Kreuzgasse high school

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Kreuzgasse high school
Gymnasium Kreuzgasse - general view (6935-37) .jpg
New building by Karl Hell
type of school high school
School number 166601
founding 1828
address

Vogelsanger Str. 1
50672 Cologne

place Cologne
country North Rhine-Westphalia
Country Germany
Coordinates 50 ° 56 '26 "  N , 6 ° 55' 38"  E Coordinates: 50 ° 56 '26 "  N , 6 ° 55' 38"  E
carrier city ​​Cologne
management Lüder Ruschmeyer
Website www.kreuzgasse.de
Main entrance at Vogelsanger Str. 1

The Kreuzgasse grammar school is a municipal grammar school in the northern part of Cologne . It is characterized by its bilingualism with the completion of the Baccalauréat and its numerous secondary school activities. Since 2008 it has been nicknamed the European School because of its methodological standards and intercultural cooperation .

history

The Quatermarkt before the school was founded

The old Quatermarkt 1571 Mercator

In the 13th century an old Cologne family , the Quatermarts , built a patrician house on the Quatermarts named after them, which still exists as a place to this day and in the immediate vicinity of which the parish church of Alt St. Alban is located 1400 lived. After that, the building was no longer used as an apartment, but for festivities such as wedding dinners, doctor favors and in 1579 even for peace negotiations between Spain and the Netherlands ( Eighty Years War ). The house of the city mint was right next to the patrician house. The city therefore bought the building in 1561 in order to keep it for such festivals and rebuilt it. At the beginning of the 19th century the building became dilapidated, so it was demolished. The property was later used for the construction of the high school .

Higher citizen school - Realschule 1st order - Realgymnasium - Gymnasium

The school was founded on November 7, 1828 with 85 students as a high school on Quatermarkt. As early as 1835, 300 pupils attended the Higher Citizens School , which was only set up for 240 pupils.

Thomas Eschweiler, headmaster of the Higher Citizens School from 1830 to 1858, comments on the lack of space that occurred immediately after its foundation:

“In the scientific collections there are heaps of it on top of each other, and neither these nor the chemical laboratory, which looks more like a forge, nor the physical apparatus of the institute correspond to the viewpoint that one is currently entitled to take on a secondary or higher middle school everywhere is. "

- Thomas Eschweiler (headmaster 1830–1858)

In 1868 the school had 654 students. There were classes with up to a hundred students. Since the schoolyard was far too small, the students stayed in the classrooms and in the corridors during breaks.

In 1868, the school was then moved - as a first-order secondary school - to the newly built school building in Kreuzgasse, a side street off Schildergasse . The new location gave the school its new name. In the 19th century it changed the form of the school several times: from the higher citizen school to the Realgymnasium , via the subsequent double institution as a Gymnasium and Realgymnasium to the Humanistic Gymnasium .

The school during the Second World War and the construction years

On the night of June 29th to 30th, 1943, the school building burned down after a bomb attack. Two fire watch students lost their lives that night: Anno Klinkenberg and Paul Erpenbach. The deputy director of the institution, Josef Sauer, describes the situation, based on the story of the caretaker family, in a later report as follows:

“Soon after the attack began, the institution received firebombs, which, according to the traces still to be found in the courtyard, was apparently in an extraordinarily large amount. In the courtyard at Kreuzgasse No. 6, an incendiary stick bomb apparently fell right at the beginning, which immediately set off a fire. At the same time, the gym began to burn in large areas. Since there was not enough water, fighting the fire was hopeless. Soon afterwards the whole main building was also on fire. "

- Josef Sauer (deputy head of the institution)

Until the collapse of the school system in 1944, lessons first took place in the Dagobertstraße school , then in the rooms of the secondary school on Gyrhofstraße. On November 26, 1945, school operations were resumed with 330 pupils, the National Socialist “German Oberschule” system was abolished, and from then on the grammar school was renamed the Städtisches Humanistisches Gymnasium in Kreuzgasse in Cologne . Since there was still a lack of a school building, lessons initially took place in the Archbishop's Irmgardis Gymnasium in Cologne .

The school to the present

In 1953, the Cologne City Council decided to build a new school building in the inner Cologne green belt . The foundation stone of the current building was laid on February 11 of the same year. Despite the new location, the school kept its traditional name. In addition to the 600 students from Kreuzgasse, the students from the Elisabeth-von-Thüringen-Gymnasium , which was newly founded in 1954, and the students from the Schiller-Gymnasium, which was re -established in 1956, were initially accommodated in the new building. In 1958 a gym and a sports field with a 400 m running track, an ash field and a long jump pit followed. In 1963, under the direction of the architect Karl Hell , another school expansion took place, which includes today's auditorium with its 770 seats, a music hall, natural science rooms and an administrative wing. With this last expansion of the school after twelve years of planning and construction, the expansion of the school building ended for the time being.

If the humanistic Gymnasium Kreuzgasse was previously a school for boys, girls were given the opportunity to attend school for the first time in 1970. The 1970/71 vintage was also able to choose the bilingual Franco-German branch for the first time.

In 1985 the school was expanded for the last time with a new building with modern science rooms for the subjects of biology, chemistry, physics and computer science, a bridge connecting the old and new buildings, and a larger sports hall that could be divided into three parts. Thus, the expansion of the buildings on Kreuzgasse ends after 16 years until today.

In 1998, students who take the bilingual German-French branch are given the opportunity to acquire the general higher education entrance qualification at the same time as the French Baccalauréat .

building

Quatermarkt before the school was founded

The former patrician house, which was rebuilt by the city, stood on the Quatermarkt, which still exists today, in the immediate vicinity of the parish church of Alt St. Alban . It had cross windows in the hall on the upper floor; the outer wall was closed off by battlements. At the beginning of the 19th century, the building became dilapidated, which is why it, including the house of the mint master, was demolished in 1827.

1828-1868-1943

When the Higher Citizens' School was founded in 1828, the city decided to build the school on the site of the former Quatermarkt house and the house of the city mint master next to it.

The new building from 1868 was built on the property of the Kreuzbrüderkloster, which existed until 1804 . It was overturned by the French in the course of secularization and then torn down. The school was built according to plans by the city architect Johann Peter Weyer . It consisted of a main building with the classrooms and an annex in which the director lived. An administrative report from the city says about the new building in Kreuzgasse:

"The completed construction of the building for the secondary school is an adornment of the city and does not fail to make the impression of grandeur on everyone who visits the institution with a scrutinizing look."

- The city

A ministerial decree also praises the new building:

"The secondary school building in Cologne is one of the most beautiful and appropriately furnished in the whole country, and it is excellently equipped with all the aids for science lessons."

- Ministerial Decree of 1868

New building in the green belt after 1953

Since classes were supposed to start in autumn 1945, but there was a lack of buildings for them, classes had to be held elsewhere as a makeshift (see above). In 1952, the application to the city of Cologne for the construction of a new building in the inner Cologne green belt was granted. The foundation stone for the new building was laid on February 11, 1953. On November 7th of the same year the building was handed over to the school at the same time as the 125th anniversary celebration. Karl Hell describes the location and architecture of the building as follows:

“The property is conveniently located to the city and the suburbs, it is conveniently located, the location to the cardinal points is such that the classes can turn away from traffic noise, and there is space and green space in an almost unique way. The first construction phase with the normal classes turns away from the traffic with a slight incline towards the canal road and opens with the classes to the east and to the green area. The partially transparent arrangement on the ground floor and fourth floor is intended to support the connection to the green surroundings. Simplicity, clarity, authenticity and cheerfulness were decisive for the external appearance and for the coloring. "

- Karl Hell (architect)
Designed students Graffiti in the old building

The new building was designed with twelve large and eight small classrooms for a two-tier grammar school. On the fourth floor, there were five specialist and collection rooms for the natural sciences and art classes. Today the main building of the school is called the old building within the school . Above all, secondary levels I and II, but also some of the art rooms, are located here. The upper floors and the stairwell of the building were decorated with murals by the students.

Extension: gym and sports field in 1957

In 1957, planning began to build a gym and an additional sports field. In December 1958 both were completed and handed over for use. The sports field includes a 400 m running track, an ash football field and a diving pit. A beach volleyball facility was added later .

Expansion with administration wing, auditorium and music hall in 1958

Staircase in Kreuzgasse

The planning of the third expansion of the Kreuzgasse began in the year the gym and sports field were inaugurated. A new administration wing, an auditorium, music halls and art rooms were planned. On June 30, 1962, the school's new extension was inaugurated. An extension was created, which is divided in the front and connected to the class wing by a glass staircase.

In addition to the administration wing and the scientific rooms, the construction of the auditorium with 770 seats, the walls of which are artistically clad with Norwegian slate and structured with marble strips, is particularly noteworthy.

The auditorium was equipped with contemporary lighting and sound technology for the stage and a professional projection system for 35 mm optical sound cinema films.

New scientific building, large sports hall and bridge (1982)

After delays due to financial uncertainties, the long-planned construction of a large sports hall, a new scientific building , as it is still called by the students today, and the necessary renovations to the old building as part of the expansion on October 25, 1982, could initially start with the Construction of the hall to be started. The area of ​​the hall is 45 × 27 m. For practical reasons, however, the large sports hall can also be divided into three parts, with each area of ​​a hall part being 15 × 27 m. Inside the sports hall there is a narrow gallery the length of the hall, in which an extendable grandstand is hidden. It holds 400 spectators. There is also a 65 m² weight room in the cabin and control vault of the hall. The hall is made of reinforced concrete and masonry and covered with a flat gable roof. Including all ancillary rooms, it covers 15,713 m³. The usable and traffic area of ​​the hall is 2,273 m², of which 1,215 m² are pure hall.

In March 1983 construction began on the new building . This accommodates 12 classrooms as well as scientific rooms for the subjects of biology, physics and chemistry. The building has three floors, the corridors are all on the side facing the Inner Canal Street, the classrooms are installed on the quieter side. The new building also consists of reinforced concrete and masonry and also has a gable roof. The volume is 12,142 m³. The usable and traffic area is 2,187 m² (excluding the basement). All new buildings could be released for use in the 1985/86 school year. The total costs for the expansion of the large sports hall, the new building and the necessary renovation work on the old building amounted to DM 12,600,000. In addition, the facility costs were DM 975,000. The walls of the physics wing on the ground floor as well as those of the biology wing on the first floor on the side facing the Inner Canal Street were appropriately painted by students with achievements in flight from antiquity to the present and the evolution of life from the Big Bang to the colonization of other planets by humanity . In addition to the science classrooms, the upper level classrooms are also located in the new building.

Partial view of the school yard

School yard

School pond

The school yard was reduced by the construction of the large sports hall. Today there are three rectangular and one round table tennis table in the schoolyard. In addition, there is the school's own pond , a wet biotope in the playground. Since 2007 some students of the AG die Kreuzschnäbel have been looking after him again .

Construction of the solar system in 2008

Solar system on the roof of the old building

In 2008 a solar system was installed on the school roof of the old building. In addition to additional income for the development association, this should also demonstrate the exemplary nature of the use of renewable energies.

School profile

languages

The profile of the Gymnasium Kreuzgasse is particularly characterized by the bilingual branch and the prospect of acquiring the Abitur at the same time as the Baccalauréats (French higher education entrance qualification). In this context, the school developed more and more from a science-oriented school to a grammar school with a very important linguistic focus. As part of the Franco-German branch students thus learn alongside English and Latin , Ancient Greek and Spanish . Furthermore, the students learn the French language in a French-language history, politics and geography classes.

The Gymnasium Kreuzgasse has been part of the European Schools since 2008, thereby expanding its linguistic repertoire to include Dutch / Politics.

Natural sciences

Besides the usual science mathematics , physics , chemistry and biology as well as in the differentiation of computer science and biochemistry now also comes astronomy as part of the extension to the European School to do so.

Rowing club

SRV Kreuzgasse Cologne from 1911 e. V.
Logo SRV Kreuzgasse Cologne from 1911 e. V.
abbreviation SRVK
Founded July 1, 1911 in Cologne
Training waters Decksteiner pond
Members approx. 60
Homepage www.srv-kreuzgasse.de

The rowing is since 1911 pursued at the cross street in own students rowing club (SRV). The foundation of the school rowing club Kreuzgasse Cologne was initiated in 1911 e. V. from the then teacher Josef Giesen under the then headmaster, privy councilor Vogels. The SRV is the oldest rowing club for schoolchildren in Cologne. In 1922 the association for the promotion of school rowing was founded at the Städtisches Gymnasium Kreuzgasse e. V. whose members consist of former rowers from Kreuzgasse and who support the active rowers to this day. In 1945, the floating boathouse in Kreuzgasse on the Rhine near Rodenkirchen was sunk in a bomb attack . After the Second World War , the Kreuzgässer therefore initially rowed in boats of the befriended Cologne rowing club from 1877 e. V. Since the 1970s, the SRV has again had its own boathouse with a boat park in a former fort on Cologne's outer fortifications on the Decksteiner Weiher . After rowing training, the club offers both popular and competitive sports. In popular sports, hiking trips on German rivers are undertaken around the year. In the competitive sports area, the rowers train for national and international regattas. The selection to attend the Olympic Games as well as several junior world championships, German championships and national championships belong to the greatest successes . The board of directors of the SRV consists of students from Kreuzgasse who are directly elected by the members. Most of the coaches are former Kreuzgässer who continue the tradition.

cafeteria

The cafeteria room on Kreuzgasse

The cafeteria of the Gymnasium Kreuzgasse provides the students with pastries, drinks and small warm meals every day. In addition, it offers many students the opportunity to stay in the free periods and breaks and a retreat, especially for the upper school. The idea of ​​the cafeteria dates back to the beginning of the 90s and arose primarily from a lack of space for upper-level accommodation and the idea of ​​providing the students with food and drinks next to the school kiosk. In the summer of 2002, on an initiative of committed parents and former colleagues from Kreuzgasse, some parents, pupils and teachers converted a previously unused room, which was actually supposed to represent the upper school room, into today's cafeteria with a bar, seating area and a pleasant atmosphere . In February 2003 the cafeteria could be used for the first time. To organize the cafeteria, an association called Cafeteria Gymnasium Kreuzgasse e. V. founded, which, similar to the PV system association, does not compete with the association, but supports it. Since the employees of the cafeteria all work on a voluntary basis and are mostly recruited from parents of students or alumni, the income from the cafeteria directly benefits the entire school. The profits enable investments in school inventory or for events. Primarily, however, the goals of the cafeteria are healthy and at the same time inexpensive food for the students.

principal

  • Mr. Grashof 1828–1830
  • Thomas Eschweiler 1830-1858
  • Heinrich Schellen 1858–1881
  • Peter Schorn 1881–1903
  • Johannes Vogels 1903–1921
  • Hans Dutch 1921–1937
  • Karl Anton Heck 1937–? (previously headmaster of the Albertus-Magnus-Gymnasium, Cologne)
  • Johannes Klinkenberg 1945–1954
  • Karl von der Lieck 1954–1973
  • Erwin Kelmes 1973-1992
  • Willi Beck 1992-2004
  • Angelika Sandte-Wilms 2004–2013
  • Manfred Schütt (since August 1, 2013)
  • Claudia Fülling (since February 1, 2014)
  • Gabriele Pflieger (acting since August 1, 2015)
  • Annette Rabeler (acting since November 2, 2015)
  • Daniela Stege-Guest (since February 1, 2016)
  • Lüder Ruschmeyer from April 4, 2016

Known teachers

  • Abraham Frank (1838–1917), rabbi
  • Franz Bender (1876–1936), historian, librarian and university professor
  • Leo Schwering (1883–1971), teacher from 1911 to 1934, known as a historian, philologist and politician (member of the state parliament and co-founder of the CDU)
  • Isidor Caro (1867–1943), rabbi

Known students

Stumbling blocks in memory of former high school students and teachers (2019).
Stumbling block laying 2017

literature

  • To the public examination of the students of the Höhern Bürgererschule in Cologne, to be held on ... in ..., invite ... respectfully ... Cologne 1840 ( digitized version )
  • Festschrift for the 175th anniversary of the Kreuzgasse high school in Cologne
  • Festschrift for the 150th anniversary of the Kreuzgasse high school in Cologne
  • Städtisches Gymnasium Kreuzgasse - Neubauten - In memory of the inauguration day, September 4th 1985.

See also

Web links

Commons : Gymnasium Kreuzgasse  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Städtisches Gymnasium Kreuzgasse - Neubauten - To commemorate the day of the inauguration September 4th 1985.
  2. ^ Festschrift for the 150th anniversary of the Kreuzgasse high school in Cologne
  3. ↑ srv-kreuzgasse.de ( Memento of the original from October 24, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.srv-kreuzgasse.de