Built in 1913. That’s the Obersee-Schule’s story. It began as a Gemeindeschule. This means a community double school. Separate buildings for boys and girls. Architect Carl James Bühring designed it. The school was built to separate boys and girls. A common practice at that time. The original design was a three-winged building. It was three stories high. The facade is in the Neo-Renaissance style. Northern German style with terracotta decorations. Terracotta pilasters. They feature figural and floral motifs. There is a series of dormer windows. These also feature similar decoration and allegorical figures on the attic.
After the First World War the school was renamed several times. It became the 9th Municipal School Weissensee. Then the 9th Elementary School Weissensee. After World War II it reopened in 1945. Classes were mixed. Later it was separated again into boys’ and girls’ schools. The girls’ school was dissolved in 1955. The two schools merged to become the 9th Elementary School Weissensee.
In 1959. it was renamed the 9th Polytechnical Secondary School Weissensee. Then in 1969 it received a new name. Oberschule Nikolai Bersarin. This honored the first Soviet city commander of Berlin. A two-story building was added for expansion.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1991 it changed again. It became the 4th Elementary School Berlin-Hohenschönhausen. Finally in 1996 it got its current name. The Obersee-Schule. It reflects its location near the Obersee lake.
The school underwent extensive renovations. The gym was renovated in 1996-97. The roof was fixed in 2007. Complete renovation and modernization took place 2008-2011. Classes were held in temporary facilities. The school reopened officially in 2011. Today the Obersee-Schule stands as a testament to educational history. A place where generations of Berliners have learned and grown. This architectural gem combines history and modern learning. The Obersee-Schule continues its legacy.