Schule Birklehof
Encyclopedia
Schule Birklehof is a prestigious independent boarding school located in Hinterzarten
in the High Black Forest region of southwestern Germany
, approximately 25 km from Freiburg
. It is a private coeducational secondary school (German: Gymnasium). Currently, the school has approximately 240 students, 170 of whom are boarders who live on campus. The school was established by the educator Kurt Hahn
in 1932 and from the beginning accepted girls and boys. Under the Nazi regime Hahn was forced to emigrate to Scotland
where he founded Gordonstoun School as well as later Outward Bound
, Round Square
and the United World Colleges
. Birklehof is considered an elite school in Germany.
. The old Birklehof is a grade-listed farmhouse dating back to 1550. In the early 1920s, a villa was built on the Birklehof estate by a German industrialist. The estate was then given to Hahn for his school. Hahn, after being driven from Germany by the Nazis, went on to found Gordonstoun
in Scotland in 1934 and Atlantic College
in 1962. It is also a sister school to the more famous Schloss Salem
, founded by Hahn in 1920.
In 1946, it was reopened by its then head, German philosopher Georg Picht.
In the academic year 2010—11, the school will launch a new third middle-school stream. In addition to Foreign Languages or Sciences, students of Years 8 to 10 will be able to choose a musical specialisation. This will include aspects of drama, film making, fine arts and music. It follows an integrated, project-based approach.
Furthermore the school is in the process of switching to 8 instead of 9 years of grammar school, which will be implemented fully in 2012.
Haupthaus (1923),
Neubirkle (2009),
Studio,
Saalbau,
Wolffsburg,
Kopphaus,
Neuer Hirschen West,
Neuer Hirschen Ost,
Petersbau,
Unterhaus
Hinterzarten
Hinterzarten is a resort village in the Black Forest , located in the southwest of the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Although Hinterzarten is mostly famous for its ski jumpers, it also has many tourist attractions .- Hinterzarten :Hinterzarten was founded in 1148...
in the High Black Forest region of southwestern Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, approximately 25 km from Freiburg
Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In the extreme south-west of the country, it straddles the Dreisam river, at the foot of the Schlossberg. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Breisgau region on the western edge of the Black Forest in the Upper Rhine Plain...
. It is a private coeducational secondary school (German: Gymnasium). Currently, the school has approximately 240 students, 170 of whom are boarders who live on campus. The school was established by the educator Kurt Hahn
Kurt Hahn
Kurt Martin Hahn was a German educator whose philosophies are considered internationally influential.-Biography:...
in 1932 and from the beginning accepted girls and boys. Under the Nazi regime Hahn was forced to emigrate to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
where he founded Gordonstoun School as well as later Outward Bound
Outward Bound
Outward Bound is an international, non-profit, independent, outdoor educationorganization with approximately 40 schools around the world and 200,000 participants per year...
, Round Square
Round Square
The Round Square Conference of Schools is a worldwide association of more than 80 schools that allows students to travel between schools,tour foreign countries, involve themselves in community service and discover cultures along the way.-History:...
and the United World Colleges
United World Colleges
UWC is an education movement comprising thirteen international schools and colleges, national committees in over 130 countries and a series of short educational programmes. The UWC movement aims to make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future...
. Birklehof is considered an elite school in Germany.
Educational philosophy
The school stands in the tradition of progressive education reform, or "reform pedagogy" as it is called in Germany. This movement originated in the 1920s. Among other things, Birklehof prides itself in giving students real responsibility in the running of the school. Student representatives have voting rights on all educational matters in general conferences.History
Birklehof was founded in 1932 by German educator Kurt HahnKurt Hahn
Kurt Martin Hahn was a German educator whose philosophies are considered internationally influential.-Biography:...
. The old Birklehof is a grade-listed farmhouse dating back to 1550. In the early 1920s, a villa was built on the Birklehof estate by a German industrialist. The estate was then given to Hahn for his school. Hahn, after being driven from Germany by the Nazis, went on to found Gordonstoun
Gordonstoun
Gordonstoun School is a co-educational independent school for boarding and day pupils in Moray in North East Scotland. Named after the estate originally owned by Sir Robert Gordon in the 1600s, the school now uses this estate as its campus...
in Scotland in 1934 and Atlantic College
Atlantic College
The United World College of the Atlantic, also known as Atlantic College, is an international IB Diploma Programme boarding school in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1962, the school was the first of the United World Colleges and was among the first schools in the world to follow an international...
in 1962. It is also a sister school to the more famous Schloss Salem
Schule Schloss Salem
Schule Schloss Salem is a boarding school with campuses in Hohenfels, Salem and Überlingen in Baden-Württemberg, Southern Germany. It is considered one of the most elite schools in Europe.It offers the German Abitur, as well as the International Baccalaureate...
, founded by Hahn in 1920.
In 1946, it was reopened by its then head, German philosopher Georg Picht.
Developments
In 2009, the newest building project was completed with the inauguration of the rebuilt Neubirkle boarding house. This state-of-art eco building will be home to 19 boarders and two teachers' families. It also boasts a flat for a boarding house assistant.In the academic year 2010—11, the school will launch a new third middle-school stream. In addition to Foreign Languages or Sciences, students of Years 8 to 10 will be able to choose a musical specialisation. This will include aspects of drama, film making, fine arts and music. It follows an integrated, project-based approach.
Furthermore the school is in the process of switching to 8 instead of 9 years of grammar school, which will be implemented fully in 2012.
Boarding Houses
Birklehof school currently has ten boarding houses. Reflecting its educational philosophy, all houses (with the exception of the Neuer Hirschen West and Neuer Hirschen Ost) have integrated teaching rooms and teachers' flats as well as students' bedrooms. With the exception of the coeducational Unterhaus (Years 5-7) they are all single-sex houses, supervised by a resident houseparent.Haupthaus (1923),
Neubirkle (2009),
Studio,
Saalbau,
Wolffsburg,
Kopphaus,
Neuer Hirschen West,
Neuer Hirschen Ost,
Petersbau,
Unterhaus
Notable alumni
- Karl Heinz BohrerKarl Heinz BohrerKarl Heinz Bohrer is a German literary scholar and Essayist.-Life and work:Karl Heinz Bohrer received a doctorate from the University of Heidelberg in 1962 with a dissertation about the Philosophy of History of the German Romantics and received his post doctorate lecturing qualifications at...
, German literary scholar and essayist - Caio Koch-WeserCaio Koch-WeserCaio Koch-Weser is a German politician, economist, civil servant and business executive. He was Secretary of State in the Federal Ministry of Finance 1999–2005...
, politician, economist, former vice president and managing director of the World BankWorld BankThe World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty... - Tom Koenigs, politician, former UN-diplomat, special deputy of the general secretary of the United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in Afghanistan (until February 2006) - Peter von Blomberg, vice chairman of Transparency InternationalTransparency InternationalTransparency International is a non-governmental organization that monitors and publicizes corporate and political corruption in international development. It publishes an annual Corruption Perceptions Index, a comparative listing of corruption worldwide...
in Germany - Uwe NettelbeckUwe NettelbeckUwe Nettelbeck was a German record producer, journalist and film critic. He was best known as the creator and producer of the German krautrock band, Faust, and changed the face of German rock music in the early 1970s...
, German record producer, journalist and film critic - Herbert GirardetHerbert GirardetHerbert Girardet is co-founder of the World Future Council. His ten books include Earthrise , The Gaia Atlas of Cities , Creating Sustainable Cities , Cities, People, Planet , Shaping our Future , and Surviving the Century...
, author, visiting professor at various universities in England, program director of the World Future CouncilWorld Future CouncilThe World Future Council is an independent body formally founded in Hamburg, Germany on 10 May 2007. "Formed to speak on behalf of policy solutions that serve the interests of future generations", it includes members active in governmental bodies, civil society, business, science and the arts... - Ernst Ulrich von WeizsäckerErnst Ulrich von WeizsäckerErnst Ulrich von Weizsäcker is a German scientist and politician.He is son of the physicist Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker and nephew of the former German President Richard von Weizsäcker....
, German scientist and politician - Moritz von Uslar, author and journalist
External links
- http://www.birklehof.de/
- http://www.zeit.de/1982/42/Georg-Picht-vom-Birklehof?page=all
- Round Square Website