Arno Alexander Krieger

It is not only today that education is seen as the key to culture, development and success. Even in the 19th century, when industrialisation, mechanisation and the emergence of the new sciences favoured the rising middle classes, imparting knowledge was seen as the basis of all progress. With the founding of the "Krieger'sche Lehr- und Erziehungsanstalt mit Pensionat" on Altfriedstein in June 1867, Carl Moritz Krieger joined the ranks of those educationalists who endeavoured to teach children and young people and raise them to be moral and ethical human beings. This private educational institution was later successfully continued by his son Arno Alexander, born on 9 June 1862.

In the 19th century, the Saxon school system was involved in an eventful development process, as it was precisely in this area of life that the most diverse views of the school administration, parents, teachers, towns, communities and, last but not least, the church clashed. Nevertheless, the literacy rate of all sections of the population reached almost 100% in 1833 and from 1835, schooling was made compulsory for all children aged 8-14. The quality of teacher training was also greatly improved by requiring 6 years of study in state teacher training colleges, with the Saxon college widely regarded as the highest quality[1].

Carl Moritz Krieger's successful school primarily appealed to the well-heeled clientele of Radebeul, who were increasingly settling in Oberlößnitz and Niederlößnitz and were willing to invest in a higher education for their children. The large influx of people eventually necessitated the move to Meißner Straße 47 (today 273), as more and more artists, aristocrats and court officials settled here. However, a serious illness put an end to his directorship in 1887. Fortunately, his son Arno decided to postpone his theology exams in Leipzig and instead took up his father's legacy. In doing so, he not only averted the closure of the school, but also saved his unmarried sisters, who had been working at the school until then, from a very uncertain economic fate. The parents of the pupils also expressed their relief by presenting him with a flag they had made themselves in thanks. (today in the Radebeul town archives)

His father's reputation and commitment, and not least his own pupils at the respected St. Afra, may have contributed to Arno being granted permission to continue the public school despite not having a degree. After successfully completing his theological studies, he was also required to take an additional pedagogical examination, which he also successfully passed. Finally, his father died on 27 July 1889 in Kötzschenbroda, and after succession disputes with his siblings were settled, he was given the authority to run the school. He immediately worked hard to expand the school with spacious, modern classrooms. In the course of these expansion measures, several properties were occupied on Meißner Straße, and the public school on Altfriedstein also moved: Progymansium (Meißner Str. 47), Knabenerziehungsheim (Meißner Str. 41), Höhere Töchternschule (Meißner Str. 39). Until their closure, 108 pupils studied in these institutions. With the honour of teaching the prince's sons of the Saxon king, the prestige of the house rose sharply. Arno also advocated progressive teaching methods in line with the newly emerging sciences, such as psychology. He replaced the usual authoritarian school routine with creative components, such as lessons in the fresh air. His pupils learned in small groups, regularly performed theatre plays and were given the opportunity to develop freely in this supportive, carefree learning atmosphere. His success proved him right, as every one of his pupils went on to pass their A-levels. Karl May was also an enthusiastic friend and supporter of Arno Krieger, praising his institution to the skies in his work "The Oil Prince". The Daughters' School in particular had a personal significance for Arno, as it was here that he fell in love with Lina Wilhelmine Heiser, the director of the institute. They married in 1899 and their first son Hans-Harald was born in 1900. Six more children were to follow.

In 1903, however, the educational establishment had to bow to the established competition in Dresden and the surrounding area and close its doors. Nevertheless, Krieger'sche Lehranstalt made a fundamental contribution to modern teaching concepts, contemporary holistic educational methods and first-class knowledge transfer, thus enriching the differentiated image of the school system at the time.

The Radebeul town archive would like to thank Elke Latza (née Krieger and granddaughter of Arno Alexander Krieger) and Jürgen Latza for kindly handing over the family chronicle.

Maren Gündel, Town Archive

[1]Moderow, Hans-Martin: Sachsens Volksschule am Ende des Kaiserreichs. Fundamental problems and examples from Dresden, in: Zwischen Reform und Restriktion. Sächsische Schulgeschichte im 20. Jahrhundert, ed. by Dresdner Geschichtsverein e.V., 27. vol. 97, 1/2009, pp.5-15 (Dresdner Hefte).

Published in: Official Gazette Radebeul in June 2012