Kurt Hahn's educational thought is less well-known than the educational institutions he established. This article analyses Hahn's educational ideas through a reading of his speeches and limited writings, and sketches the historical context in which these ideas developed. Although his aristocratic background resulted in a thoroughly conservative worldview, he developed a largely progressive educational practice focusing on active "Samaritan service" and experiential learning, enabling students to discover the Christian purpose of life. Hahn's notion of Samaritan service has been adopted, in secularised form, by the International Baccalaureate, and it is here where his lasting contribution to primary and secondary education lies. (Contains 1 note.)