What stories do these walls hold from a time long past? Here stands the Erziehungsanstalt Zum Grünen Hause. It has a history reaching back to 1845.
In that year, Christian men sought to rescue neglected children. They wanted to save them from harmful environments. Their goal was to raise them as useful members of society through Christian education. Two years later, they founded an institution.
Initially, the organization acquired a house on Neue Hochstraße. It was later numbered 38-40 in Wedding. Royal support aided the purchase. Until 1856, it was called Königshaus for this reason. F.W. Theel taught there. From 1857, it gained the name Grünes Haus. Some say it was due to its paint. Others believe it was because of climbing plants. The association then became known as Erziehungsverein für verlassene Kinder im Grünen Hause zu Berlin. Theel remained a teacher, house father, and head of the institution until 1887.
In 1888, the board decided to sell the property. They wanted to relocate the institution. By late autumn 1890, they bought land on Müllerstraße 52. Here, they significantly expanded the facilities. Yet, they kept the name Grünes Haus.
The association bought land from the Tegel municipality in 1914. It was located on Hermsdorfer Weg. Today, it is Ziekowstraße 161 at the corner of Wilhelm-Blume-Allee 21. The cost was 162,000 marks. A new educational facility was built. It began operating in November 1914. Construction costs reached 500,000 marks. Land sales covered these expenses. The city of Berlin paid for upkeep. Municipalities also contributed if they had children at the Grünen Haus. Authorities paid care allowances of 15 to 20 marks monthly for boys. Relatives paid 3 to 15 marks monthly depending on their financial situation. These prices were before 1921.
In November 1921, the house accommodated 135 children. They were aged 6 to 12 years. Children lived in groups of no more than eight. A teacher, assistant educator, or kindergarten teacher led each group. They received schooling in four progressive classes. After their 14th birthday, the children left. They were guided into a profession.
Groundwater posed a major problem in 1927. Cellar rooms flooded. Completion of the Nordgraben offered hope for relief. The Erziehungsheim housed 200 children at that time. Some were pre-schoolers. Kindergarten teachers cared for them in a kindergarten. School-age children attended an eight-grade regular school. Some went to a three-grade special school. Twelve teachers also worked in education. The house also cared for many confirmed boys. They worked in the garden. Others worked in carpentry, brush making, or chair weaving workshops. Some children learned trades outside the house with master craftsmen.
By 1943, the city of Berlin owned the house. After an air raid, the building burned down. In 1947, the Verein der Freunde des Grünen Hauses was re-established. It rebuilt the facility. It reconnected with old educational structures. It also created training opportunities. These included shoemaking, carpentry, locksmithing, and gardening.
In the early 1960s, the home dissolved in its previous form. The state youth welfare office established an observation unit. A doctor headed it. It was for mentally ill adolescents aged 12 to 21. Until 1969, the Grünes Haus kept its traditional name. From 1974 to 1981, it served as a youth welfare center. It was an annex to the main care home.
Extensive renovations were needed in 1981. The Berliner Jugendclub e. V. took over the house. Since 1982, it has been used as a youth guest house. School classes, sports clubs, and training groups used the accommodation. They were up to the age of 27. It had 150 beds. Numerous renovations and conversions occurred from 2011 to 2014. The Grünes Haus now also serves the Humboldt-Gymnasium.
From orphanage to school, the Erziehungsanstalt Zum Grünen Hause has served many purposes.