Bernostiftung

The Bernostiftung – Katholische Stiftung für Schule und Erziehung in Mecklenburg und Schleswig-Holstein is a Catholic church foundation under public law (kirchliche Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts) within the Archdiocese of Hamburg. It was established on 15 December 2005 by the Propsteigemeinde St. Anna in Schwerin and the Christusgemeinde in Rostock, and is generally described as founded in 2006. Its seat is in Schwerin, the capital of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The foundation is named after Bishop Berno (died 14 January 1191), the first bishop of the Diocese of Schwerin. The foundation's purpose is to promote Catholic schooling and education and to raise children and young people in a Christian way of life and a sense of responsibility for the world, grounded in the Catholic faith. It pursues this purpose by establishing and operating Catholic schools and other educational and upbringing institutions for children and young people in Mecklenburg and Schleswig-Holstein, by administering and supporting them, and by promoting them. Alongside qualified academic training, the foundation places equal weight on the personal development of pupils and on encouraging a willingness to take responsibility in society. The Bernostiftung is the sponsor (Träger) of all Catholic schools and their after-school care centres (Horte) in the Mecklenburg and Schleswig-Holstein region of the Archdiocese of Hamburg. Its schools are the Niels-Stensen-Schule in Schwerin (primary school with Hort, Regionale Schule and Gymnasium), the Don-Bosco-Schule in Rostock (primary school with Hort, Regionale Schule and Gymnasium), the Edith-Stein-Schule in Ludwigslust (primary school with orientation stage) and the Johannes-Prassek-Schule in Lübeck (primary school). The schools trace a long and interrupted tradition of Catholic education in Mecklenburg dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries, which was suppressed under National Socialism and only revived after 1994. The foundation has been led by a Stiftungsdirektor. Thomas Weßler directed it from its founding until July 2018; he was succeeded by Bernhard Humpert, former head of the Don-Bosco-Schule in Rostock. On 1 August 2022 Christopher Haep, head of the School and University Department in the Archbishop's General Vicariate in Hamburg, took over as Stiftungsdirektor. In June 2020 representatives of the Archdiocese of Hamburg announced that it wished to take the Bernostiftung's schools in Schwerin and Rostock into its own sponsorship; the foundation council (Stiftungsrat) opposed this. The foundation remains active, publishing news from its school life and offering open days and other events.

The history of the schools now sponsored by the Bernostiftung reaches back to the post-Reformation period in Mecklenburg, where foreigners and newcomers sought schooling for their children in their own confession. The first such school was founded in Schwerin in 1735, and another followed in Ludwigslust in 1853. Both were only reluctantly tolerated by the majority society. During the Weimar Republic, Catholic schooling experienced a brief flowering, not least through further foundations in Neustrelitz in 1924 and Rostock in 1929. The National Socialists brought this promising development to an end: through arbitrary acts all the schools were banned in 1938/39 and had to cease operations. Attempts at re-establishment were also suppressed under the new rulers after the end of the war. Only in 1994 could the long school tradition be resumed with the Niels-Stensen-Schule in Schwerin. The Don-Bosco-Schule in Rostock followed in 1998 and the Edith-Stein-Schule in Ludwigslust in 2007. School operations resumed initially in the form of a primary school with after-school care (Hort). In 2005 in Rostock and 2006 in Schwerin the schools were expanded to include the Regionale Schule and Gymnasium branches; in Ludwigslust the school was supplemented with an orientation stage. In Schleswig-Holstein too there were Catholic schools, all of which were closed by the National Socialists. The Johannes-Prassek-Schule in Lübeck, dating from 1850, was unlawfully closed by the National Socialists in 1938; its school building at the Parade near the Herz-Jesu-Kirche was bombed and destroyed in 1942. It was reopened for the 2011/12 school year. To improve and promote the development of schools and the educational work of the Catholic Church in Mecklenburg, the Propsteigemeinde St. Anna in Schwerin and the Christusgemeinde in Rostock established a joint foundation on 15 December 2005. The Bernostiftung was named after Bishop Berno (12th century – 14 January 1191), the first bishop of the Diocese of Schwerin. It was founded in 2006 as a church foundation under public law within the Archdiocese of Hamburg and is the sponsor of all Catholic schools and their Horte in the Mecklenburg and Schleswig-Holstein region of the archdiocese. Its purpose is the promotion of Catholic schooling and education and the upbringing of children and young people in a Christian way of life and world responsibility on the basis of the Catholic faith, realised through the establishment and sponsorship, administration and support, and promotion of Catholic schools and other educational and upbringing institutions. The foundation was led from its founding until July 2018 by Stiftungsdirektor Thomas Weßler. His successor was Bernhard Humpert, former head of the Don-Bosco-Schule in Rostock. On 1 August 2022 Christopher Haep, head of the School and University Department in the Archbishop's General Vicariate in Hamburg, took over the office of Stiftungsdirektor. In June 2020 representatives of the Archdiocese of Hamburg announced that the archdiocese wished to take the Bernostiftung's schools in Schwerin and Rostock into its own sponsorship; the foundation council (Stiftungsrat) opposed this. The foundation continues to operate its schools and publishes news from school life, including open days and awards such as the recognition of the Niels-Stensen-Schule as a federal ambassador school for career orientation.

• 2022

  Christopher Haep takes over as Stiftungsdirektor on 1 August

• 2020

  In June the Archdiocese of Hamburg announces it wishes to take the Schwerin and Rostock schools into its own sponsorship; the Stiftungsrat opposes

• 2018

  Thomas Weßler ends his tenure as Stiftungsdirektor in July; Bernhard Humpert succeeds him

• 2011

  Johannes-Prassek-Schule in Lübeck reopened for the 2011/12 school year

• 2007

  Edith-Stein-Schule in Ludwigslust founded

• 2006

  Bernostiftung founded as a church foundation under public law in the Archdiocese of Hamburg; Schwerin school expanded with Regionale Schule and Gymnasium

• 2005

  Propsteigemeinde St. Anna zu Schwerin and Christusgemeinde zu Rostock establish a joint foundation on 15 December; Rostock school expanded with Regionale Schule and Gymnasium

• 1998

  Don-Bosco-Schule in Rostock founded

• 1994

  Niels-Stensen-Schule in Schwerin reopens, resuming the school tradition

• 1938

  All Catholic schools banned by the National Socialists; Johannes-Prassek-Schule closed

• 1929

  Catholic school founded in Rostock

• 1924

  Catholic school founded in Neustrelitz

• 1853

  Catholic school founded in Ludwigslust

• 1850

  Johannes-Prassek-Schule in Lübeck established

• 1735

  First Catholic school founded in Schwerin

A Catholic church foundation providing holistic, faith-based education and upbringing through a network of Catholic schools and after-school care centres in northern Germany.

• Niels-Stensen-Schule (Schwerin)

  Catholic school in the centre of the state capital Schwerin; primary school with Hort, Regionale Schule and Gymnasium.

• Don-Bosco-Schule (Rostock)

  Catholic school in Rostock's southern part of town; primary school with Hort, Regionale Schule and Gymnasium.

• Edith-Stein-Schule (Ludwigslust)

  Catholic primary school with orientation stage.

• Johannes-Prassek-Schule (Lübeck)

  Catholic primary school, reopened for the 2011/12 school year.

1. 1Startseite: Bernostiftungbernostiftung.de
2. 2Geschichte: Bernostiftungbernostiftung.de
3. 3Bernostiftung – Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Bernostiftung – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org