School leaving exams in Bonn How police have prepared for "Theme Week" in Bonn

BONN/REGION · During their last regular week of lessons before their school leaving exams, pupils come to school dressed up and celebrate the so-called “Theme Week” with harmless tricks. However, the last days of school are not always so peaceful.

From today, school leavers are celebrating the so-called “Theme Week”: their last regular week of lessons before the school leaving exams. They come to school each day dressed up according to various themes, such as “first school day” or “bad taste”, celebrate with each other and also allow themselves the occasional jokes.

In addition to these harmless practical jokes, pupils in recent years have also attracted attention for less amusing activities resulting in negative headlines. There was frequent vandalism and alcohol and drug abuse at celebrations. In 2016 in Cologne there were nightly fights in which around 200 pupils from rival schools were involved. Several young people were injured, two of them seriously. Incidents such as these have prompted police in Cologne to patrol more high schools this week.

Police spokesperson Simon Rott told the General-Anzeiger that by contrast there had been no violence during “Theme Week” in Bonn in recent years. However, officers would stand at schools in the mornings giving instructions for the later journey to the Rigal’sche Wiese, where Bonn’s pupils traditionally celebrate their last day of school together.

“I think such riots are pointless”

Despite isolated incidents in the past, most pupils celebrate peacefully. The school leaver Kylie Dreschke (17) from the Konrad-Adenauer-Gymnasium thinks this is important. She and her friends have already made plans. “We will darken the cafeteria and build a labyrinth with black light,” she says. “We also want to reorganise the tables and chairs and stick cling film on the blackboards.” The pranks, however, were agreed in advance with the school management.

Kylie also reports that alcohol consumption is severely punished in her school. Those who are tipsy on the last day of school will not be admitted to the end of year exams until later.

Minister of Education, Yvonne Gebauer, is calling for a harmonious “Theme Week” during the final days of school in North Rhine-Westphalia: “The prerequisite for a happy and exuberant atmosphere is of course always a considerate and peaceful coexistence.” Kylie thinks the same. “I think such riots are pointless. After all, it’s about having fun together.”

(Original text: Christine Bähr. Translation: kc)

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