Lew-Tolstoi-Grundschule

Nestled in Berlin’s Lichtenberg district, the Lew-Tolstoi-Grundschule stands as a testament to the power of bilingual education. This isn’t just any elementary school. The Lew-Tolstoi-Grundschule is a unique institution, a German-Russian Europa school where children learn in both languages from the very beginning. Imagine a classroom where half the students speak German as their first language, and the other half speak Russian. This diverse environment creates a rich learning experience for everyone involved. For more focused learning in their mother tongue, the classes are divided. Then, they come back together for other subjects, taught in a mix of German and Russian, always by native speakers. The Lew-Tolstoi-Grundschule has deep roots in the Karlshorst neighborhood. It’s located near the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst, a historically significant site. The school has been offering bilingual education since 1992 and officially adopted the name Lew-Tolstoi-Grundschule in 1995. The school building itself has an interesting history. The original four-story Plattenbau structure, typical of East German architecture, dates back to 1967. Originally, it housed the 15th Polytechnic High School. Later, it was renamed after Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space. Now, a modern extension complements the original building, creating a space designed for innovative teaching methods. The Lew-Tolstoi-Grundschule welcomes all Berlin students interested in the Russian language, requiring at least passive knowledge. It serves as a meeting place for different cultures. It’s a place where children not only learn a new language, but also gain a deeper understanding of another culture.