500 former high school graduates celebrate 75 years of Gadebusch on a grand scale!

500 former high school graduates celebrate 75 years of Gadebusch on a grand scale!

The reunion celebration in Gadebusch brings a touch of nostalgia to the city when around 500 former high school graduates return on this special day, July 3, 2025. Why wander into the distance? Here, at the 75th anniversary celebration of the Abitur education, well-known faces meet to exchange memories and strengthen old bonds. Led by Hans-Christoph Struck as organizer, the participants can expect not only a historic event, but also exciting stories.

Among the visitors are Hans Badenschier and Jürgen Mohrmann, who graduated from high school in 1953. Badenschier, currently living in Wittenberge, and Mohrmann from Schwerin, vividly remember their school days in what was then the Polytechnic High School (POS). “I still remember the initial difficulties in learning standard German,” says Badenschier, while he talks about the charismatic class teacher Hans-Heinrich Dobbertin, with whom they were able to maintain a close relationship. This personal affection for teachers was a formative part of her schooling.

Roots of high school graduates

The high school graduates from Gadebusch experienced a piece of GDR history. The POLS, the core of the school system in the GDR, formed the starting point for her academic career. Until 1981, students could switch to the Extended High School (EOS) after the 8th grade in order to obtain their Abitur or complete vocational training with a Abitur. This offered talented students the opportunity to qualify for higher education, although access was highly regulated. Only around 10 percent of a year group were given the chance to attend the EOS, especially students with special achievements or social commitment, such as in the FDJ or as future officers.

The experiences of Badenschier and Mohrmann make it clear that, in addition to the material learned, interpersonal experiences also play a crucial role at school. Trips to Weimar were not only education, but also adventure that bonded the young people together and shaped them.

A look into the past

The historical ledger of the high school, which has kept the names of the students since 1949, bears witness to the long tradition of Gadebusch as an educational location. The welcome was also attended by the youngest participants, who only graduated from high school in 2016 and are now part of this historic celebration. The festivities, which used to take place every two years, had to be suspended due to the pandemic and are now an even more valuable event for alumni.

The memories of school days that come to life at such a meeting highlight the value of education at a time when everything was under the social and political framework of the GDR. According to a study by the German Center for Higher Education and Science Research from 1990, the majority of high school graduates have followed a similarly successful path in life, regardless of the political situation. Almost two thirds of those surveyed find themselves in higher positions and more than half are satisfied with their CV. This shows that the high school graduates back then had a good hand for their future, despite the limited opportunities in schools.

A successful occasion for old friends to come together in Gadebusch and bring the stories from back then to life - that makes July 3, 2025 an unforgettable day for everyone involved.