Founded in 1880 by Remscheid-born Ernst Kalkuhl, the ‘Private Ernst-Kalkuhl-Gymnasium’ has a rich tradition, both in Bonn and nationally, receiving its first state recognition as early as 1891. In 1951, it was place on a par with all state grammar schools of the country when it was awarded the title ‘state recognised grammar school’. The school has always been both a secondary school embedded in the Bonn region AND a boarding school with supra-regional character. Integrating pupils from other countries was part of the school’s credo from the beginning on. That the school has remained in family hands has played a major factor in our pupils’ identification with ‘Ernst-Kalkuhl’ over generations.

In her speech to honour the occasion of the school’s 125th anniversary, Bonn’s mayor, Bärbel Diekmann, stressed the importance of Ernst Kalkuhl Gymnasium for the city today. She paid particular tribute to the pedagogical principles of the school, which set standards in holistic and all-day education. The specific ‘day-boarding and boarding school class’ (years 5-9) set up in the school year 2005-6 marked a new approach, which takes particular account of the social and pedagogical requirements of today.