A reflective, musical pre-Christmas evening at the Johannes-Brenz-Gemeinschaftsschule on Monday, 18 December 2023
Anyone who expected a quiet and reflective gathering at the pre-Christmas evening of the Johannes-Brenz-Gemeinschaftsschule on Monday, 18 December 2023 was – at least during the first performance – thoroughly surprised.
The festive red curtains to the stage of the school hall were still closed when the colourful audience gathered in the auditorium shortly before 6.30 pm. Teachers, pupils, parents and the school management came together to see out another eventful year with a varied programme of music, theatre and reflective words.
When electric guitar sounds and a drum kit filled the room at the start of the celebration, everyone was amazed. The teachers Markus Schneider, Jannis Krämer, Jörg Vogt and the pupil Leif Jaeschke are behind this surprise, who, dressed up with white beards and red pointed hats, brought a rocking, cheerful atmosphere.
It did become reflective nonetheless when the headteacher Andrea Fürle recited the poem Weihnachten by Joseph von Eichendorff after her welcome speech. In her opening address she spoke to all guests, but especially to the pupils who had gathered on this day to celebrate the Christmas event together. Things then carried on together as all guests sang the song Macht hoch die Tür with the teachers’ band. This was followed by various musical contributions from the Year 7 choir, the Profile Music courses for Years 10 and 9, the school band and the teachers’ choir. The musical direction was taken by the teachers Markus von Blücher, Markus Schneider and Jannis Krämer. After a short break, things continued with a mix of theatre and music from the project groups Unterstufenband and Improtheater, led by Nadja Graus, Miriam Bays and Kathleen Uttrodt. In the play Der Weihnachtsgast, the pupils explored how Christmas can also bring high expectations and stress, and reminded everyone of the power of an apology, which can resolve conflict and discord.
In the address by Walter Gronbach, religion teacher and pastoral carer at the school, the focus was on the current political events in the Middle East. Wem gehört der Schnee? (Whose is the snow?) is the title of the picture book by Antonie Schneider and Pei-Yu Chang, which he presented. In it, three children of different religious backgrounds argue about who the snow belongs to and also about which God created it. The message of the book is simple but memorable: enjoy the snow, there is enough for everyone. Whoever tries to hold on to God loses Him, like snow that is held for too long in warm hands.
Fittingly, a Christmas medley focused mainly on the wish for snow. The closing blessing was given this time by the school pupil spokesperson Raoul Altmann. The celebration concluded with the Christmas song Happy Xmas, War is over, sung together – a wish we all carry in our hearts, said Andrea Fürle. In her closing speech, she thanked everyone who had taken part. Even though we cannot hope for snow over the holidays this year, we still hope for peace in the world.
