Chapel school Trupbach
The first school chapel was built in Trupbach near Siegen in 1670–71. Later, it did not meet safety requirements and in 1739, a new chapel school was built in the village center. It was remodeled in 1870: a wall between the chapel and the school room was removed and new windows with doors were installed. The chapel school was in school use until 1928 when a new school building was established.
The former chapel school was used as a Nazi Party home during World War II. Damages caused by war were repaired in 1950. Today, the old chapel school serves as a gathering place for the local historical society.
Chapel school Trupbach photograph
Chapel school Trupbach 3 photograph
Trupbach 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 Trupbach, 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.
