What if these walls could talk? They would tell tales of a century of education right here at Stadtteilschule Eppendorf. This school is more than brick and mortar. It is a cornerstone of the Hoheluft-Ost and Eppendorf communities.
Stadtteilschule Eppendorf is a state-run school. It teaches children from grades 1 through 13. The primary school section has two classes per grade. The secondary school section has six. Founded in 1990 as Gesamtschule Eppendorf, it transformed in 2010. Like all Hamburg comprehensive schools it became a Stadtteilschule.
The buildings housing Stadtteilschule Eppendorf have a rich history. They were originally built for three different schools. The Mädschenschule Löwenstraße was built from 1910 to 1912. Albert Erbe designed it. The Knabenschule Breitenfelder Straße was built alongside the Mädschenschule. They formed a double public school with separate entrances and corridors. The Lyzeum Curschmannstraße was constructed from 1926 to 1928. Fritz Höger created its design.
After World War I, the Breitenfelder Straße school became a hub for educational experiments. Influenced by Wilhelm Lamszus and Fritz Jöde it was known as a Reformschule. Coeducation was practiced here. No specific school district was assigned to it. Its progressive approach attracted children from bourgeois families. Around 50 percent of the students in 1929 and 1930 were Jewish. Over time this concept had a drawback. Many students transferred to high schools after fourth grade. Walter Jens, a famous alumnus, attended the Breitenfelder Straße school from 1929 to 1933.
The Lyzeum Curschmannstraße served as a military hospital in 1940. Students shared the building with boys from the Eppendorf secondary school. They alternated weekly using the Hegestraße building. Each group had four hours in the morning or afternoon.
Discussions about establishing a comprehensive school in Eppendorf began in the 1970s. The vision became a reality in 1990. The new Gesamtschule Eppendorf used the Curschmannstraße building. It also incorporated vacant spaces from the Breitenfelder Straße school.
In 2019 Stadtteilschule Eppendorf expanded. It began using the former Schottmüllerstraße school as its upper school building. The Grundschule Schottmüllerstraße became Marie-Beschütz-Schule in 2002. It relocated to Erikastraße in 2018.
The architecture of Stadtteilschule Eppendorf tells its own story. Fritz Höger’s three-wing design from 1919 was built between 1926 and 1928. It features specialist rooms, an auditorium, and a gymnasium. Classrooms line the courtyard side of the central wing. The reinforced concrete structure is clad in red brick. The building reflects both modern and expressionist influences. Its layout resembles Fritz Schumacher’s school buildings. However it is the only design from that era not attributed to Schumacher. The building on Löwenstraße was the former Breitenfelder Straße public school. Albert Erbe designed it between 1910 and 1912. An addition houses the primary school classrooms.
Stadtteilschule Eppendorf focuses on social learning. It promotes cooperation across year groups. It also emphasizes computer use. The school supports students with disabilities through integration classes. A student big band collaborates with Ida-Ehre-Gesamtschule. It offers a music course for the Abitur.
Stadtteilschule Eppendorf was named an “Umweltschule in Europa” five times. From 1996 to 2001 a student group developed ideas to save energy and resources. The school also held lessons on environmental protection. The school has also achieved athletic success. Stadtteilschule Eppendorf won the Hamburg skiing competition “Jugend trainiert für Olympia” in 2012 and 2013. It also won the JtfO athletics competition in 2013. The school has been recognized for its career guidance program.
Jakob Sinn, the drummer from Revolverheld, is a notable alumnus.
Stadtteilschule Eppendorf continues to evolve. It prepares students for the challenges of tomorrow. It fosters a sense of community. It creates a space where every student can thrive.