Sports & Health

Collaborative Project with Steinmühle: SF Blau-Gelb Marburg Receives the 2nd Jürgen-Markus Award for Accessible Participation in Sports

Collaborations & Partnerships, News, Social Engagement, Sports & Health

“People are not disabled—people are made disabled. If we consistently work to internalize this principle and eliminate disabilities, then we will have made significant progress toward inclusion,” said Mayor Dr. Thomas Spies. Jürgen Markus, who faced unexpected challenges after suffering a spinal cord injury, dedicated himself from that point on—until his death in 2010—to ensuring that people with disabilities could lead dignified and self-determined lives. “It is impressive to see the determination, consistency, and sensitivity with which Jürgen Markus worked tirelessly and unwaveringly on behalf of people with disabilities in our city,” said the mayor in his tribute. In this spirit, many people, organizations, and institutions in Marburg remain committed to this cause even today—an effort the city honors every two years with the Jürgen Markus Prize.

“This year, the jury selected two winners from among the nominations,” explained Susanne Holz, curator of the Jürgen-Markus Prize. The first prize, worth 10,000 euros, goes to the Marburg Basketball Club in 2022. “At BC Marburg, inclusion has become an integral part of the club’s culture,” Holz continued, adding, “The team for players with disabilities is a natural part of the club, just as people with disabilities are a natural part of the fan base.” The jury was impressed by the sustainability of inclusion at BC Marburg. This is not yet a given, especially in team sports. Hilde Rektorschek, a member of the BC Marburg board, accepted the 2022 Jürgen-Markus Prize from Spies and Holz.

Second prize was awarded to Sportfreunde Blau-Gelb Marburg, Steinmühle, fib, Kerstin-Heim, and Special Olympics for their project “Gemeinsam.” “It’s impressive that so many partners are working together to make inclusion in sports a reality,” the curator praised. The project is still in its early stages, so the award is intended to encourage the team and, at the same time, motivate other clubs to open their doors to people with disabilities. “Gemeinsam” receives 5,000 euros. The award was accepted by Dr. Anton Schmölz, chairman of Sportfreunde Blau-Gelb Marburg, and Martina Strube from the Kerstin-Heim.

Background

Jürgen Markus championed accessibility in Marburg to enable people with disabilities to lead more self-determined lives. After his death in 2010, there was widespread support for honoring Jürgen Markus in recognition of his tremendous dedication and impressive personality. Across party lines, the city council unanimously decided to establish an award on behalf of the city, which was first presented in 2012. Since then, it has been awarded every two years. The goal of the award is to achieve greater accessibility in order to make it easier for people with disabilities to participate in social life. The award is intended both to honor dedicated efforts and to inspire new ideas.

Jürgen Markus was born in 1957 in Bad Driburg, East Westphalia. In the late 1970s, he moved to Marburg to attend university. In February 1982, he suffered irreparable injuries to his cervical spine in an accident during the Philipps University sports festival, resulting in permanent paraplegia. This new situation presented him with unforeseen challenges in the most basic aspects of his life. His “second life”—as he himself called it—was shaped by the fight for a dignified and self-determined life for people with disabilities. He was active in the Marburg Disability Initiative (KRIM) and in the Association for the Promotion of Inclusion of People with Disabilities (fib), which he significantly shaped as its chairman for many years. In local politics, he served as a representative of Alliance 90/The Greens in the city council from 1998 to 2007, primarily on the Building Committee in the area of urban development. He helped establish the Advisory Board for People with Disabilities in 1997 and, as its vice chair until his death, had a profound influence on the board through his leadership.

The fact that accessibility is promoted and advocated for across party lines in Marburg, and that the Advisory Council for People with Disabilities is involved in decisions affecting people with disabilities, is primarily thanks to Jürgen Markus, who had a gift for winning people over by treating them with respect.

In the final years of his life, he was forced to gradually step back and relinquish his positions as he struggled increasingly with health complications resulting from his injuries. He died in February 2010 at the age of 52.

27. September 2022

Steinmühlen Soccer Team Wins City Finals of “Youth Trains for the Olympics”

Contests & Awards, News, Sports & Health

Great joy for our 6th- and 7th-grade soccer players: With a 3-1 victory over the favored Elisabethschule and a 1-1 draw against the Martin-Luther-Schule, our Competition Class II “Youth Trains for the Olympics” team secured a spot in the district finals on October 12. Coached by Bernd Schweitzer and Dirk Konnertz, the team was wide awake from the start at the city finals at Georg-Gassmann Stadium and played as a cohesive unit. Although no preparation was possible due to the proximity of the summer break and subsequent school trips, the team played well together and didn’t let a 0–1 deficit in the first game faze them. While it was a team effort, special mention must be made of the outstanding performance by Lasse Schweitzer, who scored three of the four goals that secured the tournament victory.

The following athletes were successful: Arthur Böning, Ben Borawski, Felix Bork, Julius Brückmann, Len Hülsbeck, Tiemo Irmisch, Jonah Isenberg, Felix Martens, Jonas Mierisch, Rafael Piller, Fabian Preis, Lasse Schweitzer, Paul Sondergeld, Ben Templer, and Moritz Wagner.

22. September 2022

Boats christened, achievements celebrated: RuS wrapped up the school year

Events & Celebrations, News, Rowing, Sports & Health

The summer festival of the Rudern und Sport Steinmühle club came to a close with everyone—guests, parents, students, and organizers—in high spirits, and with a substantial amount of money raised for the club’s coffers. This casual get-together featuring barbecue and cold drinks at the end of each school year has already become a tradition. It has also become customary for attendees of the summer concert—which previously took place in the Forum—to wrap up the evening at the newly renovated Steinmühle boathouse.

“The celebration was a complete success,” summarized Björn Gemmer, principal of Steinmühlen School and vice president of the RuS club. He, along with the main organizer—rowing instructor and coach Martin “Stromi” Strohmenger—and chairman Dietrich Mägerlein, were delighted with the successful summer celebration and the christening of two boats, which was performed by the deputy chairman of the school association, Gerhard Müller, as well as by Claus Duncker. The boats are now named “Schorsch” and… “Claus”! — If that isn’t a good omen for what’s to come…!

Many other prominent figures from the Marburg area attended the official expansion of the boat fleet. Among those present were First District Deputy Marian Zachow, Marburg Mayor Nadine Bernshausen, City Councilwoman Kirsten Dinnebier, Björn Backes, head of the Sports Department for the University City of Marburg, and Andreas Bartsch, who, as Chairman of the Board of Sparkasse Marburg-Biedenkopf, has always been and remains closely connected to Steinmühle in the context of all construction projects. At the same time, senior staff members from Steinmühle also stopped by, including Thomas Hoffmann (Managing Director of the boarding school) and Anke Muszynski (Head of the boarding school), Dirk Konnertz (Managing Director of the Steinmühle School) and Headmaster Bernd Holly, as well as members of the Buurman family—the boarding school’s shareholders—teachers from Steinmühle, and anyone else we may have inadvertently omitted from this list. On the athletic front, the highlight was the presence of Marc Weber. The elite athlete and new addition to RuS Steinmühle had just recently won a medal at the World Rowing Cup in Lucerne. We’ll be hearing more from him—and from the entire club as well. There are plans here that are no longer just sitting on the back burner.

19. August 2022

The Vision of a Health Dictatorship: DS Class 12 Stages “Corpus Delicti”

Art, Music & Theater, News, Sports & Health

Some call this work the “contemporary German George Orwell.” In 2009, author Juli Zeh wrote the novel *Corpus Delicti*. The 12th-grade drama class staged this futuristic novel at the Steinmühle Forum. It depicts a scenario of a totalitarian surveillance state focused on the health of its citizens. The state—“the Method”—has the right to intrude on privacy. Or, to put it another way: it simply takes that right for itself.

It starts with the definition. What is health? “The Method” defines it as physical, mental, and social well-being. But who decides what that means? Who determines the criteria?

In any case, caution is advised. The eye of the Fourth Estate never sleeps. And that’s what happens to anyone who dares to lead a lifestyle that isn’t “immunologically compatible.” After all, a good person doesn’t smoke or drink. What’s more, those who oppose established methods also endanger the common good. And any means are justified to track them down.

Any means? Yes, absolutely any! Or who would have thought of sensors in the toilet that the government uses to measure stomach acid levels? Just one example of the kind of transparency we have to submit to.

A World of Ginger Shots and Smoothies

“With this play, the DS Group has addressed the highly topical issues of fitness optimization, the big data debate, the phenomenon of the surveillance state, and the tension between national security and freedom,” explains Melisande Lauginiger, who co-wrote and co-directed the play with Manuela Schmidt. “The play illustrates where things can lead when people are forced to give up their freedom in a state based on a misguided belief in state-guaranteed security.” The 19 students surrounding the protagonist “Mia Holl” had woven a few jokes and gags into this serious topic to elicit laughter and provide entertainment—even if it meant that the school principals, Björn Gemmer and Bernd Holly, were caught drinking wine or eating cream cake —which, of course, is a no-go in a world of ginger shots and smoothies.

“The play,” says Melisande Lauginiger, “transports us into a health dictatorship where brainwashing, oppression, manipulation, torture, and death not only turn people into puppets but also rob them of their individuality.” – A thought-provoking theatrical performance that received a round of applause and was illustrated with posters by Sarah Mengel (12a), Joelina Merle (12a), Alina Klähn (12a), Yunxi Zhang, and Fabian Diedrich (12c) had illustrated with posters under the guidance of art teacher Ines Vielhaben.

A clever “opener”

“We’re the opening act for the DS course”—with these words, a six-member cast from the Theater 5/6 club professionally kicked off the evening. The story revolved around a 5,000-euro loan, a money handoff in the park, “Manfred,” who was supposed to carry out a murder, and a person who did a truly excellent job acting as the eventual victim. The group led by teacher Dagmar Müller has potential—and will likely take the place of the main actors in a few years. We can’t wait to see what they’ll do!

19. August 2022

Time to burn off some energy again: Sports Day 2022

Life at Boarding School, News, Sports & Health

The Sports Day, featuring the Federal Youth Games and a sports festival, took place at Georg-Gassmann Stadium. In addition to faculty members, students from the 12th-grade advanced physical education class helped organize the event. Rowing activities took place around the Steinmühle boathouse under the guidance of rowing coach Martin Strohmenger. By the end of Sports Day, the students had earned quite a few points that count toward the Federal Youth Games standings, for which certificates were awarded once again this year. The participants proved in all disciplines that they can really give it their all and achieve great results! These performances also serve as the basis for earning the 2022 German Sports Badge.

17. August 2022

2022 Spring Run: Good weather and a great athletic atmosphere

News, Sports & Health

School sports director Michael Neirich was delighted: After a two-year hiatus in school sports and the cancellation of competitions due to the pandemic, the regular sports events at Steinmühle were back in full swing. The 5th and 6th-grade classes were able to participate in a spring run again, and the Sports Day was held once more for the lower secondary school students.

“We were especially happy about the great athletic atmosphere, given the long forced break that preceded it,” Michael Neirich reported. “The consistently nice weather also worked in our favor.” The Spring Run, featuring a course around the boathouse, was supported by faculty members as well as a 12th-grade introductory physical education class. A total of three running competitions took place. These were individual races for boys and girls in grades 5 and 6. There was also the tried-and-true relay race for grades 5 and 6, in which five selected girls and five selected boys from each class competed against one another.

17. August 2022

Exercise and Socializing: New Sports Hall Officially Opened

Events & Celebrations, News, Sports & Health

It is the latest new building—for now—to open on the Steinmühle grounds following the construction of the Forum and Atrium, as well as the extensive renovation of the main building and the bistro: the new sports hall. Steinmühle celebrated this latest milestone in June with about 100 invited guests. Representatives from politics, partner institutions, supporters, and those involved in the construction project made their way to Steinmühle and raised their glasses together to a successful future.

The Steinmühle was built—but not just for itself. Unlike any other building on the grounds, the sports hall has been guided by the spirit of cooperation from the very beginning. Notable among these are the German Institute for the Blind (blista), as well as the Blau-Gelb Marburg sports club and other partner institutions, which can book time slots starting at 5:00 p.m. The gym is particularly well-suited for visitors with disabilities who require accessible facilities. In this way, the Steinmühle takes some of the strain off public buildings and offers new opportunities to people with disabilities.

“Physical activity is part of the concept of education,” said Egon Vaupel, chairman of the board of the Steinmühle e.V. School Association, who expressed his gratitude on site to everyone involved in the construction as well as to all supporters.

The City of Marburg and the State of Hesse each provided a grant of 300,000 euros. “We can accept these funds with confidence thanks to this exceptional win-win situation,” explains Dirk Konnertz, the school’s executive director. The Steinmühle’s own support association, chaired by Jasmine Weidenbach, financed the portable sports equipment with a contribution of 28,000 euros.

The celebration, to which school administrators, boarding school representatives, other members of the school association and the booster club, as well as the sports department, parent representatives, and student representatives were invited, took place in a positive atmosphere despite the gloomy weather. Given the plans for its use, the area in and around the spacious sports hall is likely to become a regular gathering place very soon—for exercise and socializing.

17. August 2022

Wheelup! wowed the Steinmühle with everything on wheels

Collaborations & Partnerships, News, Sports & Health

We saw many beaming faces as they rode by on skateboards, waveboards, scooters, or longboards: For the last few weeks before summer break, a so-called “WHEELUP! trailer” was parked in our schoolyard, filled to the brim with just about everything that has wheels.

The action week kicked off with a scooter training session for the advanced sports class, which was led competently and with a sense of humor by the professional staff from CITY SKATE. This was followed by a brief training session and instruction on how to use the trailer for all interested teachers. Under the motto, “Helmets on, pads on, and let’s go!” young and old alike rushed to the trailer during substitute classes, breaks, or even during physical education classes and rolled together across the schoolyard.

As part of an AOK sponsorship program, the Hessian sports agency CITY SKATE is equipping this trailer with the latest sports equipment so that it can be made available to children at as many schools as possible. “Thanks to a fortunate turn of events, our school had the opportunity to use this trailer during the most sought-after time slot before the break,” reports Steinmühlen teacher Benedikt Hohmann. It’s no secret that exercise and physical activity play a central role in physical and mental health. Furthermore, the WHEELUP! project offered the ideal opportunity to make good use of the infamous “last few hours before the break” outdoors and to get the students excited about skating.

17. August 2022

Lothar Potthoff Led the Steinmühlen Women’s Soccer Team to a Bronze Medal at the State Championship

News, Sports & Health

Will women’s soccer finally gain more recognition thanks to this year’s European Championship and the German team’s strong debut? At Steinmühle, at any rate, they’re already a step ahead on this front. There was a huge success here—and everyone is celebrating it! After winning the district and regional competitions, the Steinmühle girls in Competition Class IV (born in 2010 and 2011) took a surprising but well-deserved third place at the state competition in Grünberg (as we reported). — Bronze, then, at the Hesse finals of “Youth Trains for the Olympics”!

In addition to the girls, whose skill and total dedication contributed to this success, one man also played a key role: Lothar Potthoff. He is the athletic director of MSG Marburg/Weimar; he accompanied the Steinmühlen girls to all their competitions and prepared them exceptionally well for this tournament. He was supported by Carlotta Weber from 6th grade and Julian Arnold from the MSG coaching staff. “This is a huge success! Of course, the girls wanted to go to Berlin for the national finals. But after some initial disappointment, the joy of finishing in third place now prevails,” the coach summed up. His team was ultimately on the verge of reaching the final when, in the semifinals, they were unfortunately defeated in a penalty shootout by the eventual champions from Gymnasium Oberursel.

“Next year, we’ll be competing in Competition Class III with this team and we’ll see how we do,” says Lothar Potthoff, already looking forward to the upcoming competitions. He is a coach through and through and has previously coached a school team at Steinmühle—“the ones who are graduating this year.”

He began his career in soccer at an early age, starting out in his native Sauerland and then continuing in Marburg’s Waldtal and with the veterans’ team in Niederweimar. In 1988, he began working with youth.

The trend of more and more girls playing soccer has developed over the years. Female players brought their friends along, and the association promoted soccer for women. Due to a lack of all-girls teams, female players often play on boys’ teams. This is possible up through the B-Youth division.

“There are very strong women’s teams in the United Kingdom, France, and Spain that play in front of crowds of 80,000 to 90,000 spectators.” Lothar Potthoff criticizes the DFB’s policies, under which “old white men have long belittled women’s soccer with little respect.”

The former principal of the Ebsdorfergrund Comprehensive School in Heskem can neither understand nor condone this. He sees how much fun the girls in their Steinmühlen jerseys have playing soccer and is glad that there are always opportunities to practice locally. For him, life as a soccer coach five days a week has become an integral part of his life; it helps him unwind: “When I’m on the field, everything else fades away.” Social connections are important to him.

But the retired history and politics teacher cares deeply about other things as well, which he sees being put into practice through his work as a soccer coach: “Team sports counteract the trend toward individualism, foster a sense of community, and encourage the assumption of responsibility. You help your opponent back up, and you’re there when extra hands are needed. After all, you can’t carry a goal all by yourself.”

26. July 2022

A Great Community Experience: Steinmühle with 37 Runners at the Marburg Post-Marathon!

Collaborations & Partnerships, News, Sports & Health

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Marburg Night Marathon finally took place again on July 1. Steinmühle was represented by nine relay teams, meaning it had more runners at the starting line than any other school, club, or company.

All nine relay teams completed the 42.195 km at varying speeds, depending on their goals, level of training, and physical condition. The individual runners’ times varied greatly in some cases, because the organizers, Patric Hahn and Björn Gemmer, weren’t focused on putting together teams that were as homogeneous as possible, but rather on experiencing a sense of community.

The fastest relay team, with a time of 3h 18min, was the 12th-grade math track: Students Nico Bolz, Paul Martin, and Jan Audretsch, along with their teacher Björn Gemmer, finished 15th out of 119. The other relay teams and their results are shown in the photos.

Nico Bolz, Alina Klähn, and Ian Wudtke, as the lead runners for their respective relay teams, continued running after the baton handoff and completed a half marathon. Nico finished in 208th place out of 645 after 1 hour and 49 minutes, while Alina and Ian finished just over 5 minutes later in 299th and 300th place, respectively.

Eleventh-grader Maxim Dyck even crossed the finish line as a “marathon finisher” in 80th place out of 101 after 4 hours and 32 minutes, while M-PH teacher René Schulenberg finished 18 minutes later in 89th place. Both were greeted and celebrated at the finish line to loud applause from the Steinmühlen community.

But it wasn’t just the athletic achievements that made the evening at the relay handoff and in the university stadium so special. It was the shared experience that the 37 runners had together. Students, boarding school teachers, faculty members, and one of the two principals were at the starting line, cheering on everyone wearing a Steinmühle shirt, being cheered on themselves, comparing their times, celebrated each other’s successes, and spent a joyful evening together in good company. Once again, it was clear: Steinmühle is a supportive community.

8. July 2022