German Maritime Museum donates play sailboat to elementary school

A play sailing ship that was on display in 2018 in the children's traveling exhibition "Will you go sailing with me?" at the German Maritime Museum (DSM) / Leibniz Institute for Maritime History has arrived in a new "harbor." In the break auditorium of the Schweiburg Deichschule.

The sail is hoisted, the fenders are mostly tucked in, because the popular play sail boat is still on the move - but it has nevertheless found a permanent home port. There is always something happening on board. Changing crews work the mast, walk the planks and get ready to cast off. In a Schweiburg elementary school, the former exhibit found a safe anchorage and enjoys great popularity among first through fourth graders. "We set it up in our break auditorium and are all very happy about the gift. It's an absolute eye-catcher and has been especially helpful during Corona times to bring back socialization," says Rita Pfretzschner, principal of the Deichschule.

The boat was handed over in the spring and set course from Bremerhaven to the small village in the Jade district of Lower Saxony. The elementary school is located just 200 meters from the dike and refers in its mission statement to the connection to the sea and nature. That's why the boat is not just a break-time activity, but an integral part of the school's science, handicrafts and art lessons. Whether the current interest in maritime professions among the girls and boys is sustainable remains to be seen. After all, the principal says with a smile, there are currently a lot of captains, helmsmen and helmswomen, and ship's cooks around the boat during the breaks.

After an appeal to local elementary schools in Bremerhaven and the surrounding area, it was the Deichschule that first expressed interest when the DSM wanted to donate the play sailboat and three display cabinets. "For reasons of sustainability and because the boat could usefully supplement the equipment of an elementary school, we had decided to pass it on. It was already very popular with the young guests in the exhibition," says Birte Stüve, head of the education department at the DSM. She is pleased that the former museum exhibit will continue to serve maritime education purposes.