The Gymnasium Christianeum is a famous former

Latin school The Latin school was the grammar school of 14th- to 19th-century Europe, though the latter term was much more common in England. Other terms used include Lateinschule in Germany, or later Gymnasium. Latin schools were also established in Colon ...

(German: ''Lateinschule'') in

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...

, northern Germany. Founded in 1738 by King

Christian VI of Denmark Christian VI (30 November 1699 – 6 August 1746) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1730 to 1746. The eldest surviving son of Frederick IV of Denmark, Frederick IV and Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, he is considered one of Denmark-Norway's m ...

, it is now housed in a building planned by Danish designer

Arne Jacobsen Arne Emil Jacobsen, Honorary Fellowship of the American Institute of Architects, Hon. FAIA (; 11 February 1902 – 24 March 1971) was a Danish architect and furniture designer. He is remembered for his contribution to functionalism (architec ...

History

The first Latin school here was founded as early as 1688 (according to other sources 1683) in Altona (now a part of Hamburg). Decades later the school acquired the status of a famous '' Gymnasium'', the most famous in the duchy of

Holstein Holstein (; ; ; ; ) is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider (river), Eider. It is the southern half of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost States of Germany, state of Germany. Holstein once existed as the German County of Holstein (; 8 ...

, and was re-founded by Christian VI. In 1971, the school was relocated from Hamburg-Altona to its current location in the quarter Othmarschen.The history of the Christianeum reflects also the history of Altona, Schleswig Holstein and Denmark. In 1738, when the first eight students enlisted themselves. Two years later, the founder Christian the VI. visited the new school. In the following years, the school expanded. In 1745, it had already 45 students and four years later the first Jewish student attended the school. Between 1738 and 1800, many famous intellectuals attended the christianeum as the philosopher Salomon Maimon and the poet Johann Christoph Unzer or the famous Danish painter Jes Bundsen. In 1816, king Frederik the VI donated the FLORA DANICA, one of the most precious treasures, even nowadays, to the library of the Christianeum, just 16 years later the distinguished historian Theodor Mommsen attended the school. He is probably one of the most famous students the school has ever had. In 1853 followed philosopher

Friedrich Paulsen Friedrich Paulsen (; ; July 16, 1846 – August 14, 1908) was a German Neo-Kantian philosopher and educator. Biography He was born at Langenhorn ( Schleswig) and educated at the Gymnasium Christianeum, the University of Erlangen, and the Uni ...

. In 1880, the Christianeum was rebuilt. In 1885, 461 students attended the Christianeum and in the same year the first school trip was made. The 150-anniversary was celebrated in 1888. In 1902,

Theodor Mommsen Christian Matthias Theodor Mommsen (; ; 30 November 1817 – 1 November 1903) was a German classical scholar, historian, jurist, journalist, politician and archaeologist. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest classicists of the 19th ce ...

received the

Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...

for Literature. In 1900,

Hermann Weyl Hermann Klaus Hugo Weyl (; ; 9 November 1885 – 8 December 1955) was a German mathematician, theoretical physicist, logician and philosopher. Although much of his working life was spent in Zürich, Switzerland, and then Princeton, New Jersey, ...

became a student of the school. He was going to be one of the very well established scientists of the 20th century in mathematics. 36 students of the school participate in the First World War voluntarily. In total, 133 students participate in the war. In 1917, the school had 470 students, in 1921 only 260. In May 1925, the first school trip to Puan Klent took place. When

Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...

came into power, many teachers who did not agree with the nationalism ideology got fired. In 1934, 75% of the students were in the

Hitler Youth The Hitler Youth ( , often abbreviated as HJ, ) was the youth wing of the German Nazi Party. Its origins date back to 1922 and it received the name ("Hitler Youth, League of German Worker Youth") in July 1926. From 1936 until 1945, it was th ...

although being part of it was not compulsory. The school started again on 6 August 1945. 192 teachers and students became victims of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The library got damaged which resulted from the bombings. In the year 1946, 792 students attended the school. In mid-1947, school trips to Puan Klent started again. In the 1950s, jazz became popular among students. In mid-1953, the first school trip abroad was made (to Italy). The pupil's magazine ''Die Lupe'' got a prize of the city Hamburg for being the best pupils magazine in Hamburg. In 1960, the C-orchestra was established, which is still active nowadays. In 1964, the advertisement for an architect for the new building was published; Danish architect

got the job. In 1965, the first female teacher was introduced. Start of the building of the new designed Christianeum in 1968. In the same year Russian is introduced as a subject.

Present

Nowadays, classes in

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

and English are mandatory from fifth grade. In grade nine students can choose between either

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...

or Russian. Additionally, courses in Spanish, French and

Mandarin Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to: Language * Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country ** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China ** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...

are offered. The Christianeum has a sizable music department, the school choir being the largest in Germany. Furthermore, the school actively takes part in exchange programs with schools in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

and St. Petersburg. On average, enrollment goes well beyond 100 students per year, exceeding most other schools in

in size.

Notable alumni

* Jacob Georg Christian Adler (1756–1834), orientalist * Peter Behrens (1868–1940), architect and designer * Lars Clausen (1935–2010), sociologist * Ernst Dammann (1904–2003), ''Afrikanist'' and Nazi * Alexander Deichsel (born 1935), sociologist * Hans Ehrenberg (1883–1958), theologian * Michael Franz, computer scientist * Heinrich Wilhelm von Gerstenberg (1737–1823), poet * Robert Koldewey (1855–1925), architect and archaeologist * Salomon Maimon (1753–1800), philosopher *

(1817–1903), classical scholar, Nobel laureate *

(1846–1908), philosopher *

Johannes Rehmke Johannes Rehmke (1 February 1848 – 23 December 1930) was a German philosopher and since 1885 professor at Greifswald University, later also provost of this university. He offered sharp criticisms of Immanuel Kant's approach to epistemology. In h ...

(1848–1930), philosopher * Solomon Steinheim (1789–1866), physician, poet and philosopher * Johannes Versmann (1820–1899), lawyer and politician *

(1885–1955), mathematician

External links

Official website
{{Authority control Buildings and structures in Altona, Hamburg Educational institutions established in 1738 Arne Jacobsen buildings Modernist architecture in Germany 1738 establishments in the Holy Roman Empire