| No | English text |
| 0 | Pestalozzi! (1746-1827) The great educator at the castle The great Swiss pedagogue Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi was living within these walls when he developed some of his ideas on education. Already famous for his work as a writer and as an orphanage director, in 1799 Pestalozzi was invited to teach in Burgdorf by Philipp Stapfer, the Swiss Minister of Culture, and his brother-in-law Samuel Schnell.Pestalozzi held various positions whilst working here, and eventually founded his own institute. His stay however was short – by 1804 he had already moved on.The objects shown here form part of the “Rittersaalverein” collection. |
| 1 | The State needs citizens Pestalozzi in the service of the Helvetic Republic From 1798 to 1803, progressive politicians dominated the Helvetic Republic. They firmly believed that education was the key to shaping the citizens of a democratic state (although no mention was made of female citizens).Philipp Albert Stapfer, Minister of Culture of the Republic, was thus determined to reform the education system, and in 1799 he invited Pestalozzi to teach in Burgdorf. A year later the director of the Institute of Education died and Pestalozzi took over the position – seizing the opportunity to found his own institute within the castle. |
| 2 | Thank you France! In 1798, French troops invaded Switzerland. The fighting was particularly fierce in Stans, in the canton of Nidwalden. Here Heinrich Pestalozzi founded an orphanage for children orphaned by the French.It was, however, the very same French invaders who made it possible for progressive men to take over the new Helvetic Republic. Philipp Albert Stapfer, an Aargau native, was appointed as Minister of Culture, and considered modern education a matter of particular importance. Upon learning from his brother-in-law Samuel Schnell that Burgdorf Castle was vacant, he decided to open a modern school there.Stapfer invited the educational pioneer Pestalozzi to Burgdorf. More than one senior teacher was not happy about his presence – the innkeepers, on the other hand, were delighted, since “Pestaluzz ” attracted wealthy visitors from all over Europe. |
| 3 | Samuel Schnell (1775-1849). Lithograph. |
| 4 | Philipp Albert Stapfer (1766-1840). Lithograph. |
| 5 | Johann Christoph Buss: A view of the church, watercolour, ca. 1805. Here, in the lower town of Burgdorf, Pestalozzi taught children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The old schoolmaster – shoemaker Dysli – was not impressed by Pestalozzi’s educational style. |
| 6 | The Kirchbühl district. Pen and ink drawing, after 1732. Upper-class children were taught in the Kirchbühl. When Pestalozzi was invited to teach here, the schoolmaster Ris refused to work with him. |
| 7 | Poverty at school Education in the pre-modern era State schools have existed since the Middle Ages. Children of the upper classes studied in Latin schools, preparing for higher education. Poorer children had only the most basic schooling and mostly learnt religious texts by rote and how to sing religious songs. Classes were large and teachers were untrained. At the end of their schooling, most children could read a little, but were rarely able to write or do basic arithmetic. Children living in the countryside often went to school only in winter, when there was less work to do in the fields. |
| 8 | Albert Anker : “A village school in 1848” (reproduction). Boys and girls are sitting in the same room. There’s no suggestion of equality though – only the boys have desks. |
| 9 | For a long time, education in Protestant regions meant rote-learning of the catechism in a question-response format. The catechism contained all the most important elements of the Protestant faith. |
| 10 | “A brief catechism or a short and simple essay for children on the most important and noble elements of the Christian doctrine”, Bern 1793. Read by Dodo Deér. 6 min 12 secs. |
| 11 | “A brief catechism or a short and simple essay for children on the most important and noble elements of the Christian doctrine”, Bern 1793. |
| 12 | “Catechism, or a short lesson on the Christian doctrine”, Bern 1771. |
| 13 | “A short essay on the H. Sacraments.” Hand-written catechism, 18th century. |
| 14 | “Solennität”-Ceremonial Thaler 1772. In the 18th century the best students were rewarded with thalers such as these. A student was considered excellent when they made no mistakes in their responses to the catechism and were able to memorise 300 psalms by heart. |
| 15 | Head, heart and hand Pestalozzi’s holistic approach to education Pestalozzi had read the writings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the great Genevan philosopher of the Enlightenment. He was particularly impressed by the novel “Emile”.Education should refine that which is already present within the human being. Students should perceive the world through their own eyes. Pestalozzi divided education into different parts, but also underlined the necessity of seeing human beings as a whole: “Head-Heart-Hand” was his method. He believed that his approach to education was the only way to save the nation. |
| 16 | 10 year old Johannes Ramsauer remembers Pestalozzi’s teaching at the Pedagogical Institute. Read by Stefan Schönholzer and Peter Fischli. 3 min 19 sec. From Christian Widmer: “Pestalozzis Burgdorfer Zeit”, Bern 1973. |
| 17 | Heinrich Pestalozzi : “Instructions for learning to read and spell” by Heinrich Pestalozzi, Bern, 1801. |
| 18 | Heinrich Pestalozzi : “The Mother’s Book”, Zürich / Bern / Tübingen, 1803. |
| 19 | Joseph Schmid : “The Elements of Form and Size (Usually Called Geometry) Handled According to Pestalozzi’s Principles”, Bern 1809. |
| 20 | A short stay Between pedagogy and politics The Pestalozzi Pedagogical Institute at Burgdorf Castle housed a school, a pedagogical seminary, an orphanage and a boarding house. There, Pestalozzi taught, received visitors and wrote books – including his major work: “How Gertrude Teaches her Children”.In 1803, after only five years, the Helvetic Republic collapsed and the former ruling elite returned to power. Pestalozzi was forced to leave his institute in Burgdorf, moving on to Münchenbuchsee before finally settling in Yverdon. |
| 21 | The philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer travelled through Europe in 1804 and visited Pestalozzi in Burgdorf. |
| 22 | Wilhelm Christian Türk, a lawyer in the service of the Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, was a firm believer in Pestalozzi’s “method”. |
| 23 | The philosopher and pedagogue Johann Friedrich Herbart lived in Königsberg in East Prussia and was an advocate of Pestalozzi’s ideas in Germany. |
| 24 | This 1912 blueprint shows how the castle was used in the days of the Pestalozzi Institute.
1 Dining room |
| 25 | Stove tile, circa 1835. Inscription: “Heinrich Pestaluz was a man who accomplished great things.” |
| 26 | Learning in and about the world Memorising the catechism in a classroom was not Pestalozzi’s idea of good schooling. Children learn by observing the world around them!Walks formed an important part of Pestalozzi’s teaching. He would, for example, take the children across the river Emme, where they would collect stones of different shapes and colours. |
| 27 | J. F. Wagner : The Burgdorf Castle seen from the East. Lithograph, first half of the 19th century. |
| 28 | Proofs from the novel “How Gertrude Teaches Her Children”, Bern / Zürich, 1801. Pestalozzi reportedly shaped his educational programme into an epistolary novel in the garden shed in front of the castle. |
| 29 | Pestalozzi on a national level The teacher and benefactor gains national renown Many people today see Pestalozzi more as a charitable benefactor than as a pioneer of pedagogy. This view of his legacy is mainly due to Pestalozzi’s considerable efforts on behalf of orphans after the French invasion of Stans.During his lifetime, Pestalozzi was already known as a pedagogue, and he used his reputation to promote his ideas. Shortly before his death, he was working on the publication of his “Complete Works”.After the Sonderbund War and the creation of the federal state in 1848, the Swiss nation-state required national figures with whom both Catholics and Protestants could identify. Nicolas de Flue was one of them, as was the founder of the Red Cross, Henry Dunant – and of course Heinrich Pestalozzi. |
| 30 | Pestalozzi Charity School hand towel. In 1769 Pestalozzi and his wife Anna founded a charity school in Brugg. Pestalozzi tried to finance the school by having the children weave cloth, which he would then sell at the weekly market. |
| 31 | On the pedestal Pestalozzi speaks to a boy, who focuses eagerly on the great teacher. A girl also clutches his leg…This is how the sculptor Karl Alfred Lanz cast the pedagogue in bronze. The statue was first shown in Paris before arriving in Yverdon in 1890, where it is still standing today. This statuette is based on Alfred’s original design. Zurich also acquired its own bronze Pestalozzi in 1899. He, once a driving force of the educational system, is now fixed on a pedestal. |
| 32 | Bronze statuette modelled on the Pestalozzi Monument in Yverdon. |
| 33 | Joseph Anna Maria Christen: Mask of a living Pestalozzi, 1809 (reproduction). The Bavarian King Ludwig I visited Pestalozzi in 1805 in Yverdon. He was so impressed that he had this mask created by the sculptor Christen. |
| 34 | Complete works of Pestalozzi in 15 volumes, published by the bookseller J.G. Cotta. Stuttgart / Tubingen, 1819-1826. |
| 35 | Empty spaces in inns and the kindergarten Pestalozzi’s legacy in Burgdorf Once Pestalozzi was gone, the innkeepers were the first to feel the effects: there were no more wealthy visitors. But Pestalozzi’s spirit did not entirely disappear – some of his former pupils went on to work in politics and in the education system of Burgdorf and the Canton of Bern.After hearing a speech by Pestalozzi in Langenthal, the writer Jeremias Gotthelf became involved for rural community schools. The future head of the orphanage in Burgdorf, kindergarten pioneer Friedrich Fröbel, was one of Pestalozzi’s former pupils. |
| 36 | Friedrich Fröbel, a student of Pestalozzi and “inventor” of the kindergarten. Lithograph, 19th century. |
| 37 | Daniel Haas: “West entrance to Burgdorf”, Drawing, 1844/45. The building with smoke coming out of it is the orphanage. |
| 38 | Continuing to play Pestalozzi’s game Children learn by playing – if you let them play. The German pedagogue Friedrich Fröbel firmly believed this. He developed an educational play system and founded the first kindergarten in 1840.Pestalozzi was an important role model for Fröbel. As a young pedagogue, Fröbel was introduced to Pestalozzi’s writings and eventually went on to study at his institute in Yverdon. Due to some differences of opinion with his teacher, he left, but he once again went on to follow Pestalozzi’s footsteps, by becoming director of the orphanage in Burgdorf. |
| 39 | From simple objects such as balls, dice and reels, Fröbel developed his educational games. This wooden pawn is a copy of the monument for Fröbel in Bad Blankenburg (Thuringia). |
| 40 | Friedrich Fröbel: “Rules and Activity Boxes No. 1”. Reproduction based on “Play and activity boxes for childhood and adolescence. First gift: the ball as a child’s first toy”, Blankenburg / Kehlheim, 1838. |
| 41 | Gottfried Herzig : Bättwil, small oil painting, 20th century. |
| 42 | The Bättwill Poorhouse regulations, 1835 / 1836. In 1835 on the Bättwil farm, the city of Burgdorf set up an educational institute for poor boys using Pestalozzi’s ideas.On loan from the Burgerarchiv Burgdorf |
| 43 | Albert Bitzius alias Jeremias Gotthelf (1797-1854). |
| 44 | In the spirit Eight kilometres separate Lützelflüh and Burgdorf, a two-hour walk according to the road signs. Albert Bitzius, better known as Jeremias Gotthelf, would often walk this road, since the priest and writer taught Swiss history to future schoolteachers in Burgdorf.The young Bitzius’s notions of good schooling were strongly influenced by a speech he heard given by an elderly Pestalozzi in 1826. In his novel “Joys and Sorrows of a Schoolmaster”, he painted a miserable picture of Bern’s state schools. As a school inspector, he was actively involved in supporting teachers and pupils and he expressed his views to the school authorities in strongly worded letters. The cantonal civil servants did not appreciate his frankness, and in 1845 they dismissed the school inspector. |
| 45 | Gotthelf’s cane |
| 46 | The godfather What remains of Pestalozzi Pestalozzi’s great fame has led to an idealization of his methods that is questionable at best. His own son’s education was not particularly successful; he ignored girls; his “method” remains vague despite his many writings. Pestalozzi was authoritarian, he beat children and encouraged a climate of suspicion and conflict among his staff.It is only in recent years that our image of the godfather of Swiss pedagogy has become a little more nuanced. Well into the 20th century, dedicated followers of Pestalozzi could still be found in the Swiss universities of teacher education. |
| 47 | – |
| 48 | Interview with Barbara Burri, teacher at Burgdorf, 2019. 4 min. |
| 49 | Interview with Norbert Grube, History of Education and Schools Professor at the Zurich University of Teacher Education, 2019. 4 min. |
| noNr. | “And when rich and powerful nations boast of the majestic splendour of their institutes, the Helvetian will be able to respond: In my homeland there is no man, who cannot read, write or do arithmetic. »Philipp Albert Stapfer, 1799. |
| noNr. | “I saw popular instruction like a bottomless swamp before my eyes. I could not hide from myself that school-instruction, at least as I saw it actually practised, was for the great majority, and for the lowest classes, of no use at all.-Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, “How Gertrude Teaches Her Children”, 1801 |
| noNr. | The schoolhouse was inconvenient and ruinous. Besides, there were no reading books, no blackboards, no writing implements, the children themselves finding all their own school necessaries. I also found the teacher’s salary too low for the extensive work that he had and that was still increasing.
Jeremias Gotthelf: “The Joys and Sorrows of a Schoolmaster”, 1838 |
| noNr. | Good laws, we hope, will soon help us in our difficult task. More support from the authorities would revive the declining school system and improve our capabilities. Despite the low salary, we’re glad to be of service, and are confident we’ll see our labour give fruit.”The “junior schoolteacher” Bendicht Hofer to the authorities, 1799 |
| noNr. | “My approach was based on the following principle: first endeavour to teach your children to be broad-minded, and show them love and affection by satisfying their daily needs, their sensitivities, their experiences and their actions, then teach them the many skills they need to be able to go on and teach this goodwill to those around them.”Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi in a letter about his institution in Stans, 1799. |
| noNr. | “Knowledge, love and skill are what make a person complete; the sole purpose of education is that of perfection.”
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, “How Gertrude Teaches Her Children”, 1801. |
| noNr. | Pestalozzi asks: what do you see boys? (He never mentions girls).
Johannes Raumsauer on the lessons given by his teacher. |
| noNr. | Wallpaper : excerpts from “Instructions for learning to read and spell” by Heinrich Pestalozzi, Bern, 1801. |
| noNr. | “The government is very keen to see the Pestalozzi method thoroughly evaluated and proven. It aims to demonstrate this in Burgdorf.”
Minister of Culture Philipp Albert Stapfer to his brother-in-law in Burgdorf, Samuel Schnell, 1799. |
| noNr. | The nearby Emme River is an excellent place to swim, and is popular with the entire institute. In the evenings, when classes are over, a merry band gathers in the courtyard; the teachers sing a simple patriotic song, and everything with legs marches in tight rows up and down the yard.
From: “Pestalozzi, his teaching method and his institution” by Adolf Wilhelm Ferdinand Soyaux, 1803. |
| noNr. | Mr. Pestalozzi may seem old, but he nonetheless possesses an exceptional vitality. It is strange that he expresses himself so poorly: he speaks both German and French equally badly, stutters often, and frequently loses track of his sentences.
The philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer in his diary after a visit to Burgdorf in 1804 |
| noNr. | Pestalozzi was a man of the people, not in the modern sense of the word, but in the noble sense. He not only knew how to speak to and about the people, like the old quacks of yore peddling toothache cures, but he loved his people and he lived for them.
Jeremias Gotthelf, «Ein Wort zur Pestalozzifeier», 1848 |
| noNr. | Only education that embraces the spirit of Pestalozzi is true and natural […] One must proceed with great caution and circumspection when discarding or improving upon the teachings of Pestalozzi.
Friedrich Fröbel, a German pedagogue, in a letter to his brother, around 1806. |
| noNr. | Pestalozzi [by the end of the 19th century,] had become a symbol of educational discourse far beyond Switzerland.
From Fritz Osterwalder: “Pestalozzi – ein pädagogischer Kult”, 1996. |
| noNr. | For some 150 years, no director of a pedagogical seminary in German-speaking Switzerland ever succeeded in moving beyond the power of “father” Pestalozzi’s discourse, which, despite being somewhat blurred and confused, had become cast-iron model of future teachers’ ethical requirements.
From : Norbert Grube / Claudia Mäder “Papa Pestalozzi” in: “NZZ Geschichte”, July 2017 |