Bremen-East in Schwachhausen, Germany — Central Europe

Hermann-Böse-Gymnasium

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, May 19, 2025

1. Hermann-Böse-Gymnasium Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Die Berliner Architekten Ferdinand Köhler, Paul Kranz und Otto Gröffel errichteten 1905/06 dieses Gebäude in Anlehnung an die Weserrenaissance mit Jugendstil-Elementen. An der Hauptfassade finden sich zahlreiche Schmuckelemente und Ornamente, insbesondere Figuren von Kopernikus und Goethe, allegorische Darstellungen verschiedener Wissenschaften sowie die Inschrift „Non scholae sed vitae [discimus]” („Nicht für die Schule, sondern für das Leben [lernen wir]”). Von Anfang an wurde das Gebäude als Schule genutzt und steht seit 1977 unter Denkmalschutz.

Als Realgymnasium gegründet trug die Schule im Laufe der Zeit mehrere Namen und änderte wiederholt die schulische Ausrichtung. 2005 erhielt sie ihren heutigen Namen und wurde nach Hermann Böse benannt, ihrem langjährigen Musiklehrer sowie NS-Widerstandskämpfer.

The Berlin architects Ferdinand Köhler, Paul Kranz and Otto Gröffel erected this building in 1905/1906, drawing inspiration from the "Weserrenaissance" style and including art nouveau elements. Many decorative and omamental elements can be found on the main facade, notably depictions

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of Copernicus and Goethe and allegorical representations of various sciences, as well as the inscription "Non scholae sed vitae [discimus]" ("[We do] not [learn] for school, but for life"). The building has been used as a school from the beginning and has been listed as a protected landmark since 1977.

Founded as a "Realgymnasium", the school had various names over the course of time and changed its educational orientation on several occasions. The school received its present-day name in 2005, honouring its former music teacher Hermann Böse who was active in the resistance against the National Socialist regime.

Hermann Böse
Hermann Böse (4. Mai 1870, † 17. Juli 1943) war von 1907 bis 1933 Musiklehrer dieser Schule. Zudem gründete er den Arbeitergesangverein Bremen", war politisch vor allem in der Revolutionszeit 1919 in der KPD aktiv und leitete das Volkskommissariat für Schul- und Bildungswesen. Aufgrund seines Widerstands gegen den Nationalsozialismus wurde er 1942 verhaftet und starb kurz nach der Entlassung an den Folgen der Haft.

Rudolf Jacobs
Rudolf Jacobs (* 26. Juli 1914, † 3. November 1944) war von 1925 bis 1932 Schüler dieser Schule. Angesichts der Verbrechen der Wehrmacht und SS desertierte der Ingenieur und Marine-Soldat 1943 in Norditalien und schloss sich den Partisanen an. Von italienischen

Hermann-Böse-Gymnasium Marker - wide view image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, May 19, 2025

2. Hermann-Böse-Gymnasium Marker - wide view

Faschisten wurde er in Sarzana erschossen.

Hermann Böse (4. Mai 1870, † 17. Juli 1943) worked as a music teacher at this school from 1907 to 1933. He founded the "Arbeitergesangverein Bremen (a workers' choir) and was politically active in the KPD (German Communist Party) during the revolutionary period in 1919, when he was the head of the "Volkskommissariat für Schul- und Bildungswesen (People's Commissariat for Schools). Because of his resistance against the National Socialists, he was arrested in 1942 and died shortly after his release from prison due to the conditions of his detention.

Rudolf Jacobs (* 26. Juli 1914, † 3. November 1944) was a student at this school from 1925 to 1932. When confronted with the crimes of the Wehrmacht and SS, the trained engineer and member of the Kriegsmarine deserted in 1943 and joined the Italian partisans. He was shot by Italian fascists in Sarzana, Italy.

Erected by Stadt Bremen.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • War, World II. In addition, it is included in the Bremen Red Key series list. A significant historical date for this entry is July 17, 1943.

Location. 53° 5.02′ N, 8° 49.119′ E. Marker is in Bremen, in Schwachhausen. It is in Bremen-East. It is on Hermann-Böse-Straße

Hermann-Böse-Gymnasium and marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, May 19, 2025

3. Hermann-Böse-Gymnasium and marker

, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Hermann-Böse-Straße 1-9, Bremen 28209, Germany. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is in Europe,

the European Union,

Atlantic Europe,

Central Europe,

the Schengen Area,

Western Europe,

and the Western World.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Roman Empire

and specifically also the Holy Roman Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Ohamakari (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Antikolonialdenkmal „Der Elefant“ / Anticolonial Memorial “The Elephant” (about 90 meters away); Khatchkar - Armenian Genocide Memorial (about 240 meters away); Hauptbahnhof / Main Railway Station (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); Bremen-Minsk Jewish Deportation Memorial (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); Übersee-Museum / Overseas Museum (approx. half a kilometer away); Fruchthof (approx. 0.7 kilometers away); Hotel am Hillmanplatz (approx. 0.8 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bremen.

Also see . . . Die Geschichte der Schule (Hermann-Böse-Gymnasium, in German). The QR code on the marker leads to a history of the school, in German). Excerpt(in translation):

The Hermann-Böse-Gymnasium (HBG) is the only bilingual secondary school in Bremen (grades 5 to 12). Its symbol is the elephant standing in front of the school in Nelson Mandela Park, an anti-colonial monument commemorating the victims of German colonial rule in Africa.

The school has changed its name several times over the years: Founded in 1905, the Realgymnasium became the Oberschule für Jungen (High School for
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Boys) on Kaiser-Friedrich-Straße in 1937, before becoming the Lettow-Vorbeck-Schule a year later – only to be renamed Oberschule für Jungen on Kaiser-Friedrich-Straße after the end of the Second World War. The name Hermann Böse appeared in the school name for the first time in 1947. Since 1957 we have been called Gymnasium an der Hermann-Böse-Straße, two years later female students were finally allowed to attend the former boys' school and since 2005, when we celebrated our 100th anniversary, we have been allowed to call ourselves Hermann-Böse-Gymnasium, although most people just say HBG...

(Submitted on May 22, 2025.)

Credits. This page was last revised on May 22, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 22, 2025, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 124 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 22, 2025, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.