Freies Gymnasium Bern

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Freies Gymnasium Bern
Aerial view of Freies Gymnasium Bern (2021)
Address
Beaulieustrasse 55 3012 Bern Bern
Coordinates	46.959808°N 7.434244°E / 46.959808; 7.434244 Fatal error: The format of the coordinate could not be determined. Parsing failed.
Information
Type	Gymnasium
Established	1859
Authority	Freies Gymnasium Bern Association
Head teacher	Regula S. Jalali-Strahm (Rector since March 1, 2022)
Enrollment	350
Website	www.freigymer.ch

The Freies Gymnasium Bern (Freigymer) is a subsidized and recognized private school in Bern, Switzerland, serving approximately 350 students from grade 5 to maturity. The school is operated by the Freies Gymnasium Bern Association and is religiously and politically neutral.

History

Staircase area in the south wing. The two staircases lead to the roof and the second floor.

Founded in 1859 as an evangelical school under the name Lerberschule, the Freies Gymnasium Bern emerged from an opposition to the educational policies of the time. It is the third-oldest gymnasium in the Canton of Bern. Its founder, Theodor von Lerber, who co-managed the school Pension der Herren von Lerber und Gerber in Bern with Friedrich Gerber and came from a patrician family, feared the loss of humanistic and religious educational values under the radical-liberal government. In 1892, the school was renamed Freies Gymnasium after von Lerber distanced himself from it and prohibited the use of his name, having unsuccessfully opposed its modernization, which gave more emphasis to mathematics and natural sciences. The first external Matura exams were held in 1895; since 1909, the in-house matura has been recognized cantonally and federally. Girls were admitted starting in 1901 to what was originally a private boys’ school (an inscription still visible on the facade at Nägeligasse 2). However, it was not until 1984 that the first woman was appointed as a main teacher. Since 1964, the school has received state subsidies from the Canton of Bern, regulated by performance agreements. In 1972, it relocated from Nägeligasse to its current building in the Neufeld district.

Today, the Freies Gymnasium Bern is no longer a denominational school. While its values are rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition per its current school convention and mission statement, it explicitly allows for other sources of individual values. Religious education is a mandatory subject and counts toward promotion in the gymnasium. The student union is a member of the Swiss Student Organizations Union.

Educational Program

The Freies Gymnasium Bern presents itself as an “eight-year long-term gymnasium”: the four-year gymnasium (grades 9–12) is preceded by the lower gymnasium (grades 7–8) and preparatory classes (grades 5–6). The school follows its own curriculum, which complies with cantonal curricula.

Primary School, Preparatory Classes

Typically, one class each for grades 5 and 6 is offered, aimed at students pursuing an early gymnasium track. Starting in the 2022/23 school year, a bilingual (German/English) grade 6 was introduced.

Lower Gymnasium

The 7th and 8th grades are called Sexta and Quinta, respectively (typically two parallel classes each). No other tracks are offered. Students completing grade 6 with a secondary school recommendation can enter without an exam. The first semester’s report card determines placement but not promotion. In the Sexta, students have one semester each of computer science and home economics. Students are prohibited from leaving the school during lunch breaks.

Focus Class

The focus class is a bridging program. In this 9th school year, students prepare for the gymnasium or other further education options (vocational training, specialized middle school, vocational matura) while completing mandatory primary schooling.

Gymnasium

In the Canton of Bern, the gymnasium starts in grade 9 (Quarta) and ends in grade 12 (Prima). Unlike other gymnasiums, most students at Freies Gymnasium Bern enter in the Quarta, not the Tertia (three parallel classes each). This allows a four-year program, including the focus subject. The in-house matura has been recognized cantonally and federally since 1909.

View from the science wing into the hall, the main gathering place for students.

Core Subjects

All students must take the ten core subjects, which provide a comprehensive general education and allow entry into any university program. At Freies Gymnasium Bern, the following core subjects are offered and appear on the matura certificate: German as a first language (with matura exam), French as a second language (with matura exam), English as a third language (matura exam in either English or the supplementary subject), Mathematics (with matura exam), Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, History, Music or Visual Arts (both in the Quarta).

Additional promotion subjects: Sports, Religion, Introduction to Economics (Tertia), Optional Subject (Tertia and Sekunda).

Focus Subjects from Quarta

Per federal regulations, a focus subject must be chosen and completed with a matura exam:

Physics/Applied Mathematics (the only private school in Bern offering this), Biology/Chemistry, Economics/Law, Pedagogy/Psychology/Philosophy, Spanish.

Latin is offered with the option of earning the federal matura certificate Latinum Helveticum.

Supplementary Subjects from Sekunda

Per federal regulations, a supplementary subject must be chosen, with a matura exam in either this subject or English:

Geography, History, Philosophy, Computer Science, Sports.

Special Teaching Formats

South view of the building

Instruction is primarily teacher-led. Alternative learning formats foster responsibility for one’s own learning in appropriate settings: project weeks, rural school weeks, study weeks, community service, self-study semesters in English and French, block teaching, excursions, nature conservation days, cross-grade theme days, pull-out programs for gifted or under-challenged students, theater and choir projects, and elective courses.

Bilingual Matura

Since the 2014/2015 school year, the Freies Gymnasium Bern has offered a bilingual matura. Unlike other Bern gymnasiums, bilingual instruction begins in the second semester of the Quarta. This program is offered only in English for the following subjects:

Mathematics (Quarta to Prima) Geography (Tertia to Prima) Supplementary subject Religion and Philosophy (Sekunda and Prima)

Partnership

Since 1988, a cultural partnership has existed with the Wilhelm-Löhe-Schule in Nuremberg, Germany. Theater groups from both schools regularly perform in Bern and Franconia. On October 12, 2015, the then-heads of Freies Gymnasium Bern, David Lingg, and Wilhelm-Löhe-Schule, Michael Schopp, signed a cooperation agreement to deepen collaboration, including themed projects in science and technology, student and teacher exchanges, and joint information initiatives.

Alumni

The Freies Gymnasium Bern alumni association serves as a networking platform for graduates, contributing to the school’s ideological and financial well-being. It supports annual matura trips, school concerts, the school magazine “Weg und Ziel”, career information days, infrastructure projects, and small social contributions.

Notable Alumni

Robert von Diessbach (1858–1917), jurist, local historian, and animal rights advocate Eduard Fischer (1861–1939), botanist Wolfgang Friedrich von Mülinen (1863–1917), historian Otto von Greyerz (1863–1940), historian and writer Rudolf von Tavel (1866–1934), writer Fritz de Quervain (1868–1940), surgeon Paul Gruner (1869–1957), physicist Hans Schenkel (1869–1926), physicist, university professor, and politician Eduard Blocher (1870–1942), evangelical pastor and linguist August Plüss (1871–1910), archivist and historian Walter Joss (1875–1915), architect and university professor Hermann Schüpbach (1877–1949), politician Alfred de Quervain (1879–1927), geophysicist Gottfried Bohnenblust (1883–1960), university professor, Germanist, literary historian, composer, and writer Alfred Schmid (1884–1946), physician Emanuel Stickelberger (1884–1962), writer Karl Barth (1886–1968), theologian Rudolf von Sinner (1890–1960), architect Markus Feldmann (1897–1958), Federal Councillor Jean Rudolf von Salis (1901–1996), historian, writer, and publicist Alfred Ernst (1904–1973), corps commander Peter Dürrenmatt (1904–1989), historian and politician

Alfred Ellenberger, musician Georges Thormann (1912–2000), architect, Frontist, and municipal council president Viktor Kleinert (1913–1990), entrepreneur Kurt von Fischer (1913–2003), musicologist Bernhard König (1914–2011), physician Ricco (1915–1972), painter Rudolf Bohren (1920–2010), evangelical theologian and professor of practical theology in Heidelberg Ruth Bietenhard-Lehmann (1920–2015), teacher, journalist, author, and translator Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921–1990), writer Kurt Marti (1921–2017), evangelical theologian and writer Charles von Graffenried (1925–2012), publisher and banker Hermann von Fischer (1926–2015), architect and art historian Jean Ziegler (* 1934), politician Hans Christoph von Tavel, art historian Hermann Hofer (* 1938), Romance scholar and writer Herbert Distel (* 1942), artist Thomas Koerfer (* 1944), filmmaker Christian Henking (* 1961), composer and choir director Reto Caffi (* 1971), filmmaker Christoph Siegrist (* 1972), meteorologist Ariane von Graffenried (* 1978), author, word performer, curator, and theater scholar

External Links

• Official website of Freies Gymnasium Bern

Bibliography

• Benedikt Bietenhard: Freies Gymnasium Bern 1859–2009, 150 Jahre Schulgeschichte. In: FGB (Hrsg.): Das Jubiläumsbuch. 150 Jahre Freies Gymnasium Bern. Bern 2009. pp. 13–82. Online (PDF file; 476 kB)
• Fritz Graf: 100 Jahre Freies Gymnasium Bern 1859–1959, Bern 1959.
• Michael Stettler: Nägeligasse, in: ders. Sulgenbach, Bern 1992, pp. 57–69.
• Albert von Tavel: Siebenzig Jahre Freies Gymnasium in Bern. Im 75. Jahr seines Bestehens als Jubiläumsgabe dargereicht von Albert von Tavel, Bern 1934.
• Hans Christoph von Tavel: La peinture des «Freigymeler» Bern 1984.
• Rudolf von Tavel: Theodorich von Lerber. Ein Lebensbild, Bern 1911.
• Ludwig von Tscharner: Jubiläum des Freien Gymnasiums in Bern (Lerberschule) 1859–1909 (Festbericht) Bern 1909.

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