Following the Protestant Reformation, Maurice, Elector of Saxony had the school founded in 1550 as the third of the Fürstliche Landesschulen ("Princely State Schools") after St. Afra in Meißen and Pforta near Naumburg (founded in 1543) with the aim of educating able and reliable scholars for the evangelical church and the administration of the Saxon lands.

[3] These schools contributed substantially to the stabilisation of the Reformation and the Lutheran church, the role of the Saxon parsonages, and the cultural development of Saxony.

[6] During the first four centuries of its existence Fürstenschule Grimma mainly prepared students for careers as civil servants or theologians.

Even though this also proved insufficient, the Saxon ministry of education rejected further petitions for extensions until 1874, when King Albert of Saxony visited the school and approved of the proposals.

While it was brought into line with state politics by the National Socialist government by decree in 1936, the rector successfully intervened against a transformation into a Napola.

[9] When the remaining students were drafted for auxiliary war services, regular school operations stopped on 25 February 1943[10] Due to events of World War II, the school also hosted female students of Nossen teachers college from 14 April 1942.

[12] Unlike its sister schools in Meißen and Pforta, however, it did not regain the rank of a Landesschule, i.e. of an elite state gymnasium.

The film received controversial feedback, especially among teachers and alumni, because if featured a story of homosexual relationships between school personal and pupils.

Despite the installation of an electric ringing mechanism, it was not officially rung again for several years, giving rise to the local opinion that the clapper was missing.