Chapel school Oberdielfen
The chapel school in Wilnsdorf-Oberdielfen was first mentioned in 1709, but had to give way to a new building as early as 1821. The following year, the new school began operation for some 60 school children. The western side of the classically built chapel was used for church services, the eastern side served as a classroom until 1929. Then a larger school needed to be built. In 1997, the chapel school was renovated. To this day, three school buildings stand side by side in Ober-dielfen, in the architectural style of their respective periods of origin. The chapel school has been used as a meeting place for over 100 years and may be visited if interested.
Chapel school Oberdielfen photograph
Oberdielfen in: The Chapel Schools' Book
Chapel schools form a solitary architectural type for the Siegerland and its neighboring regions.
As stand-alone buildings and conspicuous in their surroundings, like the one in Oberdielfen, they reveal the connection between religion and school education starting from the domain of Count William I of Nassau-Katzenelnbogen (1487-1559) and his son John VI of Nassau, Katzenelnbogen and Dietz (1536-1606). The hybrid used buildings existed until the end of the 19th century and in parts even until the 20th century.
Chapel Schools a solitary architectural type
The Siegen fine art photographer Thomas Kellner recognized the historical and cultural value of these buildings and set himself the task of preserving and recalling this typical regional cultural asset through a new medium. By means of photography he transfers the chapel schools into an artistic context and gives the historical topic a new dimension in the present (art).
Just as the chapel schools united in themselves two spheres of life, this publication also conveys different contemporary perspectives on the history and genesis of the chapel schools. While Kellner tries to rethink the type of building, which oscillates between profane and sacred, with his artistic realization, Chiara Manon Bohn, Isabell Eberling M. Sc. Dr. Andrea Gnam and Dr. Stefanie Siedek-Strunk provide an insight into the historical, architectural and religious classification of the chapel schools up to the pictures of Thomas Kellner in text contributions.
