St. Marien-Schulen

What secrets do these walls hold? We stand before the St. Marien-Schulen in Regensburg. A place where history whispers from every corner. St. Marien-Schulen has witnessed over a century of learning and growth. It started in 1903 as a Catholic school for girls. The school initially operated from a temporary location on Wittelsbacherstrasse. It moved to its current home on Helenenstrasse in 1904. An attached boarding school opened the following year in 1905. The St. Marien-Schulen offered not just basic education but aimed higher. In 1916, it achieved a significant milestone. It became the first girls’ school in Bavaria to grant the Mädchabitur, the equivalent of a high school diploma. This marked a major step forward for women’s education in the region. The World Wars cast long shadows on St. Marien-Schulen. During World War I, parts of the school were converted into a military hospital. It housed wounded soldiers, primarily French soldiers from the Battle of Saarburg. Sisters and students provided crucial first aid. During World War II, the Nazi regime shut down the school in 1939. The building served again as a military hospital. After the war, in 1946, St. Marien-Schulen reopened its doors. It emerged as a girls’ upper secondary school, teacher training college, and a seminar practice school with a boarding school. The institution continued to evolve. It expanded in 1951 with the addition of a girls’ grammar school, later renamed the Neusprachliches Gymnasium. The boarding school finally closed in 1990. In 1993, the Diocese of Regensburg took over the St. Marien-Schulen. They then transferred its operation to their own school foundation in 2004. For over a century, the Congregatio Jesu, or the “English Ladies” as they were known, played a pivotal role in the school’s life. They left their mark on generations of students. Their departure in 2018 marked the end of an era. But their legacy continues to resonate within these very walls. The renovated building stands as a testament to their dedication to education. The tutoring system, where older students mentor younger ones, carries forward their spirit of community and support.