Würdenburg Castle

Würdenburg manor during a maneuver around 1860

Würdenburg Castle is a former manor in Teutschenthal in the Saalekreis district in Saxony-Anhalt . The castle was the economic and political center of the town well into the second half of the 19th century. The original Renaissance building was built by the von Trotha family and for centuries was the seat of a family line of this noble family. After a checkered history, the Würdenburg was transferred back to the Wentzel family in the course of the reunification of Germany, left to decay and demolished in 2019.

Historical development

Baroque family coat of arms of the von Trotha men in the court of the Würdenburg (2013)

With the sale of the Seeburg dominion (in the middle of the 13th century), their ownership came to the Counts of Mansfeld via detours in 1287 . As the house bailiffs of the Mansfeld counts, Wolf von Trotha (died 1375) and his youngest son Nicolaus (died 1412) were enfeoffed with goods along the dignified brook . In the small settlement of Würden, located south of the dignity and first mentioned in 1219 as “Wordhem”, there was already a centrally located Freihof. It was from here that the Counts of Seeburg had their surrounding properties administered. The Trothas now also settled on this farm and founded the Teutschenthal- Bennstedter line of the family with Hans von Trotha (died 1468) . In addition to the administration of the Mansfeld feudal estates, this family also exercised jurisdiction over " neck and neck " and took care of church affairs, such as the maintenance of the churches or the appointment of pastors in the Würdebach valley. Because of the division of Teutschenthal, which had existed since 1365, these rulers had to be shared with the Merseburg Monastery.

The steadily increasing property along the dignity brook and the associated claim to representation of the gentlemen von Trotha made a noble seat necessary. For this purpose, Friedrich von Trotha (died 1615) had the medieval buildings of the Freihof demolished in the late 16th century and replaced with a stately mansion. On an angular floor plan, a Renaissance-era castle was built from two wings, in the corner of which an octagonal stair tower, visible from afar, rose up with a distinctive tail cap. The Nikolaus chapel was demolished, but the rectory was rebuilt.

Part of the baroque stucco ceiling from 1710 (December 2013)

The Würdenburg around 1850 (west side)

The renaissance castle, which was undamaged during the Thirty Years' War but no longer up-to-date, was adapted to the baroque style in 1710 under Franz Casimir von Trotha (1679–1711) and partially rebuilt. After his death the property was no longer used by the heirs, but leased. In the course of time, a number of farm buildings such as sheep, ox and horse stables with straw, hay and chaff flooring were built on the adjacent courtyard of the Würdenburg.

The almost 400-year rule of the Trothas in Teutschenthal ended with the sale of the Würdenburg in 1832. Financial hardships forced Ludwig von Trotha (1811–1895) to sell all of the properties in Teutschenthal to the leaseholder of the Seeburg office, Oberamtmann Friedrich Bartels, to sell. After the death of his son (1848), the castle and lands passed to the manor owner Schmidt. Under this, the Würdenburg experienced a final climax. Together with the surrounding lands, it often served as the scene of Prussian military maneuvers. During one of these maneuvers, in September 1857, high-ranking representatives of the European aristocracy also included the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm IV (1840–1861) and the Prince of Prussia, who later became German Emperor Wilhelm I (1861 / 71–1888) Würdenburg Castle present.

As an inheritance from his wife Ella, née Zimmermann, the property came into the possession of the Prussian governor Carl Wentzel (1876–1944) in 1915 . In 1928 he had the well-known architect and castle researcher Hermann Wäscher carry out the last renovation work on the manor house. Among other things, the west wing was extended by two window axes and the servants' house was increased. After land reform and the expropriation of the Wentzel family in 1945, a dental practice was housed in the main building. The former manor house was later used as a day-care center (until 1986) and a crèche (until 1991). At the same time, a peasant trade cooperative was using the former estate. The Teutschenthal Agricultural Production Cooperative set up a cider factory here, which ceased operations in the early 1990s. A so-called elevator barn had already been removed after the land reform.

With reunification and the return of expropriated property, Carl Wentzel's grandchildren got the property back from the state of Saxony-Anhalt.

Decay and demolition

Collapsed part of the facade on the north side (November 2013)

Court of the Würdenburg (December 2016)

Since the crèche moved out, the Würdenburg had stood empty and fell into disrepair. Despite renovations, the demolition of the stair tower in 1951 and neglect in the last two decades, Renaissance and Baroque decorative forms such as family coats of arms and portals were preserved in and on the main building and in the farmyard. In addition, there were original baroque stucco ceilings from around 1710 in the manor house. However, part of the north facade next to the main entrance had already collapsed; further parts acutely threatened. The farm buildings in the courtyard are also unused and left to decay. Only the former servants' house, which has been directly adjacent to the main building since the last renovation work in 1928, has been partially renovated and inhabited.

The Wentzel brothers, as the legal owners, were not interested in the preservation or restoration of the Würdenburg. Even the Lower Monument Protection Authority in the district town of Merseburg did not advocate the preservation of the monument. Local and regional media reported, including a television report. In September 2015 the Würdenburg could be presented on the day of the open monument. Despite all efforts, the response was very manageable and the castle is still a long way off.

In April 2019, the castle was finally demolished due to damage to the building fabric. A new building is to be built on the site.

literature

Alexander Duncker : The rural residences, castles and residences of the knightly landowners in the Prussian monarchy. 16 volumes. Berlin 1857–1884.
Heino introduction et al. (Ed.): Teutschenthal. The forbidden chronicle. Original copy from 1979. Halle 2004.
Margarete Gerlach: Teutschenthal in old views. Zaltbommel 1997.
Margarete Gerlach, Helmut Gerlach: Teutschenthal then and now. Volume 3. Zaltbommel 2003.
Mike Leske: Greetings - postcards and lithographs from Eisdorf, Teutschenthal & Teutschenthal-Bahnhof. 7th new edition. Teutschenthal 2016.
Sabine Meinel, Birthe Rüdiger: List of monuments Saxony-Anhalt. Volume 5. Saalkreis, Halle 1997, pp. 127–130.
Erich Neuss : walks through the county of Mansfeld. In the Seegau . 2nd Edition. Halle 1999, pp. 58-89.
Albert Schröder: Teutschenthal. A contribution to the millennial history of the place. Eisleben 1929.