The Gisela- Gymnasium München is a secondary school in

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Ha ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

and belongs to the mathematical-scientific category of gymnasia but also has a

modern languages A modern language is any human language that is currently in use. The term is used in language education to distinguish between languages which are used for day-to-day communication (such as French and German) and dead classical languages such ...

branch. The school is named after its

patron Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings, popes, and the wealthy have provided to artists su ...

, the

Archduchess Gisela of Austria Archduchess Gisela Louise Marie of Austria (12 July 1856 – 27 July 1932) was the second daughter and eldest surviving child of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth of Austria. Although christened ''Gisella'', she only ever wro ...

who resided in the nearby Leopoldschlößchen with her family during her time in the city and played a significant role in local social and political events of the time. It has regular exchange programmes with schools in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

(

The Abbey School, Reading The Abbey School is an independent selective day school for girls, in Reading, Berkshire, England. Overview The Abbey School provides education for girls aged 3 to 18 years. The school is based in the centre of Reading, on Kendrick Road. The c ...

since 1990 and

Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls Haberdashers' Girls' School is an independent day school in Elstree, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as "Habs" (or "Habs Girls" to distinguish it from the neighbouring Haberdashers' Boys' School). The school was founded in 1875 by the Wo ...

Elstree Elstree is a large village in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire, England. It is about northwest of central London on the former A5 road, that follows the course of Watling Street. In 2011, its population was 5,110. It forms part of t ...

between 1991 and 1998),

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

( Collège Louis Michel in Saint-Junien-la-Bregère since 1982) and

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

( Liceo Scientifico Statale Giovanni da Castiglione in

Castiglion Fiorentino Castiglion Fiorentino () is a small, walled city in eastern Tuscany, Italy, in the province of Arezzo, between the cities of Arezzo and Cortona. It is known for its annual festivals and its Etruscan archeological site. History Due to the overall ...

Location

The school is located in the ancient borough of

Schwabing Schwabing is a borough in the northern part of Munich, the capital of the German state of Bavaria. It is part of the city borough 4 (Schwabing-West) and the city borough 12 (Schwabing-Freimann). The population of Schwabing is estimated about 100 ...

in the Northwestern part of the city opposite the Elisabethmarkt and the ''Berufsschule für KfZ Mechanik'' (Municipal

Vocational School A vocational school is a type of educational institution, which, depending on the country, may refer to either secondary or post-secondary education designed to provide vocational education or technical skills required to complete the task ...

for Vehicle Mechanics).

History

The original school was designed by the architect Cajetan Pacher in a

Neo-Renaissance Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range ...

style and contained 23 classrooms, a sports hall and a period school botanical garden. It first opened on 21 September 1904 following increasing demand by the population for new secondary schools to alleviate the oversubscribed existing schools in the area. It was one of three new schools that were built in the area and originally classified as a ''Kreisrealschule'' (

District A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municipa ...

Realschule ''Realschule'' () is a type of secondary school in Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It has also existed in Croatia (''realna gimnazija''), the Austrian Empire, the German Empire, Denmark and Norway (''realskole''), Sweden (''realskola''), ...

). It initially had 273 students spread across 4 years and 10 teachers. Student numbers increased quickly and by 1911 the school had over 700 students. Due to increasing need for additional space, the school was extended for the first time in 1911, only 7 years after it was first opened. In 1920 the school achieved the additional status of a ''Seminarschule'' (Teacher Training School) and has been involved in the training of new teachers since. During the

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, the school was used to house the ''1. Pionier-Einsatzbatallion'' (

military engineer Military engineering is loosely defined as the art, science, and practice of designing and building military works and maintaining lines of military transport and military communications. Military engineers are also responsible for logistics ...

operational

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions a ...

), forcing the school to conduct a large number of classes in alternate locations. At the same time, a large number of students took an active role in the war either by volunteering for

military service Military service is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, air forces, and naval forces, whether as a chosen job ( volunteer) or as a result of an involuntary draft (conscription). Some nations (e.g., Mexico) require ...

or by getting involved in other activities to aid the war. Towards the end of the war the school was then used as a

military hospital A military hospital is a hospital owned and operated by a military. They are often reserved for the use of military personnel and their dependents, but in some countries are made available to civilians as well. They may or may not be located on a ...

The period following saw the establishment of first student councils and an increase in the number of subjects taught, including French and

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

. As the school continued to develop, it was re-designated a ''Staatliche Realschule'' (State

) in 1924 and an ''Oberrealschule'' (upper realschule) in 1928. Official records from 1933 onwards must be read in the light of the rise of

Nazism Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) i ...

but show an increasing politicisation of the students and influence on the operations of the school at every level. This ranged from student member membership in

Nazi Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...

organisations such as the

Hitler Youth The Hitler Youth (german: Hitlerjugend , often abbreviated as HJ, ) was the youth organisation of the Nazi Party in Germany. Its origins date back to 1922 and it received the name ("Hitler Youth, League of German Worker Youth") in July 1926. ...

and the Jungvolk to impacts on the curriculum and political

indoctrination Indoctrination is the process of inculcating a person with ideas, attitudes, cognitive strategies or professional methodologies (see doctrine). Humans are a social animal species inescapably shaped by cultural context, and thus some degree ...

of the students. The school continued to operate normal classes until 1942 but from the onwards suffered increasing disruption. Year 8 was cut in 1943, classes were merged and many of the youngest students were sent to the countryside. The remaining students (as young as 11) increasingly were drafted into

anti-aircraft defence Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes Surface-to-air m ...

and

fire services A fire department (American English) or fire brigade (Commonwealth English), also known as a fire authority, fire district, fire and rescue, or fire service in some areas, is an organization that provides fire prevention and fire suppression se ...

in and around Munich. At the end of the war, almost 200 students had been killed and the building severely damaged. After the end of the

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, the school had to be rebuilt and resumed limited operations from December 1945 onwards with classes of up to 53 students, with many classes held outside the school wherever rooms were available. Parents, teachers and students unofficially carried out initial emergency work to stabilise the building and clear it from rubble. Permission for rebuilding was granted in 1946 and student number increased again despite the limited resources and ongoing rebuilding of the school and full operation only resumed in 1948. Rebuilding finished in 1955 with the addition of a two-storey sports hall. The school gradually introduced the ''

Kollegstufe The ''Kollegstufe'', ''Oberstufe'' or ''Sekundarstufe II'' is the German equivalent of the sixth form of secondary education in the upper stage (grades 12–13, or 11–12) of German high schools. Class groupings are dissolved and instead student ...

'' system between 1971 and 1973 and again re-classified as a ''Gymnasium'' of the mathematical-scientific branch in 1965. An additional branch of modern languages was added in 1987, adding

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

and

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

to the curriculum. Student numbers fluctuated heavily in the post-war period, dipping from its peak of some 1300 students in the 70's to just over 600 in the 90's only gradually to recover and stabilise eventually at about 800 students with some 60 full-time teaching staff. Composition of the student body also changed with increasing numbers of students from

Aussiedler The right of return is a principle in international law which guarantees everyone's right of voluntary return to, or re-entry to, their country of origin or of citizenship. The right of return is part of the broader human rights concept freedom ...

, migrant and immigrant background. Gisela-Gymnasium-rear

In spite of the dip in student numbers the school suffered from chronic overcrowding, not least because when the school was rebuilt after the war the original floor plan was broadly retained. But as a

municipal A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

school, the ''Gymnasium'' is funded by the City of Munich and does not receive any regular funding from the

Free State of Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total la ...

. Due to the lack of city funds, only minor repairs and improvements, in addition to normal maintenance, were carried out and the campaign for a full renovation and extension of the school only succeeded in June 2008 when the Bavarian Federal Government made a grant available to the school in addition to the municipal funding for the project. Gisela-Gymnasium-NewWing

The school recently participated in the trial runs for the planned shortened ''Gymnasium'' lasting only 8 instead of 9 years, the so-called G8. Along with the normal curriculum of a mathematical-scientific ''Gymnasium'' with a modern languages branch, the school today also offers a wide variety of optional subjects and

extra-curricular activities An extracurricular activity (ECA) or extra academic activity (EAA) or cultural activities is an activity, performed by students, that falls outside the realm of the normal curriculum of school, college or university education. Such activities ...

including

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

pottery Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other ceramic materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. Major types include earthenware, stoneware and ...

(the school has its own

kiln A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, a type of oven, that produces temperatures sufficient to complete some process, such as hardening, drying, or chemical changes. Kilns have been used for millennia to turn objects made from clay int ...

technical drawing Technical drawing, drafting or drawing, is the act and discipline of composing drawings that visually communicate how something functions or is constructed. Technical drawing is essential for communicating ideas in industry and engineering ...

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

, theatre,

cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining o ...

and

chess Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to dist ...

clubs. In 2002 parents and alumni of the school set up a

charity Charity may refer to: Giving * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing * C ...

called ''Freundes- und Förderkreis Gisela-Gymnasium München e.V.'' (Friends and Supporters of the Gisela Gymnasium Munich) to support the school and contribute to its development. Also known by its abbreviation ''FF/Gi/Gy'', it had close to 200 members in 2004 and has been active in various projects in and around the school since.

Women in the Gisela Gymnasium

In 1953 the school was assigned two female teachers for the first time - and against the futile protestations of the then headmaster Dr Hans Buchner. By 1972 13 out of 66 teachers were female. The school became a

co-educational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...

school in 1981/82 and although male teachers and students still outnumber females, the ratio is much close to being half and half today and the school has had a female headmaster for the first time since 2001.

Deaf students

The school has been participating in the mainstreaming of students with hearing disabilities since 1984. It has special facilities such as 4 sound insulated circular (to enable

lip reading The lips are the visible body part at the mouth of many animals, including humans. Lips are soft, movable, and serve as the opening for food intake and in the articulation of sound and speech. Human lips are a tactile sensory organ, and can be ...

) classrooms with an integrated audio-system. Special mixed transfer classes exist in year 10 and 11, enabling students who have come from specialised educational facilities to integrate into the mainstream system and complete their Abitur.

Events throughout the year

From the student's point of view the big events of the school term are: * the first ''Wandertag'' (hiking day) where each class goes for a hike in or near Munich, usually chosen by the class and main teacher * the ''Weihnachtsbazaar'' (Christmas market) organised by the school's student organisation where students put on a variety of activities and stalls to raise money for charity * the ''Zwischenzeugnis'' (half-term report card) at the end of the second week in February * the ''

Bundesjugendspiele The Bundesjugendspiele () ("Federal Youth Games") are an annual sports event that takes place at German schools and German international schools. They are obligatory for all students. The participating students are expected to achieve the best ...

'' (federal youth sports day) where students are required to take part in sporting activities in a federal competition * the second ''Wandertag'' (hiking day) * the ''Sommerfest'' (summer festival) involving various activities and events, a beer garden in the schools courtyard * the ''Abiturstreich'' (mischief day) where the final year students pull a pre-planned prank on the students and teachers which over the years has involved students putting crushed garlic on all door handles, padlocking all doors before school, water-gunning classes and teachers and similar. Customarily, school finishes early on the day of the ''Abiturstreich'' * the ''Jahreszeugnis'' (end of term report card) or ''Abiturzeugnis'' (graduation report card) in the case of the final year students

School projects

A group of students participated 2013 to 2014 at the project „DENK MAL – Erinnerung im öffentlichen Raum“ at the school. The students erected a plaque at the entrance of the school in remembrance of the murdered and prosecuted Jewish students in Nazi Germany.„Denk Mal“: Geschichtsprojekt von Münchener Jugendlichen
article of the International Tracing Service, 12 November 2014 A commemoration ceremony took place on 10 November 2014. The project received letters from German Chancellor

Angela Merkel Angela Dorothea Merkel (; ; born 17 July 1954) is a German former politician and scientist who served as Chancellor of Germany from 2005 to 2021. A member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), she previously served as Leader of the Opp ...

and the German President

Joachim Gauck Joachim Wilhelm Gauck (; born 24 January 1940) is a German politician and civil rights activist who served as President of Germany from 2012 to 2017. A former Lutheran pastor, he came to prominence as an anti-communist civil rights activist in E ...

congratulating them. The Project was supported by the

International Tracing Service The Arolsen Archives – International Center on Nazi Persecution formerly the International Tracing Service (ITS), in German Internationaler Suchdienst, in French Service International de Recherches in Bad Arolsen, Germany, is an international ...

Headmasters of the School

Marianne Achatz 2001- Axel Müller-Nordhorn (1942-) 1990-2001 Ernst Weinzierl (1927-?) 1980-1990 Albert Lehmeier (1916-?) 1972-1980 Dr Hans Buchner 1951-1972 Dr Stephan Ankenbrand (1884-?) 1948-1951 Andreas Blaha (1879-?) 1945-1948 Albert Dittmar (1888-?) 1943-1945 Dr Georg Wetzstein (1876-?) 1932-1943 Dr Karl Manger (1866-1932) 1920-1932 Wilhelm Orscheidt (?-1925) 1916-1920 Peter Arnold (1849-1918) 1904-1916

References

''Gisela-Gymnasium 1904-2004'' Gisela-Gymnasium, Munich 2004

External links

Friends and Supporters of the Gisela Gymnasium Munich
(in German) {{Authority control Educational institutions established in 1904 Schools in Munich Gymnasiums in Germany 1904 establishments in Germany