Remember Walther Rathenau’s name. It echoes through the halls of this very building. This is the Walther-Rathenau-Gymnasium. It stands as a testament to history, remembrance and education.
Originally founded in 1903, the school was first known as Realgymnasium zu Grunewald. It was a school for boys. In 1919, it transitioned to Grunewald-Gymnasium. The name change to Walther-Rathenau-Gymnasium occurred in 1946. This renaming honored Walther Rathenau. He was assassinated nearby in 1922. The assassins were antisemitic and nationalistic.
Before 1933, another school bore Rathenau’s name. It was a liberal reform school in Neukölln. This school was also significant. The Walther-Rathenau-Gymnasium building itself has seen changes. It was constructed in 1903. The independent Landgemeinde Grunewald built it. Over the years, expansions occurred. A new section on Herbertstraße was added in 1928. A section destroyed in World War II was rebuilt in 1960. This replacement was larger than the original.
In the 1920s, the school stood out. It had a diverse curriculum. This curriculum aimed to support students’ individual talents. This freedom foreshadowed today’s course selection. During this time, about a third of the students were Jewish. However, things changed drastically in 1933. The National Socialists appointed a new director. This director forced Jewish teachers and students to leave. Richard Samuel was among the teachers forced out. Many students emigrated. They went to Palestine, Great Britain, France, Switzerland, and the USA.
Since 1967, the Walther-Rathenau-Gymnasium has been coeducational. It accepts both boys and girls. The Hildegard-Wegscheider-Gymnasium is its partner school. It was formerly a Lyceum.
Here at Walther-Rathenau-Gymnasium, students begin in the seventh grade. This is typical in Berlin. Students choose between Latin or French in seventh grade. This is in addition to English. A third foreign language is available in eighth grade. It is part of the elective program. In ninth grade, there’s another project-oriented elective. The school collaborates with Hildegard-Wegscheider-Oberschule. This collaboration expands course options for students.
The Walther-Rathenau-Gymnasium has gained recognition. Its student newspaper, Shyft, has won awards. The school also boasts notable alumni. These include diplomat Georg Ahrens and sociologist Reinhard Bendix. Others include physician Georg Benjamin and physicist Wolfgang Berg. Even theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer attended this school.
Memorials stand as somber reminders here. A Ginkgo tree and plaque commemorate Jewish students. They had to leave after 1933. Other plaques honor victims of war and resistance fighters. They include participants in the July 20, 1944 plot against Hitler. These memorials reflect the school’s commitment to remembrance. The Walther-Rathenau-Gymnasium is more than just a school. It is a place of learning, memory, and reflection.