Aloisiuskolleg

Infobox Secondary school
name = Aloisiuskolleg
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established = 1900
address = Elisabethstrasse 18
D-53177
city = Bonn
state = North Rhine-Westphalia
country = Germany
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type = Independent school
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headmaster = Bernhard Wißmann
founder = Jesuits
chairman = P. Dr Theo Schneider SJ
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students = 800 (approx.)
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yearbook = AKO-Heft
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website = [http://www.aloisiuskolleg.de/ www.aloisiuskolleg.de]
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The Aloisiuskolleg is a co-educational, private and Catholic University-preparatory school in Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Germany with an affiliated boarding school directed by the Jesuits. The school is named for Saint Aloysius Gonzaga. It has an excellent reputation and is considered one of the most prestigious boarding schools in Germany.

Organization

Since 1921 the Jesuits have operated a boys boarding school in Bonn Bad-Godesberg. Ninety-four percent of the budget for the school is provided by the German Land of North Rhine-Westphalia even though the college is non-governmental independent school. The remaining 6%is provided by subsidies paid by the archdiocese of Cologne. The school itself is open to everyone. The State conducts the school-leaving examination (called the Abitur, the equivalent of the A-levels in the UK) and proposes the subjects of instruction. In turn, the school is recognized by the State, and a successfully completed Abitur by any graduate allows admission to a German university. Lodging, food and boarding costs are about 14,000€ per year. Boarding costs of students from impoverished families are sponsored by the Jesuits or out of the tuition fees of other boarding school pupils.

German School System

The German school system differs slightly from the educational system in the English-speaking world. After four years of primary school the pupils are selected to attend three different levels of secondary school types. The "Gymnasium" is the highest school type where children stay nine years and finish with their "Abitur." Usually German classes are numbered starting with 1 (first class at primary) to 13 (in some countries to 12; e.g. in North Rhine-Westphalia since 04/05), the final class, when the pupils take their Abitur. Some older secondary schools still use the practice of numbering classes in reverse order using their Latin names, i.e., sexta, quinta, quarta, untertertia, obertertia, untersecunda, obersecunda, unterprima and oberprima - the final class. Tertia, secunda and prima are divided into "unter" (under) and "ober" (over) for historical reasons.

A characteristic of the German school system is the wide choice of subjects. German language is obligatory. The first year students take all the same courses (except their different choice of first foreign language): (German plus first foreign language), mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry, geology, history, music, art, sports and religion (religion at private Catholic schools only). Later on pupils can specialize and concentrate on foreign languages with less natural sciences or vice versa. You can opt out of an advanced mathematics or science course to take an advanced level language class, for example, but one cannot opt out of both mathematics and chemistry or physics. At upper stage you have to select two "Leistungskurse" (intensive course)and two "Grundkurse" (basic course). A Leistungskurs is held about 6 hours a week, a "Grundkurs" about 4 hours a week in opposite to the rest of the courses who are only held 2 hours a week. For the Abitur all exams of the final 2 1/2 years are relevant. The 4 main subjects are weighted more than the others.

Languages

At the start Latin or English can be selected as first foreign language in the entrance class (5 or sexta). At quinta (6) the second language starts (Latin or English). A third language like Ancient Greek or French can also be selected. At the beginning of the upper stage Italian and French again stand to the choice as foreign languages.

Sciences

Within the mathematical-scientific range mathematics, biology, physics and chemistry as well as music, art and computer science, within the socio-scientific range geography, history, philosophy, literature and social sciences are taught.

School Competitions

The Aloisiuskolleg (AKO) terminates every year on front places at regional, national or even international school competitions in sports as well as in natural sciences like physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, music, art or computer sciences. Please find a list of awards for the most recent competitions [http://www.aloisiuskolleg-bonn.de/deutsch/02_schule/03_schuleplus/01wettbewerbe.htm here] . As a result of the PISA study the school was ranked on place 4 in Germany and on the first places in Europe. Also in other OECD studies the school is usually ranked on upper places cross Europe.

Religious Education

The attendance of the religious courses is obligatory. Catholic and Evangelist pupils visit their appropriate courses, while other pupils have to select between one of the courses. Occasional attendance of the other religious is also possible.

Influence of the Church

Religion takes part of the daily life, starting with morning prayer, joining the obligatory religious courses, to go twice a year on a retreat and also to attend the church once a week. A part of this, the content of the courses is regulated by the law of North Rhine-Westphalia. For example, religious beliefs like the creation of man are not part of the biology courses. All courses have to follow today's scientific knowledge.

Boarding School

There are 175 boarders (120 boys and since 2005 55 girls). After the school and the common lunch time remains to the pupils to 3.30pm to recover and free use for private activities like playing football, tennis, basketball, playing an instrument or joining one of the over 100 "AKO-PRO" courses. Afterwards the pupils have to do their homework under survey until 5pm. If they finish their homework by 5pm the rest of the day remains to their free propose until dinner at 18.30pm. Each boarding school pupil is obligated apart from the school activities to visit at least three AKO-PRO courses (see leisure activities). One course has to be from the art /music sector and one course must be of sporting nature. The boarding pupils spend each second weekend at school. Then there are several common activities organized like excursions at night, scavenger hunt in the city with small teams for solving questions and different tasks.

Externat

Also the external pupils have the possibility of doing their homework with support in the afternoon. These are cared for and controlled by pedagogues. For external ones the choice of AKO-PRO is free but frequently used.

AKO-PRO

There are over 100 activities offered including art, sculpture, music, sports (including tennis, football (soccer), rugby, American football, rudders and basketball), sacro pop, classical chorus, jazz, photography, horse riding, break dance, scouting, big band, orchestera, theater, judo, karate, conversation in a foreign language (French conversation, English, Italian, Spanish, Latin), etc... A course is usually given once a week 1.5 hours. Pupils can start clubs and share their knowledge; he or she must find at least 16 prospective members, and will then be paid a small fee in addition to the standard pocket money. Also the two orchestras (classical and big band), and the theatre group are very famous in the region of Bonn and Cologne. A famous example is Till Brönner.

Faith and Social Commitment

The education is understood as training to faith and justice. The pupils have to undertake a five week social employment in hospitals, old people's homes or working with disabled people. The education at school and at home is supplemented and deepened in groups of young people. In discussion and meditation, Christian faith and Christian acting are practiced and experienced in a living community.

International Co-operation

The College attaches importance to international contacts, and has promoted cultural exchange with other countries since it was founded. Exchanges have taken part since 1997 as part of the European Union's COMENIUS program, which promotes the co-operation of European schools. Partnerships exist with Clongowes Wood College (Ireland), prestigious Eton College and Maidenhead (both in England) and Georgetown College in Washington D.C.,USA.

Educating Goals

The Aloisiuskolleg still views itself as a Jesuit school and depends on the educating principles of the society of Jesus, or Ratio Studiorum. Jesuit education aims at a worldly and life-affirming attitude and always calls for learning and investigation of all areas of life from a Christian point of view.

History

Establishment in the Exile as Consequence of the Cultural Struggle (Kulturkampf)

As a consequence of the cultural struggle (Kulturkampf), the State of Prussia took over by law the supervision of all Jesuit schools in 1872. On 12 August 1900 the German arm of the society of Jesus took the Aloisiuskolleg to Sittard, the Netherlands as an all-boys school with boarding facilities. This started with German Patres, 43 internal and 38 external pupils on 29 September 1900 with one pre-class, a sexta and a quinta class. This was the actual start of the Aloisiuskollegs.

Removal to Bonn Bad-Godesberg and the Nazi

The law against Jesuits ("Jesuitengesetzt") was repealed in 1917 and new schools opened again in Germany. The Aloisiuskolleg moved to Bonn in 1921. In 1927 the Jesuits also acquired a nearby villa owned by the banker August Karl Baron von der Heydt, son of August von der Heydt. They turned the vila called "Stella Rheni" into the boys' home.

During the Nazi period, the school and the Jesuits struggled against the regime and the school was closed in 1938. The active resistance by the Jesuits and the pupils plays an important role in the contemporary self-understanding of the College.

Well-known resistors to the Nazis are Georg Freiherr von Boeselager and his brother Philipp.

Reopening after World War II

The Jesuits reopened the Aloisiuskolleg in 1946, after the end of World War II.

Co-education

In the 1980s, the Aloisiuskolleg began co-education with the neighboring Clara Fey High School for Girls within the upper stage. The girls of the upper stage could attend the Aloisiuskolleg and vice-versa. Since the intake of the year 2000, the Aloisiuskolleg has also accepted girls in the lower classes, beginning with the sexta. Since 2005, girls have been accepted as boarders and accommodated in a separate new building.

Alumni

Also after the school time the former ones remain themselves further connected. Begun of the annual meetings in the summer for “AKO celebration” a further network of all former pupils of the Jesuits in Germany is operated (Jesuit Alumni). Here all former pupils of the Aloisiuskolleg, Kolleg St. Blasien and the Canisius-Kolleg Berlin College can contact each other and see in the data base current addresses at [http://www.stellaner.de/ Stellaner webpage] .

The AKO Booklet

The AKO booklet is an annual school booklet. It contains conceptions of new coworkers, reports from the school life and religious-educational articles. Also there are announcements about weddings, births, deaths and changing addresses of former pupils and teachers.

Notable Alumni of the Aloisiuskolleg

* Hans Riegel - entrepreneur, founder of Haribo
* Philipp Freiherr von Boeselager - resistance fighter from 20 July 1944
* Georg Freiherr von Boeselager - resistance fighter from 20 July 1944
* Thomas de Maizière - Head of the German Chancellery and Federal Minister of Special Affairs, cousin of Lothar de Maizière
* Norman Rentrop, publisher and investor
* Philipp Brenninkmeyer - actor, member of Brenninkmeijer family
* Johannes B. Kerner, host of talk show on ZDF
* Stefan Raab - German late night talker (TV Total)
* Alexander Graf Lambsdorff - executive committee of the FDP and member of the European parliament
* Till Brönner - musician

Lists of Notable Jesuits and Alumni

* List of alumni of Jesuit educational institutions

Other Jesuit Schools in Germany

* Kolleg St. Blasien
* Canisius-Kolleg Berlin

See also

*Education in Germany
*Gymnasium (school)

External links

* [http://www.aloisiuskolleg.de Aloisiuskolleg Website]
* [http://www.ako-pro.de AKO-PRO Website]
* [http://www.stern.de/politik/deutschland/:Schulranking:+Schwarzwald+schl%C3%A4gt+Eton/541459.html School Ranking Germany]
* [http://www.jesuitalumni.org/ Jesuit Alumni Worldwide]
* [http://www.stellaner.de Jesuit Alumni Germany]
* http://www.jesuit.org.uk/
* http://www.jesuits-europe.info/
* http://www.jesuit.org/