Commencement of education at the new primary school situated in Ehrenfriedersdorf
In the heart of Ehrenfriedersdorf, a town known for its rich mining heritage, a historic building has been given a new lease of life. The former courthouse, which was first opened in 1904, is now home to the primary school "An den Greifensteinen".
After standing empty for 12 years, the city of Ehrenfriedersdorf acquired the building in 2020. A significant investment of approximately eight million euros was made for a barrier-free renovation, transforming the courthouse into a modern primary school. The project took three years to complete, and on August 11, 2025, the school was inaugurated.
The school now caters to 140 pupils in eight classes. To ensure the safety of the students, traffic control has been strengthened on school roads, with monitoring of speed limits happening in Chemnitz, the district of Zwickau, and the Vogtland district.
The increase in student numbers in Saxony has necessitated the hiring of more than 1,000 new teachers this school year. However, the lack of applications prevented the hiring of more teachers than necessary.
The building's previous uses in the post-war period included serving as a town hall substitute, a retirement home, and a nursing home until the end of 2002. Prior usage concepts for the building as a primary school were attempted but failed before its successful conversion.
For more details about the specific history and renovation of this building, additional specialized sources or local archives would be necessary. However, it's worth noting that multipurpose reuse of buildings, such as converting courthouses into schools, is a common practice in many European towns to preserve historic architecture while adapting to contemporary needs.
You can listen to the inauguration of the primary school "An den Greifensteinen" by following the provided link. The news source is SACHSEN - Das Sachsenradio, broadcast from the regional studio Chemnitz at 16:30 on August 11, 2025.
The city's acquisition of the historic building in Ehrenfriedersdorf in 2020 included a significant investment for its transformation into a modern primary school, demonstrating one aspect of education-and-self-development in the region. This former courthouse, now known as the primary school "An den Greifensteinen", serves 140 students in eight classes, contributing to the increase in student numbers in Saxony.
The multipurpose reuse of buildings like the converted courthouse school is a common practice in many European towns, showcasing how historic architecture can be preserved while addressing contemporary needs, thus promoting education-and-self-development and cultural preservation.
