Berthold Otto

Otto was born to Richard and Franziska née Wegener in Bienowitz (Silesia) and grew up in Rendsburg and Schleswig.

He married Friederike Mann (1864–1921) in 1887 and he refused to put his children into the state school leading to conflict with the authorities.

He started a private school and moved to Berlin-Lichterfelde in 1902 on the invitation of the Prussian Ministry of Culture.

At his private school he believed in the use of natural teaching methods based on conversation, care and play and avoided authoritarian approaches.

His approach influenced Cor Bruijn (1883–1978) in the Netherlands and the members of the commission under Konstantin Ventsel (1903) who were involved in Russian education for children.