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50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GERMAN EXCHANGE PROGRAM
Dennis Manning and Ralf Göken.
In April 2023, Norfolk Academy and Copernicus Gymnasium in Löningen, a small town on the Hase River in northeast Germany, will begin a trans-Atlantic celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of the German exchange, a program that has influenced generations of students — teaching them to appreciate one another’s language, culture, traditions, and perspectives.
The exchange was started in 1973 by two teachers who were revered as titans at their schools, and who forged an enduring friendship: Frau Katherine Holmes, who taught students to love the German language and set a high bar for excellence in teaching all languages as Chair of the Foreign Language Department at NA; and Jurgen Wiehe, who was a well-loved and influential teacher at Copernicus.
It was part of the German American Partnership Program (GAPP), a program of the U.S. State Department to establish exchanges between secondary schools in the U.S. and what was then West Germany, as Germany remained a divided nation for decades after World War II. West Germany was democratic and allied with the U.S. and NATO, while East Germany was a communist nation in the Soviet-controlled Eastern Bloc.
The exchange has continued uninterrupted since its foundation (except for two pandemic summers, 2020 and 2021), and both schools believe that its extraordinary tenure is unmatched in either country. At the half-century mark, it is certainly time to celebrate. The schools have commissioned an original musical piece for chorus, orchestra, and dance. Concerts and other related events for alumni of the exchange are scheduled for April 1 at Norfolk Academy and June 16 at Copernicus Gymnasium.
This past spring, the headmaster of Copernicus Gymnasium, Ralf Göken, came to Norfolk Academy, along with his daughter, Julia, who was a long-term exchange student for 10 weeks this spring, hosted by Sophie Pollio ’24 and her family.
During the visit, Norfolk Academy Headmaster Dennis Manning and Göken sat down for a joint interview with Director of Communications Esther Diskin, which began with the exchange’s importance to both schools:
Manning: I would be hard-pressed to think of a relationship locally, except for one with the city of
Norfolk, that has had the depth, meaning, power, and satisfying value of this relationship. When I came here as headmaster more than two decades ago, a trustee told me it was the school’s most important institutional relationship. Göken: It started in 1973 with our founding mother and father, Katherine Holmes and Jurgen Wiehe, who developed the plans and got on planes to start the relationship. In 1974, the first 15 students came over. From then on, we developed a clear friendship. Copernicus has exchange programs all over Europe, with Italy, Poland, and France, for example. By far, this is the most important exchange that we have, and it results from the way it developed — like a family. The hospitality with the homestays is extremely good.
How did the personalities of the two founders influence the program?
Manning: It was providence — a perfect moment in time and space. In order for the institutions to be “married,” you had to have the right people. Providence was smiling on us with Wiehe and Holmes. They embodied the values. Jurgen treasured NATO and the way that this program mirrored his world view. He had a post-WWII reconstructionist mindset. Katherine had an unswerving commitment to human excellence. She was the consummate teacher. Göken: Wiehe passed away in 2009, and I started as headmaster in 2015. Jurgen’s wife made an appointment to see me. She wanted me to understand that he cared about two things — his family first, and then this exchange. He was proud that it was the first exchange between a German and an American school.
The program is built around the “homestay.” While students do some touring of major sites and cities in each country, they spend about two weeks in one another’s homes. Do you feel that is fundamental to the program’s longevity and success?
Göken: To get to know the culture, you must stay with the people! For example, I have been staying with Dennis during this visit, and we have had a chance to chat in the evenings. We talk about everything, not only our schools. Manning: I made Ralf sit through two basketball games and cheer on the Bulldogs the day he arrived! Göken: You know the people by the way they live their lives, by walking in their footsteps. You see the differences, and you also notice that we aren’t different. Manning: That’s right. Therein lies the enduring power of the program and strength of relationships. It’s intellectual, personal, and familial.
How have the two schools influenced one another over the course of this time?
Manning: The quality of German instruction at NA is a differentiator. It’s unique. Even the College Board and AP recognized our students as the top performing German language school in the United States. I remember proudly carrying the newspaper article to Chapel! The German program has informed how we teach other languages — it is the wellspring. Göken: Chapel — we do not have that tradition in Germany, but I like it. We started it monthly to observe good athletic teams, strong students academically. It brings the whole school together. You do it every day with the speeches! My dream would be to have an exchange of faculty in addition to the students! That would be wonderful! Manning: (laughing) Maybe we should test the faculty exchange idea with the retired headmaster going first! Göken: You could teach Shakespeare in Germany. Manning: I would do it for free!
Read more about the 50th Anniversary events in upcoming issues of Academy magazine.
