Thomas Mann Gymnasium
Encyclopedia
Thomas Mann Gymnasium is a co-ed, independent
German
-Hungarian
international school
in Budapest
, Hungary
. It is part of the network of German
Auslandsschulen (German independent school
s in foreign countries). The school was called "Deutsche Schule Budapest" until September 2004.
The former Deutsche Schule Budapest was re-established as the continuation of, first, the 1908 Reichsdeutsche Schule Budapest, and later, the German Government School in Budapest. The founders were Baden-Württemberg
, the Federal Government of Germany
, the City of Budapest
and the Hungarian
government, in succession to a tradition of German abroad schools in Hungary dating back to the late 19th century. Since then, it has evolved into a state-of-the-art education facility for about 500 students, with forms from grade 1 to 4 (Grundschule) and 5 to 12 (Gymnasium
). The school draws in equal proportions from the children of expat professionals, many of whom have little or no relation to Germany itself, and the Hungarian elite
. It is generally considered to be one of the best schools of its kind in Hungary
, with an objectively very high acceptance rate.
The school is part of the German federal education system and accredited to issue the German Abitur
/Reifeprüfung. At the same time, leavers of the Hungarian branch get the Hungarian
Matura
(Érettségi) as well.
The education between the 5th and the 10th grade is split into two branches. The S branch (forms with "s" designation, e.g. 6s - "S" stands for Seiteneinstieg, meaning "side entry" in German
) is for Hungarian students, with strengthened German language education, while the A branch follows the regular curriculum of a German Gymnasium
. In grade 10, the two branches are 'remixed' and their curricula differ only in minor points.
nominated to the post of Headmaster, which was met by opposition by the school community, including teachers and students. After protests, including an open letter to the ambassador and the German Foreign Minister, as well as a student protest in front of the embassy, the situation was resolved by the nomination of OStD Klaus Eberl.
The school is co-governed by two Deputy Headmasters, the Hungarian Deputy Headmaster (currently Mendly Lajos, in office since 2003) and the German Deputy Headmaster (StR Peter Stübler, in office since 2009).
rate of virtually 100%, and one of the highest admission
s rates among Hungarian schools. While not coming top in the Neuwirth
tables, the nationally accepted admissions rate table in Hungary, this is only because admissions to foreign universities, which make up for as much as 45% of all TMG graduates, are not recorded in the Neuwirth tables. Considering graduates enrolled at foreign institutions as well, the admissions rate is around 95%, currently equalled only by Fazekas.
The school's comparative strength is, primarily, in the field of languages. The average leaver will have a knowledge of German and English to the level to enable him to attend university
taught in either of the languages. French and Spanish, which has been recently introduced, are also taught at a high level.
The science
curriculum features biology
, physics
and chemistry
as compulsory subjects throughout on at least supplementary level. A testimony to the level of science education is the large proportion of students in medicine
and the sciences.
The arts
curriculum is unusual in that it focuses in all subjects on a comparative
perspective between different cultures. So for example, when a given historical event is studied, its impact will be presented on both Hungarian and German history, and sources drawn from both regions will be called upon to evaluate the event.
Students have significant choice in what path to follow within the requirements of a compulsory number of classes in creative arts
. Students may generally opt for a course in music theory
, or for a course in visual arts
, which consists of a common compulsory history of art
module, and either a set of classes exploring creative techniques, or a more project-based course, where students have to submit a project proposal, then realise it and reflect upon their results.
Teachers at the school are generally proposed and delegated by the Federal Ministry for Education (Germany
), and are confirmed by the school. In a number of cases, especially where Hungarian teachers are concerned, the school hires teachers directly. In the majority of cases, several years' experience at one of the highly reputable Hungarian secondary schools is a minimum requirement.
grades and good performance at the preparatory course, good results at an intelligence test (Cattle-Koch) and a good overall impression on interviews as well as a well-rounded personality is required. Newly admitted entrants are required to pay a registration fee, currently €1,500.
The TMG, as an independent school
, has some tension resulting from wealth differences. While the school fees are high, especially in comparison with Hungarian circumstances, the school offers extensive need-based bursaries and scholarship
s. Nevertheless, TMG remains to be commonly considered one of the most preppy
educational establishments in Hungary, despite being less expensive than the American School in Nagykovácsi
or the SEK.
The school prides itself on its diversity
, its students representing more than thirty different nationalities
. Albeit smaller than most other international schools in Budapest, it is proportionally more diverse and places more stress on a cosmopolitan education than on education to either of the countries' culture only. National tensions are generally considered to be a thing of the past, and especially the higher forms (10-12) serve as examples of inter-cultural understanding, something that is emphasised in the compulsory Social Sciences
course. The school is religiously independent, and offers Roman Catholic and Reformed religious education
, as well as a confession-neutral course in ethics
.
competition in the last few years.
The school has close links to the prestigious Europa-Kolleg, a two-weeks research scholarship program for annually twenty high school student, organised by the state foundation of Lower Saxony
, the Stiftung Niedersachsen.
The school has a very active student drama
society, generally performing at least one play every term, and a school choir.
A number of academic clubs exist, especially in the sciences - the chemistry
and mathematics
clubs, as well as the geophysics
working group, are attracting a number of students. The most significant of the numerous arts clubs is the history
society. The school chess
club is also very popular, looking back to a long history and many intra- and extramural competitions.
Following the concept of education to a well-rounded personality, the school emphasises the importance of athletics
. The school football team is one of the best school teams in Budapest
, frequently playing (and defeating) other international schools in the area. The basketball
first team has also had notable successes recently, not the least thanks to the annual student-teacher match on the last school day before Christmas
break, widely attended by almost the whole student population.
The girls' volleyball
team is also one of the best school teams in the area, represented in almost every major high school level tournament. Minority sports, such as hockey
, similarly enjoy popularity as part of the very diverse PE
curriculum. Four square
(Australian rules) and Fives
are popular with the lower grades, though less so since the restructuring of the campus.
The school's sailing
club and yacht squad organises outings every weekend at Lake Velence
, where the school's holiday house is located.
teacher Gábor Gombocz, the Gombocz-Runde is a 1,3 km cross country
run on an area near the school with extreme inclines and uphill parts. As such, it is strenuous exercise even for generally fit pupils. Tradition has it that every pupil has to run it at least once a term to pass in PE, although this has lately been abandoned. The run itself nevertheless remains part of the PE curriculum. It is partly due to the tradition of the Gombocz-Runde that Thomas Mannians are regularly seen at various city marathon
s and charity runs. Gombocz doesn't run with the pupils, he sits on a chair the pupils have to carry. The run always takes place in the hot summer of Hungary
.
co-organised by the Parents' Conference that takes place in early December, but always after Szalagavató. It is a Christmas-themed event where most forms get a stall and sell pancakes, mulled wine
, and various trinkets. The income usually goes to charity. The Adventsbasar is widely attended by alumni and has recently become a social event for more recent alumni to meet up.
on their coats. The Szalagavató is the ceremony
when the ribbons are officially handed over to the pupils. The Szalagavató takes place usually in late November to early December, and marks the final stage of a pupil's school career. It is usually a white tie
event taking place in the school, commonly presided over by the German Ambassador
to Budapest
or another high-ranking state officer.
, on the last day of ordinary school schedules for the finalists. It takes place on the last Friday before the start of the preparatory and examination period, at the end of which the oral parts of the leaving examinations are taken. Finalists march through classrooms decorated with flowers for this purpose, singing traditional commercium songs, such as Gaudeamus Igitur.
in Gárdony
, on the shore of Lake Velence
. The house can accommodate more than thirty people, and has a fully equipped kitchen
, community rooms and harbor
facilities. It is a favorite destination for weekend form excursions during term-time, and it also serves as the base for the school sailing
club. The mandatory 10th form maritime ecology
, environmental chemistry
and environmental biology
practicals are usually held at the lake, involving bird observation
, practical water chemistry and examination of samples, and environmental assay.
Deutgarisch - Portmanteau from "deutsch" (German language
) and "ungarisch" (Hungarian language
): the language allegedly spoken at the school, a mixture of German and Hungarian.
Abistreich - Some usually harmless prank perpetrated by students before the end of their final year.
Mensa - from lat. mensa = table: the school dining hall.
Kisbolt - lit. little shop: a tuck shop
close enough to the school to be able to get there and back again in the 20-minutes period breaks, selling reasonably priced food and drink.
Aquarium
- Group room 1, overlooking the entrance hall, with so many windows that it actually appears from the distance like a glass aquarium.
128 - The bus
between the city centre and the school.
L128 (short for Linie 128) - The independent school newspaper
. Published every two weeks in termtime, it features news, an art section and interviews with a different teacher in each edition.
Vadászház - Originally meaning huntsman's lodge, it was the first school house. Currently houses the preparatory school
.
Aula - from lat. aula = hall: the school meeting hall, houses a large stage and is capable to accommodate all students and faculty. It is usually used for the headmaster's start-of-term and end-of-term address.
Vertretung - Substitute classes. A daily published plan for cancelled and substituted classes is displayed next to the main entrance to the central building, as generally the first thing one sees when entering the central building.
Amphitheater - A circular, open-air stage in the school park.
Wandertag - Weekdays selected by the school for open-air excursions. Explorations in the surrounding mountains are popular with lower grades, while higher grades usually attend careers events.
SV - The school student government.
Fakt - The specific name of the additional higher level Hungarian language
and literature classes.
Vasas - A large sports field geared towards track and field
in the city. During summer term, sports classes sometimes take place there. Vasas-classes are not quite favoured, as the tasks usually entail exhausting and pointless exercises.
DG - German
history
classes. Used to distinguish it from Hungarian history classes, for students who are taking both.
Projektwoche - The week (usually) at the start of Easter term, when instead of regular classes, students work on projects in cross-grade teams.
Schneefrei - Occurs when the school buildings cannot be reached because of heavy snow.
Blau and Grün (Blue and Green) - Two former school houses, demolished 2001 to make place for new buildings.
Classes are formally named after the subject, but usually referred to by students by name of the teacher.
Teachers, regardless of nationality and family status, are addressed by Herr
/Frau and last name
.
rate is virtually 100%, the admissions rate above 95%. In the last years, the TMG sent several students to Oxbridge
, leading universities in Germany
, including Heidelberg
, the United States and Austria
. There are significant contingents of old Thomas Mannians at the universities of Karlsruhe
, Heidelberg
, Munich
and Oxford
.
Although the school does not give specific coaching for the SAT
exams, most students taking SATs excel significantly over national average. The school has the highest rate for language certificates at any stage of education of all schools in the country.
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
-Hungarian
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
international school
International school
An International school is loosely defined as a school that promotes international education, in an international environment, either by adopting an international curriculum such as that of the International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Examinations, or by following a national...
in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. It is part of the network of German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Auslandsschulen (German independent school
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
s in foreign countries). The school was called "Deutsche Schule Budapest" until September 2004.
History
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
, the Federal Government of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the City of Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
and the Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
government, in succession to a tradition of German abroad schools in Hungary dating back to the late 19th century. Since then, it has evolved into a state-of-the-art education facility for about 500 students, with forms from grade 1 to 4 (Grundschule) and 5 to 12 (Gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
). The school draws in equal proportions from the children of expat professionals, many of whom have little or no relation to Germany itself, and the Hungarian elite
Elite
Elite refers to an exceptional or privileged group that wields considerable power within its sphere of influence...
. It is generally considered to be one of the best schools of its kind in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, with an objectively very high acceptance rate.
The school is part of the German federal education system and accredited to issue the German Abitur
Abitur
Abitur is a designation used in Germany, Finland and Estonia for final exams that pupils take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, see also for Germany Abitur after twelve years.The Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, often referred to as...
/Reifeprüfung. At the same time, leavers of the Hungarian branch get the Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
Matura
Matura
Matura or a similar term is the common name for the high-school leaving exam or "maturity exam" in various countries, including Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia,...
(Érettségi) as well.
The education between the 5th and the 10th grade is split into two branches. The S branch (forms with "s" designation, e.g. 6s - "S" stands for Seiteneinstieg, meaning "side entry" in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
) is for Hungarian students, with strengthened German language education, while the A branch follows the regular curriculum of a German Gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
. In grade 10, the two branches are 'remixed' and their curricula differ only in minor points.
Directorate
The Headmaster of the TMG is currently OStD'in Brigitte Cleary, governing the school as Interim Commissioner after the term of OStD Klaus Eberl, the previous director. The Hungarian Ministry of Education and the German minority representation in Hungary sought to have Helmut Seiler, a teacher at the state-run German minority school in Baja, HungaryBaja, Hungary
Baja is a city in , southern Hungary. It is the second largest city in the county, after the county seat at Kecskemét, and is home to around 37,000 people....
nominated to the post of Headmaster, which was met by opposition by the school community, including teachers and students. After protests, including an open letter to the ambassador and the German Foreign Minister, as well as a student protest in front of the embassy, the situation was resolved by the nomination of OStD Klaus Eberl.
The school is co-governed by two Deputy Headmasters, the Hungarian Deputy Headmaster (currently Mendly Lajos, in office since 2003) and the German Deputy Headmaster (StR Peter Stübler, in office since 2009).
Academics
The TMG has a stringent academic curriculum, which is evidenced by a graduationGraduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
rate of virtually 100%, and one of the highest admission
Admission
Admission may refer to:*Admission to an event or establishment*University and college admissions*Admission , a statement that may be used in court against the person making it...
s rates among Hungarian schools. While not coming top in the Neuwirth
Neuwirth
Neuwirth is a surname, and may refer to:In music:*Bob Neuwirth, American singer, songwriter, record producer and visual artist*Olga Neuwirth, Austrian composerIn other fields:*Bebe Neuwirth, American theater, television, and film actress...
tables, the nationally accepted admissions rate table in Hungary, this is only because admissions to foreign universities, which make up for as much as 45% of all TMG graduates, are not recorded in the Neuwirth tables. Considering graduates enrolled at foreign institutions as well, the admissions rate is around 95%, currently equalled only by Fazekas.
The school's comparative strength is, primarily, in the field of languages. The average leaver will have a knowledge of German and English to the level to enable him to attend university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
taught in either of the languages. French and Spanish, which has been recently introduced, are also taught at a high level.
The science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
curriculum features biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
as compulsory subjects throughout on at least supplementary level. A testimony to the level of science education is the large proportion of students in medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
and the sciences.
The arts
ARts
aRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
curriculum is unusual in that it focuses in all subjects on a comparative
Comparative
In grammar, the comparative is the form of an adjective or adverb which denotes the degree or grade by which a person, thing, or other entity has a property or quality greater or less in extent than that of another, and is used in this context with a subordinating conjunction, such as than,...
perspective between different cultures. So for example, when a given historical event is studied, its impact will be presented on both Hungarian and German history, and sources drawn from both regions will be called upon to evaluate the event.
Students have significant choice in what path to follow within the requirements of a compulsory number of classes in creative arts
Creative Arts
Creative arts is the term used to describe different types of art. Specifically, to introduce fine art ideas, techniques, skills and media. It is generally used as an umbrella for Dramaturgy, Music , Graphic Arts/Cartooning, Performing Arts, Film and Publishing, Galleries and Museums and the Visual...
. Students may generally opt for a course in music theory
Music theory
Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
, or for a course in visual arts
Visual arts
The visual arts are art forms that create works which are primarily visual in nature, such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, and often modern visual arts and architecture...
, which consists of a common compulsory history of art
History of art
The History of art refers to visual art which may be defined as any activity or product made by humans in a visual form for aesthetical or communicative purposes, expressing ideas, emotions or, in general, a worldview...
module, and either a set of classes exploring creative techniques, or a more project-based course, where students have to submit a project proposal, then realise it and reflect upon their results.
Teachers at the school are generally proposed and delegated by the Federal Ministry for Education (Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
), and are confirmed by the school. In a number of cases, especially where Hungarian teachers are concerned, the school hires teachers directly. In the majority of cases, several years' experience at one of the highly reputable Hungarian secondary schools is a minimum requirement.
Admissions
Admission is in most cases through a preparatory course lasting a year, and is highly selective: from the more than 100 applicants who enroll in the preparatory course each year, no more than twenty are admitted. Besides outstanding elementary schoolElementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
grades and good performance at the preparatory course, good results at an intelligence test (Cattle-Koch) and a good overall impression on interviews as well as a well-rounded personality is required. Newly admitted entrants are required to pay a registration fee, currently €1,500.
Climate
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
, has some tension resulting from wealth differences. While the school fees are high, especially in comparison with Hungarian circumstances, the school offers extensive need-based bursaries and scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
s. Nevertheless, TMG remains to be commonly considered one of the most preppy
Preppy
Preppy, preppie, or prep refers to a modern, widespread United States clique, often considered a subculture...
educational establishments in Hungary, despite being less expensive than the American School in Nagykovácsi
American International School of Budapest
-Introduction to the School:The American International School of Budapest is an international school located in Budapest, Hungary. It was established in 1973 by the United States Embassy to serve United States Government employees' dependents, however, it now has a much more diverse student body...
or the SEK.
The school prides itself on its diversity
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
, its students representing more than thirty different nationalities
Nationality
Nationality is membership of a nation or sovereign state, usually determined by their citizenship, but sometimes by ethnicity or place of residence, or based on their sense of national identity....
. Albeit smaller than most other international schools in Budapest, it is proportionally more diverse and places more stress on a cosmopolitan education than on education to either of the countries' culture only. National tensions are generally considered to be a thing of the past, and especially the higher forms (10-12) serve as examples of inter-cultural understanding, something that is emphasised in the compulsory Social Sciences
Social sciences
Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
course. The school is religiously independent, and offers Roman Catholic and Reformed religious education
Religious education
In secular usage, religious education is the teaching of a particular religion and its varied aspects —its beliefs, doctrines, rituals, customs, rites, and personal roles...
, as well as a confession-neutral course in ethics
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
.
Extracurriculars
The TMG is one of currently nine Hungarian schools participating in the Model European Parliament project. TMG gave in the last year two international delegates with a total of seven international session attendances and a President of National Session to the MEP. Students of the TMG/DSB have participated in several international and national projects. The Class of '05 won a first prize on the Federal Competition of Political Education in 2003, and the school had several contestants in the finals of the prestigious OKTVOKTV
Országos Középiskolai Tanulmányi Verseny in Hungarian . Students 15–18 years old compete in various subjects, such as natural sciences, history, Hungarian literature and foreign languages...
competition in the last few years.
The school has close links to the prestigious Europa-Kolleg, a two-weeks research scholarship program for annually twenty high school student, organised by the state foundation of Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
, the Stiftung Niedersachsen.
The school has a very active student drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
society, generally performing at least one play every term, and a school choir.
A number of academic clubs exist, especially in the sciences - the chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
and mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
clubs, as well as the geophysics
Geophysics
Geophysics is the physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods. The term geophysics sometimes refers only to the geological applications: Earth's shape; its gravitational and magnetic fields; its internal structure and...
working group, are attracting a number of students. The most significant of the numerous arts clubs is the history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
society. The school chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
club is also very popular, looking back to a long history and many intra- and extramural competitions.
Athletics
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
. The school football team is one of the best school teams in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, frequently playing (and defeating) other international schools in the area. The basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
first team has also had notable successes recently, not the least thanks to the annual student-teacher match on the last school day before Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
break, widely attended by almost the whole student population.
The girls' volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
team is also one of the best school teams in the area, represented in almost every major high school level tournament. Minority sports, such as hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
, similarly enjoy popularity as part of the very diverse PE
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
curriculum. Four square
Four square
Four square, also known as squareball, boxball, and in Canada, champ, is a ball game played among four individuals on a square court divided into quadrants...
(Australian rules) and Fives
Fives
Fives is a British sport believed to derive from the same origins as many racquet sports. In fives, a ball is propelled against the walls of a special court using gloved or bare hands as though they were a racquet.-Background:...
are popular with the lower grades, though less so since the restructuring of the campus.
The school's sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
club and yacht squad organises outings every weekend at Lake Velence
Lake Velence
Lake Velence is the third largest lake in Hungary. It is a popular holiday destination among Hungarians.The lake has an area of 26 km2., one third of which is covered by the common reed...
, where the school's holiday house is located.
Gombocz-Runde
Named after one-time school coach and PEPhysical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
teacher Gábor Gombocz, the Gombocz-Runde is a 1,3 km cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
run on an area near the school with extreme inclines and uphill parts. As such, it is strenuous exercise even for generally fit pupils. Tradition has it that every pupil has to run it at least once a term to pass in PE, although this has lately been abandoned. The run itself nevertheless remains part of the PE curriculum. It is partly due to the tradition of the Gombocz-Runde that Thomas Mannians are regularly seen at various city marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
s and charity runs. Gombocz doesn't run with the pupils, he sits on a chair the pupils have to carry. The run always takes place in the hot summer of Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
.
Adventsbasar
The Adventsbasar is a flea marketFlea market
A flea market or swap meet is a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered. It may be indoors, such as in a warehouse or school gymnasium; or it may be outdoors, such as in a field or under a tent...
co-organised by the Parents' Conference that takes place in early December, but always after Szalagavató. It is a Christmas-themed event where most forms get a stall and sell pancakes, mulled wine
Mulled wine
Mulled wine, variations of which are popular in Europe, is wine, usually red, combined with spices and typically served warm. It is a traditional drink during winter, especially around Christmas and Halloween.-Glühwein:...
, and various trinkets. The income usually goes to charity. The Adventsbasar is widely attended by alumni and has recently become a social event for more recent alumni to meet up.
Szalagavató
Once finalists have passed their first semester of finals year and are admitted to leaving examinations, they are allowed to wear a distinctive bright-blue ribbonRibbon
A ribbon or riband is a thin band of material, typically cloth but also plastic or sometimes metal, used primarily for binding and tying. Cloth ribbons, most commonly silk, are often used in connection with clothing, but are also applied for innumerable useful, ornamental and symbolic purposes...
on their coats. The Szalagavató is the ceremony
Ceremony
A ceremony is an event of ritual significance, performed on a special occasion. The word may be of Etruscan origin.-Ceremonial occasions:A ceremony may mark a rite of passage in a human life, marking the significance of, for example:* birth...
when the ribbons are officially handed over to the pupils. The Szalagavató takes place usually in late November to early December, and marks the final stage of a pupil's school career. It is usually a white tie
White tie
White tie is the most formal evening dress code in Western fashion. It is worn to ceremonial occasions such as state dinners in some countries, as well as to very formal balls and evening weddings...
event taking place in the school, commonly presided over by the German Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
or another high-ranking state officer.
Ballagás (passing out ceremony)
Ballagás is the actual ceremony of leaving schoolGraduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
, on the last day of ordinary school schedules for the finalists. It takes place on the last Friday before the start of the preparatory and examination period, at the end of which the oral parts of the leaving examinations are taken. Finalists march through classrooms decorated with flowers for this purpose, singing traditional commercium songs, such as Gaudeamus Igitur.
Gárdony (school holiday house)
The school owns a holiday houseHoliday House
Holiday House, Inc., is a publishing house founded in 1935 in New York City, specializing in children's literature. It is a member of the Children's Book Council....
in Gárdony
Gárdony
Gárdony is a town in Fejér county, Hungary.This town is next to Velence-lake and is a popular summer destination. The town is divided into three parts: Gárdony, Agárd and Dinnyés and lies on the south shore of the lake. The name Gárdony is believed to have originated in the early 1200s...
, on the shore of Lake Velence
Lake Velence
Lake Velence is the third largest lake in Hungary. It is a popular holiday destination among Hungarians.The lake has an area of 26 km2., one third of which is covered by the common reed...
. The house can accommodate more than thirty people, and has a fully equipped kitchen
Kitchen
A kitchen is a room or part of a room used for cooking and food preparation.In the West, a modern residential kitchen is typically equipped with a stove, a sink with hot and cold running water, a refrigerator and kitchen cabinets arranged according to a modular design. Many households have a...
, community rooms and harbor
Harbor
A harbor or harbour , or haven, is a place where ships, boats, and barges can seek shelter from stormy weather, or else are stored for future use. Harbors can be natural or artificial...
facilities. It is a favorite destination for weekend form excursions during term-time, and it also serves as the base for the school sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
club. The mandatory 10th form maritime ecology
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
, environmental chemistry
Environmental chemistry
Environmental chemistry is the scientific study of the chemical and biochemical phenomena that occur in natural places. It should not be confused with green chemistry, which seeks to reduce potential pollution at its source...
and environmental biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
practicals are usually held at the lake, involving bird observation
Birdwatching
Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
, practical water chemistry and examination of samples, and environmental assay.
School slang
Due to its international traditions, the school has several idiosyncratic expressions, from both German and Hungarian.Deutgarisch - Portmanteau from "deutsch" (German language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
) and "ungarisch" (Hungarian language
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
): the language allegedly spoken at the school, a mixture of German and Hungarian.
Abistreich - Some usually harmless prank perpetrated by students before the end of their final year.
Mensa - from lat. mensa = table: the school dining hall.
Kisbolt - lit. little shop: a tuck shop
Tuck shop
A tuck shop is a small, food-selling retailer. It is a term principally used in the UK, Grenada, South Africa, New Zealand, the Australian states of Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales, and occasionally in other parts of the former British Empire. In New South Wales, the term is...
close enough to the school to be able to get there and back again in the 20-minutes period breaks, selling reasonably priced food and drink.
Aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
- Group room 1, overlooking the entrance hall, with so many windows that it actually appears from the distance like a glass aquarium.
128 - The bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
between the city centre and the school.
L128 (short for Linie 128) - The independent school newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
. Published every two weeks in termtime, it features news, an art section and interviews with a different teacher in each edition.
Vadászház - Originally meaning huntsman's lodge, it was the first school house. Currently houses the preparatory school
Preparatory school (UK)
In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools...
.
Aula - from lat. aula = hall: the school meeting hall, houses a large stage and is capable to accommodate all students and faculty. It is usually used for the headmaster's start-of-term and end-of-term address.
Vertretung - Substitute classes. A daily published plan for cancelled and substituted classes is displayed next to the main entrance to the central building, as generally the first thing one sees when entering the central building.
Amphitheater - A circular, open-air stage in the school park.
Wandertag - Weekdays selected by the school for open-air excursions. Explorations in the surrounding mountains are popular with lower grades, while higher grades usually attend careers events.
SV - The school student government.
Fakt - The specific name of the additional higher level Hungarian language
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
and literature classes.
Vasas - A large sports field geared towards track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
in the city. During summer term, sports classes sometimes take place there. Vasas-classes are not quite favoured, as the tasks usually entail exhausting and pointless exercises.
DG - German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
classes. Used to distinguish it from Hungarian history classes, for students who are taking both.
Projektwoche - The week (usually) at the start of Easter term, when instead of regular classes, students work on projects in cross-grade teams.
Schneefrei - Occurs when the school buildings cannot be reached because of heavy snow.
Blau and Grün (Blue and Green) - Two former school houses, demolished 2001 to make place for new buildings.
Classes are formally named after the subject, but usually referred to by students by name of the teacher.
Teachers, regardless of nationality and family status, are addressed by Herr
Herr
-People:* John Knowles Herr, American general officer* Lois Herr, American politician* Traugott Herr , German general-Other:* Herr, Indiana, United States* H.E.R.R., a Dutch band* Herr's Snacks, a Pennsylvania-based snack food and potato chip maker...
/Frau and last name
Last Name
"Last Name" is the title of a song composed by country singer Carrie Underwood, Hillary Lindsey and Luke Laird. It is the third single from Underwood's second studio album, Carnival Ride. It was released in the United States on April 7, 2008, by which point the song had already charted...
.
After graduation
TMG students graduate with top results and almost all of them proceed to select universities and facilities of further education. The graduationGraduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
rate is virtually 100%, the admissions rate above 95%. In the last years, the TMG sent several students to Oxbridge
Oxbridge
Oxbridge is a portmanteau of the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge in England, and the term is now used to refer to them collectively, often with implications of perceived superior social status...
, leading universities in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, including Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, the United States and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. There are significant contingents of old Thomas Mannians at the universities of Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
, Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
.
Although the school does not give specific coaching for the SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
exams, most students taking SATs excel significantly over national average. The school has the highest rate for language certificates at any stage of education of all schools in the country.
Famous alumni (list incomplete)
Famous alumni of the schools are represented in business, sports and public life of both countries.Sciences & Technology
- Gabor Bernath, young inventor of the ScanGuru three-dimensional scanner technology, winner of the 50th Intel ISEF.
Business & Economics
- Maria Wünsche, lecturer in marketing at the University of St. GallenUniversity of St. GallenThe University of St. Gallen is a public research university located in St. Gallen, Switzerland. It is specialized in the fields of business administration, economics, law, and international affairs. The University of St. Gallen is also known as HSG, which is an abbreviation of its former German...
.
Sports
- Eva SzekelyÉva SzékelyÉva Székely is a Hungarian retired female swimmer. She won the gold medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki and the silver medal at the 1956 Summer Olympics....
, gold medalist at the 1952 Summer Olympics1952 Summer OlympicsThe 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
in HelsinkiHelsinkiHelsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, attended the school when it was called the Reichsdeutsche Schule Budapest (Imperial German School of Budapest). - Andy Kuharszky, tennis player for the University of WashingtonUniversity of WashingtonUniversity of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...