Inhaltsbereich
About Our School's History
'Hölty-Gymnasium Wunstorf' was founded in 1922 based on the curriculum of an 'Oberreaschule', a type of school of 19th century secondary education. Following a former 'Royal Prussian Protestant Teachers‘ Training College', our school was intended ''for pupils having successfully finished a 7-year course at a 'Volksschule', a comprehensive type of primary school, to prepare them for studies at a university in a 6-year course''. The foundation stone of the college was laid in 1872, and the long brick building in neo-gothic style along the then 'Bahnhofstrasse' was finished in 1876 according to the plans of the famous Berlin architect, Knoblauch.
The old college building, 'the box' as it was locally called, is still the main building of the school complex, which since then has been enlarged, and finally annexed the Scharnhorstschule (a former middle school for boys and girls). Eight students took the first final exams, today an average of 130 students pass their 'Abitur' yearly. The school’s profile features preparatory courses for university studies and a wide range of professions, foreign exchanges, music and theatre projects, and introduction into new technologies.
The school has been called 'Hölty-Gymnasium' since 1925. Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty was born in nearby Mariensee on December 21st, 1748 and died at Hanover on September 1st, 1776. Studying at Göttingen university, he and some friends of his founded the circle of poets called 'Göttinger Hain'. The following quotations are the best known lines out of his poetry, ''Üb immer Treu und Redlichkeit …'' which is 'Always keep faith and honesty …', ''Wenn der silberne Mond durch die Gesträuche blickt …'' which is 'When the silvery moon peeps through the bushes …'', and ''Die Luft ist blau, das Tal ist grün …'' which is 'The air is blue, the valley’s green …''.
The history of teaching in Wunstorf, however, is much older than the 'Hölty-Gymnasium' or the former college. In the 9th century the Wunstorf Convent of Canonesses was founded and there was always a school attached to the chapters of its collegiate church.
This school was first mentioned in a document dating from 1288, and was finally incorporated into the Prussian college to serve as the training institute for the college trainees.
Translation: Gerhard Wilhelm, based on Peter Bertram’s original
