Imagine hallways echoing with the footsteps of students past and present. This is Lise-Meitner-Gymnasium. It stands as a beacon of learning in Hamburg’s Osdorf district. Originally known as Gymnasium Osdorf it adopted its new name on January 1 2007. The Lise-Meitner-Gymnasium honors the pioneering Austrian-Swedish nuclear physicist Lise Meitner.
The school’s history stretches back to April 1 1970. Lessons began not in these buildings but at Realschule Goosacker. By 1971, most classes moved to Hemmingstedter Weg. Today that site houses the Center for School Biology and Environmental Education. Even without a permanent home the school already had 216 students.
The current building on Knabeweg opened on February 5 1973. Initially space was tight. The school consisted of only one H-building. Some classes had to return to the ZSU. Relief came in 1974 with new buildings. One was for upper school students. Another was a specialist building. The administrative building was completed in May 1976. These buildings are serial school buildings of type 68.
Since 1976 tenth-grade students have journeyed to Margate each year. These trips last about one and a half weeks. In 1981 a large sports hall was added. Local clubs often rent it for weekend tournaments. The hall can be divided into three sections. This allows multiple classes to use it simultaneously. Solar energy powers much of the sports hall. The school’s environment group emphasizes cleanliness and protection. Because of this Lise-Meitner-Gymnasium has earned the title Environmental School in Europe multiple times.
The school celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1995. Representatives from partner schools joined the festivities. The school organized trips in 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2003. In 2001 the Aulalauf event started. It aimed to raise funds for an assembly hall. The break room had become too small for official gatherings.
In 2004/2005 the Hamburg Education Authority proposed merging Gymnasium Osdorf with other schools. Strong protests from students, staff, and parents prevented this merger. Since 2005/2006 some classes from Goosacker have been located at Lise-Meitner-Gymnasium. The school administration has been partially merged. The assembly hall project was discontinued in 2006. Instead the school received grants for construction.
The renaming to Lise-Meitner-Gymnasium in 2007 marked a new direction. The high school now has a stronger focus on mathematics and science. German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited the school on January 23 2018. He spoke with older students.
Lise-Meitner-Gymnasium maintains a strong partnership with Lyakirimu Secondary School in Tanzania. There is a lively exchange between the two schools. Lise-Meitner-Gymnasium actively supports the Tanzanian school with donations. These donations helped the school buy a truck. Every two years the school hosts a bazaar. The proceeds go to the partner school.
Notable alumni include Norbert Bohnsack, founder of the musical group Norbert und die Feiglinge and Karsten Brüggemann a historian at Tallinn University. Football player Tim Petersen and jazz pianist Joja Wendt also attended Lise-Meitner-Gymnasium.
As you stand here remember the dedication to education and global partnership. This is the legacy of Lise-Meitner-Gymnasium.