and reach thousands of daily visitors
14 APRIL 2008
NO 1285
Kurt Hahn
Born in Berlin of Jewish parents, Hahn
studied in Oxford, Berlin, Heidelberg, Freiburg and Gattingen. During
World War I, Hahn worked in the German Department for Foreign Affairs,
analyzing English newspapers and advising the Foreign Office. He had
been private secretary to Prince Max von Baden, the last Imperial
Chancellor of Germany. 1920-1933 Hahn was headmaster of Schule Schloss
Salem, a private boarding school in Germany, founded in cooperation with
Prince Max. In 1933 Hahn was forced out of Germany and moved to
Scotland, where he founded Gordonstoun and served as its headmaster
until 1953. Hahn inspired or initiated the foundation of Outward Bound
Schools, Atlantic College in Wales and the wider United World College
movement, the Duke of Edinburgh Award and many other schools based on
the same principles as Salem and Gordonstoun.
Though Hahn had been raised Jewish, he was an early admirer of Hitler.
Hahn began his fierce criticism of the Nazi regime after a young
communist was killed by Hitler's storm troopers in the presence of his
mother. When he spoke out against the storm troopers, who had received
no punishment, Hahn spoke against Hitler publicly. He asked the
students, faculty, and alumni of the Salem school to choose between
Salem and Hitler. As a result he was imprisoned for five days (from
11-16 March 1933). After an appeal by British Prime Minister Ramsay
MacDonald, Hahn was released and in July 1933 he was able to emigrate to
Britain, where he settled in Scotland and founded Gordonstoun on similar
principles to the school in Salem. Later, Hahn converted to Christianity
and preached in the Church of Scotland.
Philosophy
Hahn's educational philosophy was based on respect for adolescents, whom
he believed to possess an innate decency and moral sense, but who were,
he believed, corrupted by society as they aged. He believed that
education could prevent this corruption, if students were given
opportunities for personal leadership and to see the results of their
own actions. This is one reason for the focus on outdoor adventure in
his philosophy. Hahn's educational thinking was crystallized by World
War I, which he viewed as proof of the corruption of society and a
promise of later doom if people (Europeans particularly) could not be
taught differently. At the Schule Schloss Salem, in addition to acting
as headmaster, he taught history, politics, ancient Greek, Shakespeare
and Schiller. He was deeply influenced by Plato's thought. Gordonstoun
is based less on Eton than on Salem. Hahn's prefects are called Colour
Bearers, and traditionally they are promoted accoding to Hahn's values:
concern and compassion for others, the willingness to accept
responsibility, and concern and tenacity in pursuit of the truth.
Punishment of any kind is viewed as a last resort.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Hahn
