Kurt Hahn Award

Born in Berlin to Jewish parents, Hahn attended school in Berlin, then universities at Oxford, Heidelberg, Freiburg. During World War I, Hahn worked in the German Department for Foreign Affairs, analyzing English newspapers and advising the Foreign Office. He had been private secretary to Prince Max von Baden, the last Imperial Chancellor of Germany. From 1920 to 1933 Hahn was the first headmaster of Schule Schloss Salem, a private boarding school in Germany, founded by Hahn in cooperation with Prince Max. Hahn was raised as a Jew and served as the Salem School's headmaster during Adolf Hitler's rise to power. Hahn began his fierce criticism of the Nazi regime after a young communist was killed in the presence of his mother by Hitler's storm troopers. When he spoke out against the storm troopers, who had received no punishment, Hahn spoke against Hitler publicly. He asked the students, faculty, and alumni of the Salem school to choose between Salem and Hitler. As a result, he was imprisoned for five days (from 11 to 16 March 1933). After an appeal by British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald

Hahn settled in Scotland, where he founded Gordonstoun on similar principles to the school in Salem. Later, Hahn converted to Christianity and became a communicant member of the Church of England in 1945 and preached in the Church of Scotland. He also started an international organisation of schools, now called Round Square. Hahn was also involved in the foundation of the Outward Bound Organisation, Atlantic College in Wales and the wider United World College movement, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

Hann believed that it was crucial for students to prepare for life by having them face it head on and experience it in ways that would demand courage, generosity, imagination, principle and resolution. He believed that given the appropriate set of circumstances and the correct attitude, young men and women could discover their own inner strength and an understanding of the physical and social world around them. Round Square is an organization embodying this educational revolution.

BCCSC Kurt Hahn Award Criteria

1. Studying hard and actively participating in the promotion of six pillars of Round Square including Internationalism, Democracy, Environmental Protection, Adventure, Leadership and Service.

2. Actively attending activities on campus and being responsible for some activity.

3. Achieving great achievement in leading team and being approved by students and teachers.

4. Cultivating responsibility and independence and participating in formulating school public policy.

5. Award will be presented to three winning team leaders by election.

BCCSC’s Kurt Hahn Award Recipients