In 1556 Duke Christoph (1515-1568) converted the large monasteries into monastery schools in the course of the Reformation. The new generation of Protestant pastors was then trained here. The fact that Württemberg has contributed an unusually large number of prominent names to the history of German culture and science is primarily attributable to these monastery schools.
At the time of their founding the monastery schools were extremely modern. For the first time children from poor families could acquire a higher education. However, this privilege was linked to the requirement that they study theology in Tübingen later and become pastors or teachers. Once the boys – usually 10 to 14 years old – had passed the admission exam, they had a scholarship for the rest of their education. This consisted of room and board, instruction, clothing and teaching materials. The everyday life of the students was strictly organized and controlled by instruction.
The pressure to succeed, strict discipline, a wealth of material, paltry meals, getting up early and damp walls – more than a few pupils were unable to cope with this situation. Letters, stories and a large number of caricatures from the pupils are a living testimony to this.
Beginning in 1806 – in the course of Secularization – all monasteries were in state ownership. The monastery schools became public corporations and were renamed Protestant theological seminaries. Educational reforms relaxed the school regulations and adjusted the teaching program to match contemporary ideas, however the purpose of the training remained unchanged.
In 1817 there were four seminaries in Württemberg; today only the "Gymnasiums" (comparable to high schools) in Blaubeuren and Maulbronn survive. In 1969 girls were allowed to enroll for the first time, and coeducational instruction was introduced in Maulbronn in 1972. As the sponsors of Maulbronn Seminary, the Protestant state church and the state of Baden-Württemberg have decided to further expand the Gymnasium. The impressive mill building with its origins in the 12th century located along the northern wall of the monastery offers plenty of space for this purpose!
For more information on distinguished students of Maulbronn Monastery School, see "Famous Persons".