Characteristic elements of our school

About 600 students and 50 teachers make our high-school a manageable, almost family-like educational institution. Another contributing factor is that the number of students in one classroom usually does not exceed 30 students.
We provide optimal learning conditions, which means that through the overall concept of the school and the commitment of our students and teachers our school has always ranked top in languages.
In maths, most of our classes rank amongst top level classes. Many of our students are involved in the arts sector in particular and find opportunities for musical activities in the several choirs, the orchestra and our big band. These students show their talents in two big school concerts every year.
The Wittelsbacher High School is a humanistic Gymnasium concentrating on languages. Our school promotes the Latin-English language sequence with Latin as first foreign language. As a third foreign language, we offer French and Greek. At senior level, students may take Italian or Spanish as optional courses.

This is a special lesson for students to talk about various things that concern everyone: Planning the next school fest, school trips, classroom design and more. In order to talk about these topics we furnished “time for us”: it takes place instead of a regular lesson – pupils reflect and discuss their ideas without the help of a teacher.

The so-called “Time for us”-assistants are students trained by our school psychologist, Mr. Hilz-Merthan at the beginning of each school year. They receive hints on how to run a discussion, to organize a vote, and how to manage the class. “Time for us” takes place about every 6 weeks, if needed more frequently. In order to keep the results a pupil takes the minutes.

Pupils learn to meet their responsibilities and learn how to listen to others; they build an ability for compromise and a competence for debates.

At the beginning of the 19^th century, Munich had about 50 000 inhabitants. But because of the high immigration and a birth-surplus that number grew up to 500 000 at 1890. The result of the rise in population were five overcrowded high schools in Munich with 3500 pupils.

In a discussion of the deputy chamber in 1900 it was alluded to the critical condition of the high schools and it was concluded that a new high school was to be built or new rooms had to be charted.

Finally, the financial committee of the deputy chamber decided to build the Wittelsbacher Gymnasium with a vote of 66 to 55.

Possible sites for building the school were extensively discussed in the press and communal bodies. Finally, a location was chosen by the Finance Committee of the Chamber of Deputies in mid-March 1906 – the “Champ de Mars” at Pranckhstraße. The Allgemeine Zeitung (March 17, 1906) describes the advantage of the situation of the new school: The school is 7 to 8 minutes away from the central station and may therefore count on a significant attendance from Laim and Pasing. With a new tram line nearby, the new high school can be accessed easily.

For this space, an area of approximately 7300 square meters was assigned, for the construction 573 000 marks were granted, so that on September 17, 1906 consturction started.

In August 1907 the building was completed in time for the start of a new school term, a fact which was also noted in those days as very positive. The total cost amounted to 649 580 Mark. On June 26,1907 the first yearbook states that "His Royal Highness Prince Luitpold, regent of the Kingdom of Bavaria, moved graciously to assignate to the sixth humanistic grammar school in Munich the name 'Wittelsbacher Gymnasium”.

The architectural design of the new building received a very positive public response. The Munich Allgemeine Zeitung spoke of an "excellent work of the modern Munich school of architecture," in 1907 and continues: "Wonderful are the views that the building provides from all sides”, others spoke of a "well-successful example of local indigenous design in modern style" which with its "white stucco facades and red roofs gives a very friendly impression."

The first yearbook states proudly that the building was equipped with modern technology, namely with "low pressure steam heating", "electric light" and an "electrically operated central clock system for all classrooms."