Ever wonder about the walls of Lessing-Gymnasium? They hold stories of a school with roots reaching back to 1520. The Lessing-Gymnasium is more than a school. It is one of Frankfurt’s oldest.
In 1520, the city council founded a Latin school. This school educated the sons of influential families. In 1897, this school split into two separate institutions. One became the Goethe-Gymnasium. The other, the Lessing-Gymnasium. The Lessing-Gymnasium proudly carries on the traditions of its humanistic origins. Latin is the first foreign language taught here. Students can choose Ancient Greek in the eighth grade.
The Lessing-Gymnasium emphasizes a broad education. It values personal development for its students. Latin is taught from the fifth grade. English follows as a second language. Ancient Greek was once a required subject. Now, it is offered as an elective in the eighth grade along with French.
Music thrives at the Lessing-Gymnasium. The school boasts orchestras for lower, middle, and upper grades. Three choirs also exist. One for fifth grade, one for sixth and seventh grades, and one for older students. The choirs sometimes perform publicly. In 2002, they appeared at the Frankfurt Opera. They performed in the premiere of Moritz Eggert’s children’s opera Dr. Popels fiese Falle. A theater group further enriches the school’s cultural scene.
Since 1967, a yearly ski trip occurs during Christmas break. It takes place in Niederau, Tyrol. Over 200 students participate. Parents and alumni volunteer as supervisors and ski instructors.
The Lessing-Gymnasium maintains partnerships with schools abroad. These schools include the Duluti Secondary School in Arusha, Tanzania. Also, there is a regular exchange with the Lycée du Parc in Lyon, France, Frankfurt’s twin city.
In 2020, a ceremony marked the 500th anniversary of the Latin school. It was held in Frankfurt’s Paulskirche. Other festivities were delayed until 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Initially, the Latin school was located in the house Zum Goldstein. Martin Luther visited the school soon after its founding. He met Wilhelm Nesen there. Nesen became a key supporter of Luther in Frankfurt. His debates helped bring the Reformation to the city.
Jakob Micyllus became headmaster in 1524. He established the Gymnasium Francofurtanum. In 1542, the school moved to a renovated building. This building was in the cloister of the former Barfüßer monastery. Students and teachers were responsible for the choir at the Barfüßerkirche. This church is now known as the Paulskirche.
In 1812, the school opened to students of all faiths. It was previously only for Lutheran students. The school became known as the Großherzogliches Gymnasium.
In 1839, the school moved to the Arnsburger Hof. The building was unsuitable for school operations. In 1876, the city acquired a building on Neue Rothofstraße. It provided better facilities for the growing student body.
In 1897, the school divided due to increasing enrollment. The Goethe-Gymnasium formed as a new school. The Lessing-Gymnasium stayed in the old building. It continued the traditions of the humanistic gymnasium.
In 1902, the Lessing-Gymnasium moved to a new building on Hansaallee. In 1933, the rise of Nazism affected the school. Jewish students faced discrimination. After the Second World War the school was badly damaged. The Lessing-Gymnasium began to rebuild. In 1967/1968, the current school building was constructed.
Otto Frank, Anne Frank’s father, attended the Lessing-Gymnasium. He graduated in 1908. The school’s history is a mix of tradition, change, and resilience. Today, the Lessing-Gymnasium continues to educate students. It prepares them for the future while honoring its rich past.