Imagining a school born from necessity? That’s the story of Gymnasium an der Wolfskuhle. Let’s step back to a time when Essen-Steele needed more educational space.
Gymnasium an der Wolfskuhle emerged in 1968. It rose as Essen’s first coeducational school. This meant boys and girls would learn together. Before its creation, Carl-Humann-Gymnasium existed. However, it only served boys. The late 1960s saw a surge in student numbers. New housing developments like Bergmannsfeld contributed to this increase. Existing schools couldn’t accommodate everyone. The number of high school students in Essen jumped significantly between 1962 and 1968.
The school’s story began on October 31, 1968. Parents from existing schools met to discuss a new, coeducational institution. Construction started in early 1969. The first building section opened on December 12, 1969. It cost 1.3 million D-Mark. Until then, girls attended classes in the old Steeler Rektoratsschule. Boys went to school on the Lönsberg in Huttrop. Space was tight. The school had 493 students in 13 classes. Lessons occurred in morning and afternoon shifts. By the early 1970s, the Gymnasium an der Wolfskuhle taught 900 students. Twenty-three teachers managed 25 classes.
The entire Gymnasium an der Wolfskuhle complex opened in February 1974. Oberbürgermeister Horst Katzor inaugurated it. The building included an auditorium. It seated about 500 people. The total cost was around 17 million D-Mark. An ash sports field and a triple gymnasium with a grandstand completed the facilities. In November 1987, the gym became an emergency shelter. Around 170 patients from the nearby Lutherkrankenhaus found refuge there during a fire.
Later, buildings for a Realschule and Hauptschule were built. These cost another 15 million D-Mark. A further sports hall was built. However, it had to be demolished in the early 1980s due to mining damage. A replacement was built between the Hauptschule and the sports field. The Realschule and Hauptschule merged in 1988. They formed the Erich Kästner Gesamtschule.
In 2011, the school underwent renovations. Asbestos-containing facade elements were removed. The architect Christofer Allerkamp presented the facade renovation in 2012. The sports field closed in 2012. The city cited a lack of maintenance as the reason. In 2014, modifications were made for integrative schooling. Smaller rooms were created. These accommodated special needs support. In early 2018, the city provided funds to renovate the triple sports hall. The damaged floor, caused by moisture, was replaced. The renovated hall reopened in late September 2020 with restrictions. Optimizations to the new ventilation system were still pending.
Today, Gymnasium an der Wolfskuhle offers the Abitur after the twelfth grade. The school received awards for its MINT subjects in 2014 and 2017. It also won the European School Music Prize. This was for its music and theater programs in 2014/2015. Since the 1980s, theater has thrived. Various groups and literature courses participate. In 2001, the theater group won an award at a student theater festival. In 2017, the English literature course won a special prize in a national foreign language competition. They performed Hamlet. The school stages WOKULTUR events twice a year. These showcase the work of music and theater groups.
The Gymnasium an der Wolfskuhle continues to evolve. It fosters talents. It prepares students for their future. From its humble beginnings to its present-day achievements, the Gymnasium an der Wolfskuhle remains a vital part of Essen’s educational landscape.