The timeless vision of a promising future

After the Second World War, everything was in ruins - the houses, the cities, the hope for a better future. Out of this desolation, Friedrich Herzog zu Schleswig-Holstein took heart in 1949 and founded the Louisenlund Foundation, a state-recognized, independent grammar school with a boarding school based on the educational reform ideas of his friend and co-founder Kurt Hahn. His vision of a holistic educational institution was forward-looking from the outset and is now regarded as a beacon of education beyond Germany's borders.

„Wir sind eingeladen die Erkenntnisse der Vergangenheit mit der Kreativität der Zukunft zu verweben.“

Ingeborg Prinzessin zu Schleswig-Holstein, Vorstandvorsitzende der Stiftung Louisenlund

Educational tradition in Louisenlund

Louisenlund combines a long tradition of education with modern approaches. Our school stands for a holistic education that promotes academic excellence and personal development in equal measure. Kurt Hahn's principles remain the foundation of our pedagogy, with a focus on promoting personal responsibility, social engagement and teamwork. This tradition enables us to prepare pupils for the challenges of a complex and dynamic world.

Louisenlund's reform pedagogical concept was very progressive at the time of its foundation. It rested on three pillars:

Moving away from traditional teaching methods: Traditional education in the first half of the 20th century was authoritarian and focused on factual learning. Experiential education brought a fresh approach by focusing on active, experiential learning. This approach was a departure from the prevailing didactic methods and promoted a more holistic development of learners.
Emphasis on practical experiences: Experiential education emphasizes direct experience and hands-on learning rather than focusing solely on theoretical knowledge.
Development of social and personal skills: Experiential education approaches promoted important social and personal skills, such as teamwork, self-confidence, initiative and problem-solving skills. This shift in focus was progressive as it recognized the importance of learning beyond academic skills.

Schloss Louisenlund 1964

Alte Schleibrücke

Kutterregatta auf der großen Breite 1963

The founder's successors on the foundation board, Peter Herzog zu Schleswig-Holstein, Christoph Prinz zu Schleswig-Holstein and now Ingeborg Prinzessin zu Schleswig-Holstein, have remained true to his example. In this way, the founding family carries on Louisenlund's guiding principles from generation to generation - in close cooperation with the full-time foundation management, which drives the further development of the school and boarding school.

The Louisenlund pedagogy is a consistent continuation of the educational tradition at Louisenlund, an innovative and successful lighthouse project in the German educational landscape, supported by the founding family, the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees, the management, the pupils, their parents and all employees.

Board of Directors and Board of Trustees of the Louisenlund Foundation

Louisenlund's Board of Directors and Board of Trustees are made up of experienced professionals and committed individuals who guide and support the school's strategic direction and development. These bodies play a crucial role in ensuring quality and sustainability in education. They bring different perspectives and skills to the table, helping to ensure that Louisenlund remains at the cutting edge of pedagogy while preserving the traditions and values of the foundation.

The honorary Board of Trustees consists of a member of the founding family and other members appointed by the Board of Trustees. The current members of the Board are

Ingeborg Princess of Schleswig-Holstein | Chairwoman
Christian Graf von Brockdorff | Deputy Chairman
Prof. Dr. Sabine Rau
ClemensGraf von Wedel

The Board of Directors of the Louisenlund Foundation (from left to right: Clemens Graf von Wedel, Prof. Dr. Sabine Rau, Ingeborg Prinzessin zu Schleswig-Holstein, Christian Graf von Brockdorff)

The Board of Trustees of the Louisenlund Foundation

Das ehrenamtlich besetzte Kuratorium unterstützt die Internats- und Schulleitung bei der Umsetzung der gesteckten Ziele, wählt den Vorstand und ihm obliegt das Haushaltsrecht.

Die Mitglieder des Kuratoriums:

Ingeborg Princess of Schleswig-Holstein | Chairwoman
Désirée Jebsen | Deputy Chairwoman
Irina von Bethmann-Hollweg
Holm Keller
Stephan Ph. Kühne
Prof. Dr. Gabriele Princess von Oettingen
Johannes Freiherr von Salmuth
Alexander Prinz zu Schleswig-Holstein
Ferdinand Prinz zu Schleswig-Holstein
Fritz Graf von der Schulenburg
Dr. Jan-Gisbert Schultze
Prof. Dr. Dr. Manfred Spitzer

Parents' council - trailblazer and companion

Bekommt ein junger Mensch seinen Abschluss überreicht, darf man auch den Eltern der Absolventen gratulieren. Denn sie haben ihre Kinder auf diesen Weg gebracht, mit Sorgfalt und Verantwortung die bestmögliche Ausbildung ausgewählt, sodass der nächsten Generation viele Wege in die Zukunft offenstehen.

The Louisenlund Parents' Council is an important platform for exchange between parents and school management. It represents the interests of parents and works closely with the school management to ensure and improve the quality of school life. One of the main tasks of the Parents' Council is to channel information, discuss issues raised by parents and coordinate solutions with the school management. This cooperation strengthens trust in the educational services and promotes the involvement of parents in the school community. Cross-class issues are discussed in the regular closed meetings. Parents can keep up to date via the corresponding minutes (login required).

Parents' Council:

Marc Ulrich | Chairman of the Parents' Council
Joß Giese | Deputy Chairman
Dörte Scheffer | Secretary

The parents' council (from left to right): Dörte Scheffer, Marc Ulrich (Chairman) and Joß Giese

Historic Freemasons' Park

At the end of the 18th century, Landgrave Carl von Hessen-Kassel, governor of the Danish crown in the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, had Louisenlund Castle Park redesigned into an English landscape garden.

Since then, two and a half centuries of time have left their traces and secrets: symbolic garden architecture with a Masonic character, the Louisenlund sundial, which actually models the universe, enigmatic foundations of an alchemist's tower and much more - right up to the more recent history of the castle and its listed outbuildings, which have been home to one of Germany's most famous boarding schools since 1949.

We will be happy to guide you through the history of Louisenlund and its present.

Public guided tours

Guided tours with Dr. Alf Hermann take place at regular intervals. We will inform you here about upcoming guided tours of the park.

The tours start in the parking lot of the forest chapel in Louisenlund. You can reach the parking lot via the B76 Ahrensberg/Louisenlund access road. There are plenty of parking spaces available there. Please wear sturdy shoes and appropriate clothing for the weather. The guided tour lasts approx. 3 hours and is free of charge. Pre-registration with Ms. Martina Kock is required.

Contact person

You can reach Ms. Kock Monday to Friday between 8.30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Lena Schultz aus dem Aufnahmeteam beantwortet gerne Fragen und organisiert die Freimaurerparkführungen

Lena Schultz
Aufnahmebüro und Koordinatorin Parkführungen
E-Mail: lena.schultz(at)louisenlund.de
Telefon: +49 4354 999-267