Tyska Skolgränd

Tyska Skolgränd ( _sv. German School Alley) is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden, stretching from Svartmangatan to Baggensgatan, and crossed by Själagårdsgatan.

The present name of the street, first appearing as "Tyska Scholæ Gatan" on a map from the early 18th century, is apparently derived from the German school in the late 16th century housed on number 8, Själagårdsgatan. The lot was thereafter bought by the German parish who had a first school building built in 1626, and a new completed in 1670. The building was subsequently enlarged and rebuilt at several occasions, the present buildings on the location mostly dating from 1887.cite book
title = Stockholms gatunamn | language = Swedish
edition = 2nd ed. | year = 1992
publisher = Kommittén för Stockholmsforskning
location = Stockholm | id = ISBN 91-7031-042-4
pages = 79 | chapter = Innerstaden: Gamla stan] The building, as it seem, was the one in general used by itinerant theatre groups in Stockholm during the 17th century.cite web
author = H. Schück | title = Bidrag till kännedom om 1600-talets dramatik
year = 1892 | publisher = Project Runeberg
url = http://runeberg.org/samlaren/1892/0011.html Runeberg
accessdate = 2007-02-28 | language = Swedish] The German school was discontinued after more than 300 years, but a new German school, still in operation, was inaugurated on Östermalm in 1941.cite book
title = Stockholm genom sju sekler | author = Per-Erik Lindorm
edition = 1st ed. | year = 1951 | publisher = Sohlmans
location = Stockholm | id = | language = Swedish
pages = 496 | chapter = 1940-talet: Ur stadskrönikan]

The part of the alley east of Själagårdsgatan appears under different names reflecting the various activities dominating it: In 1557, it is called "Tynnebindare gaten" referring to a hooper (e.g. maker of barrels) "Peder Tunnbindare" ("Peter Barrel-binder") known to have lived here in 1538. Located on the north side of the alley was, however, the potent "Vårfrugillet av den tyska nationen" ("Our Lady's guild of the German Nation"), which gave the alley the name "Gillestugegaten" ("Guild's Cottage's Street") in 1579. During the 18th century, the alley is also referred to as "Persiljegränd" ("Parsley Alley"), possibly a corruption (jocular or not) of the name of the extended block east of the alley, "Perseus". Since the revision of street names in 1885, this alley is, however, made part of the western section.

Over the porch of Number 4 is a sandstone cartouche dating back to the 1670s and displaying the message: : "dVM sChoLa teVton ICI CoetVs eXstrVCta VIgesCIt, eXsVrget StVdIIs gLorIa IVsta pIIs"a Latin sentence meaning "As long as the school of the German parish prosper, conscientious studies will bring true honour". The Latin numbers in the sentence - an encrypted message - summon up to the year 1670.cite book | language = Swedish
title = Gamla stan med Slottet och Riddarholmen | pages = 62-63
author = Béatrice Glase, Gösta Glase | chapter = Inre Stadsholmen
edition = 3rd ed. | year = 1988 | id = ISBN 91 7160 823 0
publisher = Bokförlaget Trevi | location = Stockholm]

References

See also

* List of streets and squares in Gamla stan
* German Church

External links

* [http://www.stockholmskallan.se/index.php?sokning=1&action=visaPost&countPlace=0&mediaId=9032&start=0&fritext=Tyska+Skolgr%E4nd Stockholmskällan - A historical photo from 1905]
* [http://www.hitta.se/SearchCombi.aspx?__VIEWSTATE=%2FwEPDwUKMTg4NDI3NTMzNWRk&UCSB%3AWflWhite=1a1b&UCSB%3AWflPink=4a&SearchType=4&UCSB%3ABBX1=&UCSB%3ABBY1=&UCSB%3ABBX2=&UCSB%3ABBY2=&UCSB%3ATextBoxWho=&UCSB%3ATextBoxWhere=Tyska+Skolgr%E4nd&UCSB%3AButtonSearch=%A0%A0hitta%21%A0%A0&CombiDetails%3AMapControl%3Acx=1628658&CombiDetails%3AMapControl%3Acy=6580579&CombiDetails%3AMapControl%3ApointsHidden=&CombiDetails%3AMapControl%3Az=3 hitta.se - Location map and virtual walk]
* [http://home.tyskaskolan.se/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7&Itemid=6&lang=sv German School, Stockholm]