabilities can compete on equal footing, even in competitive sports,” explains Egon Vaupel, chairman of Steinmühle.

“The children and teenagers at our two schools have been participating in joint sports classes and activities for many years. The experiences have been consistently positive,” explains blista Director Claus Duncker. “It’s not pity or forced friendliness that makes the difference, but the desire to train together and work hard together—with everyone and all the human emotions that go along with it: hopes, joy, disappointments, encounters, and friendships.”

The new alliance for inclusive competitive sports is built on a strong conceptual foundation. According to Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, children and adolescents have the right to an education that is geared toward the development of their whole personality. Both schools attach particular importance to the potential of sports for the personal development of their students. For many years, Steinmühle has been known for its excellent training conditions, particularly for high-performance rowing; blista serves as the state training center for judo and blind soccer, as well as the Paralympic training center for goalball. Starting this year, blista has also implemented a program that enables ambitious young athletes to pursue a successful individual academic path as part of a “dual career” while simultaneously supporting their development in competitive sports.

Based on the experiences at both schools, sports bring young people together in an inclusive way and thus also shape the cultural life of our society.

Photo: Signing of the contract: Egon Vaupel, Chairman of Steinmühle, and Claus Duncker, Chairman of blista.

Goats as Reliable Guardians—The Mobile Chicken Coop Fits Perfectly into Steinmühle’s Food Concept

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The billy goat is actually supposed to keep birds of prey at bay, but he also maintains a healthy skepticism toward people. Near the Steinmühle boathouse, he and his mate guard Gisela Brusius’s mobile chicken coop. The Steinmühle receives about 240 eggs per week from her mobile chicken coop, which are used in the kitchen for breakfast, cakes, or casseroles. These products fit perfectly into the school and boarding school’s food supply plan.

The relationship between the Steinmühle and Gisela Brusius goes back a long way. Her farm is located in Cappel, about 200 meters away as the crow flies, and the farmer has a long-standing friendship with boarding school partner Johanna Buurman-Rogalla. This has led to a mutually supportive relationship—or, to put it in modern terms: a win-win situation. The Steinmühle riding stable has leased pasture land from Gisela Brusius. Most recently, the Steinmühle was able to purchase land from Gisela Brusius on which the new sports hall will be built. In return, she was assured of a regular customer for her eggs. The farm’s previous flock of 60 classic brown laying hens moved off the property; with the expansion of the flock, they gained 140 new “colleagues”—and the owner found some relief: “Compared to the current mobile chicken coop, keeping the hens on the farm was very labor-intensive.”

This new farming method marked yet another step forward. The “Hühnermobil” is a modern, fully mobile free-range housing system designed for species-appropriate and environmentally friendly chicken farming. “This fits perfectly into our concept,” says Steinmühle’s head chef, Sebastian Riehl. Steinmühle places great importance on using products in its kitchen that fit the “regional—organic—fair trade” criteria. In each individual case, the team determines which criterion should reasonably be given priority.

With this in mind, Steinmühle Boarding School, which operates the kitchen, partnered with the organic bakery Siebenkorn in 2020. At the same time, a new regional produce vendor was brought on board as a partner. The beverage selection includes Fairtrade coffee. The bistro offers organic lemonade.

From Refugee to High School Graduate: Steinmühle Makes History

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One could begin this story with “Once upon a time….” But this is no fairy tale. When Hussam, Abdallah, and Habib arrived at the Steinmühle in the fall of 2015, they had nothing in their pockets, just one goal in mind: to earn their high school diplomas. Today, five years later, they’ve all achieved their goal. And that’s not just a voice prompt from a GPS—it’s the result of hard work.

None of the three spoke German; they had brought nothing but their ambition. They were part of the group of refugees who, as part of an external youth welfare program, moved into the rented Bremerhaus at Steinmühle and were also educated on the premises.

They were the ones to watch: Hussam, a Palestinian born in Syria; Abdallah, a Syrian; and Habib, an Afghan originally from Iran. This was true not only—but especially—for math class. All three chose the math track in 11th grade. Math is an international subject; other classes, taught on a broader German-language basis, pose the greater challenge. But was math the only challenge?


“We knew we had to”

And how they crammed German anyway! They got their start in the intensive German class. “We knew we had to,” the three recall, thinking back on learning German—a language that was completely foreign to them—but which they simply couldn’t avoid. “It really helped that we spent 24 hours on campus,” they recall. “Our classmates were a huge support to us.”

And yet: It was very, very hard. They admit to the lean times, the homesickness, and everything else that sets in when you worry that your loved ones back home are in danger. But that was precisely what drove them to give it their all and seize these opportunities to shape their lives the way they’d always dreamed. For the sake of those back home, too.

“It was quite an experience—for us teachers as well,” says Björn Gemmer. The principal of Steinmühlen School and former homeroom teacher of the three young men also recalls the challenges they faced. “Overall, it was a diverse group, all of whom shared the goal of earning a diploma. There was no family to fall back on.” Religious considerations also came into play, such as Ramadan, for example. “But we couldn’t accommodate that from an organizational standpoint at the school.”

Today, the pride Steinmühle feels for having paved the way clearly outweighs everything else. Everyone seems relaxed, happy, and full of hope for the future. Habib and Hussam plan to study business informatics, while Abdallah wants to become a doctor—specifically, an “orthopedist.” He graduated from high school with a 1.1 GPA. “My dream of going to college came true here.”

Information Sessions for 5th Grade Successfully Held Online

Of course, Steinmühle would much rather welcome interested parents and children in person, but health comes first right now! So the leadership team decided on the spot to hold the two information sessions for the future 5th grade class digitally last Wednesday. The response was overwhelming, as everyone involved quickly adapted to the new presentation format. The virtual tour led by Constanze Oestreicher-Gold, Björn Gemmer, Bernd Holly, and Frank Wemme—which replaced the Family Information Day on Saturday—received special praise. The team of Till Buurman and Dirk Konnertz produced the video footage on very short notice and quickly edited it to suit the presentation.

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all the parents for their flexibility, and above all to Famke Möller (5b), Toshi Beato del Rosal (6a), Juliana Stry (7b), Benjamin Schul (10a), Jan Audretsch (11d), and Naomi Skibbe (13b), who did an excellent job representing their school during the virtual tour.

The State of Hesse is providing 60,000 euros to support the renovation of the boathouse

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State Secretary Dr. Stefan Heck presented the grant notification during a visit to the Steinmühle

The renovation of the Steinmühle boathouse is a major undertaking—but it is now much easier to finance: Dr. Stefan Heck, State Secretary at the Hessian Ministry of the Interior and Sports, presented Dietrich Mägerlein, chairman of the Rudern und Sport Steinmühle (RuS) Marburg association, with a grant notification in the amount of 60,000 euros. “Coming here was particularly important to me,” said Heck, who made the visit to Steinmühlenweg before the restrictions imposed by pandemic-related regulations took effect. He added: “Our state government is particularly supportive of the club’s inclusive approach. By applying for this grant, you were really just preaching to the choir.”

The Steinmühle boathouse was built in 1970. Champions and Olympic athletes used to come and go there, but now the building is showing its age. Dietrich Mägerlein: “We’ve basically renovated whatever we could with a few brushstrokes. Recently, however, we’ve also found that the roof and plumbing are in a condition that can no longer be tolerated.”

For generations, the Steinmühlen boathouse has been the gathering place for rowing and the home of the rowing equipment. Weather permitting, a large group of rowing enthusiasts currently meets several times a week to hone their rowing technique and speed under the guidance of rowing instructor and coach Martin “Stromi” Strohmenger. The partnership with the German Institute for the Blind (blista) is also a long-standing tradition. As part of an inclusive project, rowing has been made accessible to visually impaired athletes at the Steinmühle for many years.

 

Rowers as Role Models During the Pandemic

Several guests gathered for the grant presentation in the foyer of the newest Steinmühle building, located at the entrance to the school campus. Dirk Bamberger, a member of the Hessian State Parliament, delivered a welcoming address: “As a resident of Cappel, I am well aware of the significance of the Steinmühle,” he emphasized, and expressed his hope that the construction work would proceed smoothly and without accidents. First District Deputy and Vice-District Administrator Maria Zachow paid tribute to all active members of the club and described rowing as symbolic of how to deal with the pandemic: “You pool your strengths, all pull together, and find the right stroke rate. It’s all about mobilizing our strength together.” Georg Ritter, Executive Director of the Steinmühle Boarding School, highlighted the importance of rowing within the school’s overall athletic program and emphasized the support the project receives from the school’s governing body.

Ultimately, the state’s grant paves the way for a renovation project that can only be financed through a collective effort. As one of the key stakeholders—and the operator of the high school and bilingual elementary school—the Steinmühle Marburg School Association deserves special mention; its executive director, Dirk Konnertz, was also present. But it’s not just in financial matters that a network comes together. When it comes to pulling the organizational strings, coordinating efforts, and even rolling up his sleeves to help out, RuS Chairman Dietrich Mägerlein can rely on a team. His deputies, Björn Gemmer—who is also the principal of Steinmühle—and Bianca Zenker keep the rowing community on course in every respect.

This is Halloween @ Steinmühle

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Halloween is just around the corner, but unfortunately, the big costume party had to be canceled this year. But of course, masks, social distancing, and other precautions aren’t stopping the Steinmühl students from enjoying a spookily fun boarding school weekend. So the teachers put together a COVID-safe program for the weekend that gave the students plenty of reasons to get the creeps.

Creative Pumpkins Carved by Hand

Of course, the classic pumpkin carving activity was a must. Inside the tent, the large pumpkins were hollowed out and carved using professional tools until, in the end, seven glowing, spooky faces adorned the entrance to the dining hall. Everything was carved, from the Cheshire Cat from *Alice in Wonderland* to the face from *The Nightmare Before Christmas* to the classic grim expressions. Sprayed with varnish, these handmade pumpkins will last until October 31.

A Full Halloween Lineup: Scary Movies, a Nighttime Walk, and More

And while the older students tried not to throw their popcorn into the air in fright as they watched a scary movie that evening in the dining hall—which had been set up to comply with COVID-19 guidelines—the younger students shuddered during their nighttime walk. Ten intrepid Steinmühl students ventured out with two teachers on a tour through the Cappeler Forest—a test of courage, of course, included. Fortunately, everyone arrived home safe and sound after surviving the terrors of the dark forest.

The horrors of the forest were brought directly to the students’ cell phones and tablets through the digital game “Among Us.” The objective of the game: to unmask the sinister enemy “among us” in the fictional space colony in order to save the community. Thrills and fun are guaranteed here as players work to uncover the traitor in their own ranks. This digital reimagining of the classic Werewolf game was a hit with many students and continued to be played even beyond the extracurricular club sessions, right into the dorm groups.

For those who preferred something a little more low-key: a cozy, spine-tingling experience with storytime and puzzles

Those who preferred a more laid-back atmosphere could gather in the gym for “Trick or Treat,” where, while maintaining a safe distance and by candlelight, they could listen to someone read from *Harry Potter*. The more active, unconventional thinkers among the students were invited to take part in “Black Stories”: Two men died at the same time, simply because they wanted to get some fresh air. What had happened? This and other mysteries were solved together.

The biggest mystery for the residents of Steinmühle right now, however, is whether and when a big activity weekend will be able to take place again. But thanks to the creativity of the educators, it will never get boring here, no matter what.

 
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Do you have questions about the school?

School Administration & Management

Björn Gemmer & Dirk Konnertz
Phone: 06421 408-20

schule@steinmuehle.de

Do you have questions about the boarding school?

Boarding School Administration & Management

Anke Muszynski & Dirk Konnertz
Phone: 06421 408-0

internat@steinmuehle.de

Do you have questions about the school?

School Administration & Management

Björn Gemmer & Dirk Konnertz
Phone: 06421 408-20

schule@steinmuehle.de

Do you have questions about the boarding school?

Boarding School Administration & Management

Anke Muszynski & Dirk Konnertz
Phone: 06421 408-0

internat@steinmuehle.de

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