The GDR society emerged after the end of National Socialism and bore the burden of that era just like the western part of Germany and today all of Germany. As radical as the political break seemed, the changes in the country and in schools often occurred only gradually. The schools were under the influence and demands of the state for uniformity and a party-oriented direction in their educational efforts. This process of influence was painful, and teachers were - whether they wanted to be or not - involved in their actions and inactions. The history of schools in the GDR is not only a story of adaptation and the establishment of a new society but also a story of the return of many teachers and students. The school described here and its development into a socialist secondary school was unmistakable.