The non-profit association was founded in 2008. Founding members included the late Baron Hans-Dietrich v. Stein (Castle Voelkershausen), Baron and Baroness Truchsess von Wetzhausen (Castle Bundorf), Elisabeth Machon, the long-serving mayor of Unsleben, and Countess Waldburg Wolfegg, wife of the castle owner (first chairwoman). The association received support from the then district administrator, Thomas Habermann as a member. Furthermore, the association contributes to cultural dialogue in the region, particularly, but not exclusively, with regard to the Jewish heritage of Unsleben, whose roots lie in the history of the castle.
Our Mission
The Friends of Wasserschloss Unsleben are committed to preserving a historic place not as a relic of the past, but as a living space for culture, education, and responsible remembrance.
We believe that historic sites matter only if they remain meaningful in the present. Preserving Wasserschloss Unsleben therefore means more than maintaining walls and roofs. It means safeguarding historical substance while actively engaging with the questions that history raises: responsibility, continuity, and the long-term consequences of human action.
Our mission is threefold:
- to protect and maintain the architectural and historical integrity of the castle,
- to foster cultural and educational projects that place history in context rather than simplifying it,
- and to keep this place open as a space for dialogue, reflection, and civic engagement.
We work independently, driven by long-term commitment rather than short-term trends. Through private initiative, membership, and support, we ensure that this site remains accessible, credible, and alive.
Wasserschloss Unsleben stands for the conviction that history must be actively cared for — not to glorify the past, but to understand it and pass its lessons on with honesty and responsibility.
Newest project: Reconnect Unsleben