Gisela Gymnasium

The Gisela-Gymnasium München is a secondary school in Munich, Germany and belongs to the mathematical-scientific category of gymnasia but also has a modern languages branch.

Pionier-Einsatzbatallion (military engineer operational battalion), forcing the school to conduct a large number of classes in alternate locations.

The period following saw the establishment of first student councils and an increase in the number of subjects taught, including French and English.

Official records from 1933 onwards must be read in the light of the rise of Nazism but show an increasing politicisation of the students and influence on the operations of the school at every level.

Parents, teachers and students unofficially carried out initial emergency work to stabilise the building and clear it from rubble.

Due to the lack of city funds, only minor repairs and improvements, in addition to normal maintenance, were carried out and the campaign for a full renovation and extension of the school only succeeded in June 2008 when the Bavarian Federal Government made a grant available to the school in addition to the municipal funding for the project.

The school recently participated in the trial runs for the planned shortened Gymnasium lasting only 8 instead of 9 years, the so-called G8.

Along with the normal curriculum of a mathematical-scientific Gymnasium with a modern languages branch, the school today also offers a wide variety of optional subjects and extra-curricular activities including Japanese, Russian, pottery (the school has its own kiln, technical drawing, jazz, theatre, cabaret and chess clubs.

In 2002 parents and alumni of the school set up a charity called Freundes- und Förderkreis Gisela-Gymnasium München e.V.

In 1953 the school was assigned two female teachers for the first time - and against the futile protestations of the then headmaster Dr Hans Buchner.

Special mixed transfer classes exist in year 10 and 11, enabling students who have come from specialised educational facilities to integrate into the mainstream system and complete their Abitur.

Archduchess Gisela of Austria (second from the left), patron of the school, and her family ca 1890
Detail of front entrance
The central building viewed from the courtyard
The recently completed new wing