Ilsenburg House
Encyclopedia
Ilsenburg House stands in the town of Ilsenburg (Harz) in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt
and was given its present appearance in the 2nd half of the 19th century. The structure was built from 1860 onwards on the west and north sides of the Romanesque monastery of Ilsenburg Abbey
. The stately home, designed in the Neo-Romanesque style, was the seat of the princes of Stolberg-Wernigerode
until 1945. Since 2005, it has been owned by the Ilsenburg Abbey
Foundation.
In the future it is intended to make use of the house, together with the surviving, medieval cloisters (Klausurgebäude) of the monastery, as an art and cultural centre with overnight accommodation as well as a restaurant open to the public.
The Benedictine
monastery in Ilsenburg was closed during the 16th century. The abbey site, including all its estates, were taken over by the counts of Stolberg who had exercised guardianship over the abbey since 1429 when the counts of Wernigerode died out. The secularised abbey estate was recognised by the prince-elector of Brandenburg, Frederick William I in 1687 as his property. During the 30 Years' War the castle of Wernigerode, occupied by Henry Ernest
, had fallen into such a state, that he moved his court to Ilsenburg in September 1648. He moved into the dowager residence on the west side of the former abbey land that had been built between 1609 and 1615 by his cousin, Henry, for his wife, Adriane. Over the next six decades, Henry Ernest and his son, Ernest, ruled their county from the "Comital Stolberg House of Ilsenburg" (Gräflich Stolbergischen Hause Ilsenburg), as the family called the small stately home at that time. Count Ernest had the former abbey church redesigned around 1700. The high altar, pulpit and the baptismal angel (Taufengel) are examples of fine baroque wood carving and still demonstrate today the skill of the master craftsman who made them. In 1710 the counts of Stolberg-Wernigerode moved their seat back to Wernigerode again. The remaining cloisters were used for various purposes during the succeeding decades and comital officials moved into the surrounding buildings. Between 1861 and 1863 Count Otto of Stolberg-Wernigerode
had the building above the Ilse extended as a residence for his uncle, Botho. In doing so, the Romanesque style of the monastic buildings was adopted again. The expansion was led by Karl Frühling, to whom Count Otto had entrusted the conversion of his castle in Wernigerode. From 1897 Ilsenburg was the dowager seat for Princess Anna of Stolberg-Wernigerode and her daughter, Elisabeth. In 1929 Prince Christian Ernest rented the house, the remains of the former cloisters and the adjacent park for 30 years to the Evangelical Church of the old-Prussian Union. After several renovations, in January 1930 the Ecclesiastical Mission Seminary (Kirchliches Auslandsseminar) began training theologians for mission abroad. Because the seminar was supported by the Confessional Church that resisted Nazification of the Protestant churches, it was dissolved in 1936. That same year the Old Prussian
Evangelical Supreme Ecclesiastical Council (Evangelischer Oberkirchenrat, EOK) established a convalescent home for church workers in several of the rooms. Two years later an Evangelical Preaching Seminary was added. During the Second World War the house was also home to a military medical facility for reserves as well as a refugee camp. In May 1945 shortly before the war's end it was plundered and, several months later, the Stolberg-Wernigerode family
were dispossessed. Its new owners, the municipality of Ilsenburg, struck a new agreement for its beneficial use with the Old Prussian Union. In addition to a College of Pastors and an Academy of Singing it also housed, in the years that followed, the Evangelical Academy of Research (Evangelische Forschungsakademie) founded in 1948. With the creation of the exclusion zone around the Inner German Border in 1961, all church activity had to cease and the Stasi
took over the whole estate until 1972. From 1974 to 1990 a convalescent home was established in the building for employees of the Ministry for Rural Affairs and Food (Ministerium für Land- und Nahrungsgüterwirtschaft). From 1990 until its purchase by the Ilsenburg Abbey Foundation in 2005 it was used as an hotel.
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
and was given its present appearance in the 2nd half of the 19th century. The structure was built from 1860 onwards on the west and north sides of the Romanesque monastery of Ilsenburg Abbey
Ilsenburg Abbey
Ilsenburg Abbey was a monastery of the Benedictine Order located at Ilsenburg near Wernigerode, in Saxony-Anhalt in Germany....
. The stately home, designed in the Neo-Romanesque style, was the seat of the princes of Stolberg-Wernigerode
Stolberg-Wernigerode
The Principality of Stolberg-Wernigerode was a county of the Holy Roman Empire located in the Harz region around Wernigerode, now part of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.-History:...
until 1945. Since 2005, it has been owned by the Ilsenburg Abbey
Ilsenburg Abbey
Ilsenburg Abbey was a monastery of the Benedictine Order located at Ilsenburg near Wernigerode, in Saxony-Anhalt in Germany....
Foundation.
In the future it is intended to make use of the house, together with the surviving, medieval cloisters (Klausurgebäude) of the monastery, as an art and cultural centre with overnight accommodation as well as a restaurant open to the public.
History
The Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monastery in Ilsenburg was closed during the 16th century. The abbey site, including all its estates, were taken over by the counts of Stolberg who had exercised guardianship over the abbey since 1429 when the counts of Wernigerode died out. The secularised abbey estate was recognised by the prince-elector of Brandenburg, Frederick William I in 1687 as his property. During the 30 Years' War the castle of Wernigerode, occupied by Henry Ernest
Henry Ernest of Stolberg-Wernigerode
Henry Ernest of Stolberg-Wernigerode was a German politician, canon, dean and author of many hymns. He also published some poetry and collections of songs. He was Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode from 1771 until his death.- Life :...
, had fallen into such a state, that he moved his court to Ilsenburg in September 1648. He moved into the dowager residence on the west side of the former abbey land that had been built between 1609 and 1615 by his cousin, Henry, for his wife, Adriane. Over the next six decades, Henry Ernest and his son, Ernest, ruled their county from the "Comital Stolberg House of Ilsenburg" (Gräflich Stolbergischen Hause Ilsenburg), as the family called the small stately home at that time. Count Ernest had the former abbey church redesigned around 1700. The high altar, pulpit and the baptismal angel (Taufengel) are examples of fine baroque wood carving and still demonstrate today the skill of the master craftsman who made them. In 1710 the counts of Stolberg-Wernigerode moved their seat back to Wernigerode again. The remaining cloisters were used for various purposes during the succeeding decades and comital officials moved into the surrounding buildings. Between 1861 and 1863 Count Otto of Stolberg-Wernigerode
Otto zu Stolberg-Wernigerode
Prince Otto of Stolberg-Wernigerode was an Imperial German politician and the first Vice-Chancellor of Germany. He was born into the ancient noble family of Stolberg-Wernigerode which had been quasi-sovereign rulers of their county until the German Mediatisation when they came under the...
had the building above the Ilse extended as a residence for his uncle, Botho. In doing so, the Romanesque style of the monastic buildings was adopted again. The expansion was led by Karl Frühling, to whom Count Otto had entrusted the conversion of his castle in Wernigerode. From 1897 Ilsenburg was the dowager seat for Princess Anna of Stolberg-Wernigerode and her daughter, Elisabeth. In 1929 Prince Christian Ernest rented the house, the remains of the former cloisters and the adjacent park for 30 years to the Evangelical Church of the old-Prussian Union. After several renovations, in January 1930 the Ecclesiastical Mission Seminary (Kirchliches Auslandsseminar) began training theologians for mission abroad. Because the seminar was supported by the Confessional Church that resisted Nazification of the Protestant churches, it was dissolved in 1936. That same year the Old Prussian
Prussian Union (Evangelical Christian Church)
The Prussian Union was the merger of the Lutheran Church and the Reformed Church in Prussia, by a series of decrees – among them the Unionsurkunde – by King Frederick William III...
Evangelical Supreme Ecclesiastical Council (Evangelischer Oberkirchenrat, EOK) established a convalescent home for church workers in several of the rooms. Two years later an Evangelical Preaching Seminary was added. During the Second World War the house was also home to a military medical facility for reserves as well as a refugee camp. In May 1945 shortly before the war's end it was plundered and, several months later, the Stolberg-Wernigerode family
House of Stolberg
The counts of Stolberg are members of a large German noble family that has many branches.- History :There are over ten different theories about the origin of the counts of Stolberg, but none has been become commonly accepted. However, it is most likely that they are descended from the counts of...
were dispossessed. Its new owners, the municipality of Ilsenburg, struck a new agreement for its beneficial use with the Old Prussian Union. In addition to a College of Pastors and an Academy of Singing it also housed, in the years that followed, the Evangelical Academy of Research (Evangelische Forschungsakademie) founded in 1948. With the creation of the exclusion zone around the Inner German Border in 1961, all church activity had to cease and the Stasi
Stasi
The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security (German: Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (MfS), commonly known as the Stasi (abbreviation , literally State Security), was the official state security service of East Germany. The MfS was headquartered...
took over the whole estate until 1972. From 1974 to 1990 a convalescent home was established in the building for employees of the Ministry for Rural Affairs and Food (Ministerium für Land- und Nahrungsgüterwirtschaft). From 1990 until its purchase by the Ilsenburg Abbey Foundation in 2005 it was used as an hotel.
Sources
- Heinrich Heffter: Otto Fürst zu Stolberg-Wernigerode, T. 1 (= Historische Studien, H. 434), ed. by Werner PölsWerner PölsWerner Pöls was a German historian and politician, representative of the German Christian Democratic Union.- Literature :...
, Husum 1980, ISBN 3-7868-1434-1 - Ferdinand Schlingensiepen (ed.): Theologisches Studium im Dritten Reich. Das Kirchliche Auslandsseminar in Ilsenburg/Harz.Düsseldorf 1988. ISBN 3-930250-25-X
- Gottfried Maron: Tausend Jahre Ilsenburg im Spiegel der Geschichte von Kloster und Schloß. Darmstadt 1995, ISBN 3-920606-15-9
- Stadt Ilsenburg (Hg.): 995-1995. 1000 Jahre Ilsenburg/Harz.Ilsenburg/Wernigerode 1995
- Claudia Grahmann: Vom gräflichen Haus zum Schloß Ilsenburg. In: Neue Wernigeröder Zeitung 16/2003
External links
- Material on Ilsenburg House in the Duncker Collection of the Central and State Library of Berlin (pdf; 298 kB)