Höhere Mädchenschule or Höhere Töchterschule were names of historic schools for the

higher education Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank defines tertiary education as including universities, colleges, and vocational schools ...

of girls in German-speaking countries between the beginning of the 19th century and 1908. The names may mean higher education, but also education of girls (or daughters) of the upper classes. Some early institutions of higher education for girls were called

Lyceum The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies among countries; usually it is a type of secondary school. Basic science and some introduction to ...

, while the term Gymnasium was first used only for boys' schools.

History

The term Höhere Mädchenschule was used for schools which promoted education of the mind ("geistige Bildung") beyond

Volksschule The German term ''Volksschule'' () generally refers to compulsory education, denoting an educational institution every person (i.e. the people, ''Volk'') is required to attend. In Germany and Switzerland it is equivalent to a combined primar ...

(elementary school). They were sometimes reserved for (literally: "higher daughters"), girls from the wealthy

bourgeoisie The bourgeoisie ( , ) are a class of business owners, merchants and wealthy people, in general, which emerged in the Late Middle Ages, originally as a "middle class" between the peasantry and aristocracy. They are traditionally contrasted wi ...

. The Mariengymnasium in

Papenburg Papenburg (; East Frisian Low Saxon: ''Papenbörg'') is a city in the district of Emsland, Lower Saxony, Germany, situated at the river Ems. It is known for its large shipyard, the Meyer-Werft, which specializes in building cruise liners. Ge ...

, for example, was founded around 1835 for the female youth from upper estates ("die weibliche Jugend höherer Stände"). The first schools providing higher education for girls were founded at the beginning of the 18th century. The Gymnaecum, founded in 1709 by

August Hermann Francke August Hermann Francke (; 22 March 1663 – 8 June 1727) was a German Lutheran clergyman, theologian, philanthropist, and Biblical scholar. His evangelistic fervour and pietism got him expelled as lecturer from the universities of Dresden and ...

, is regarded as the first such institution. In 1717, Catholic "Englische Fräulein" of the

Congregation of Jesus The Congregation of Jesus is one of two congregations of religious sisters founded during the 17th century through the work of the nun Mary Ward, who was dedicated to female education. The other congregation is the Sisters of Loreto, a name the ...

founded institutions for girls in

Bamberg Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian German, East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia district in Bavaria, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main (river), Main. Bamberg had 79,000 inhabitants in ...

. In 1802, the first municipal school for girls was founded in

Hanover Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...

, the "Städtische höhere Töchterschule". One of its teachers, , founded in 1806 a private institution for girls in

Lübeck Lübeck (; or ; Latin: ), officially the Hanseatic League, Hanseatic City of Lübeck (), is a city in Northern Germany. With around 220,000 inhabitants, it is the second-largest city on the German Baltic Sea, Baltic coast and the second-larg ...

, which existed until 1871. In 1808, "Madame Wippermann", the wife of a merchant and manufacturer in

Quedlinburg Quedlinburg () is a town situated just north of the Harz mountains, in the Harz (district), district of Harz in the west of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. As an influential and prosperous trading centre during the early Middle Ages, Quedlinburg becam ...

, founded the first private Höhere Töchterschule for 40 students, which expanded to the Städtische Höhere Töchterschule in 1863 and to today's . Education at these schools aimed primarily to prepare the girls to become wives and mothers. For more scientific education, wealthy families sent their girls to a

finishing school A finishing school focuses on teaching young women social graces and upper-class cultural rites as a preparation for entry into society. The name reflects the fact that it follows ordinary school and is intended to complete a young woman's ...

(''Mädchenpensionat''). Many girls from poor families left school as soon as

compulsory education Compulsory education refers to a period of education that is required of all people and is imposed by the government. This education may take place at a registered school or at home or other places. Compulsory school attendance or compulsory sc ...

was served, to fulfil other duties. At the end of the 19th century,

Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...

had 213 public höhere Mädchenschulen and 656 private ones. The höhere Mädchenschulen had no leading to the

Abitur ''Abitur'' (), often shortened colloquially to ''Abi'', is a qualification granted at the end of secondary education in Germany. It is conferred on students who pass their final exams at the end of ISCED 3, usually after twelve or thirteen year ...

, a prerequisite for university studies. Girls, who usually left them aged 15 or 16, could only study at seminaries to be teachers (""). In the 1890s, the first high schools for girls () were founded, which enabled girls to study.

Helene Lange Helene Lange was born in 1848 in Oldenburg (city), Oldenburg. Through her determination, she rose above the trials of her early life, including the loss of her parents, to become a leading voice for women's access to higher education and professio ...

achieved in 1908, in collaboration with the responsible Prussian cultural politician

Friedrich Althoff Friedrich Theodor Althoff (19 February 1839 – 20 October 1908), was head of the university department in the Prussian Ministry of Education, and played a leading role in developing the research university in Prussia. This system became the model ...

and other reformers, that schools for girls were fundamentally restructured.

Literature

: ''Die höhere Mädchenschule und ihre Bestimmung.'' 1887.

References

External links

* Sabine Doff
Weiblichkeit und Bildung. Ideengeschichtliche Grundlage für die Etablierung des höheren Mädchenschulwesens in Deutschland
goethezeitportal.de (in German) {{DEFAULTSORT:Hohere Madchenschule School types Defunct girls' schools Defunct secondary schools