📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
Bedheim castle was first mentioned in the year 1169 and was devastated and reconstructed several times in its long history. In the time of German Democratic Republic (GDR) it slowly rotted. Now renovation is in charge of the family of Ruehle von Lilienstern. A non-profit association is supporting the renovation work and using part of the castle for its own activities. Since 1992, this association has been organizing workcamps. Year by year new working fields have been developed: a social therapeutic nursery was added, the association is running an organic garden and since 2007 the castle also runs a garden café and a
small castle museum where you can admire the bones of prehistoric dinosaurs, once living in this region.
During the last 20 years, the castle became a sociocultural center for this remote region: in the castle, there is a perfect room for celebrations; around the castle, one can find various types of gardens and meadow for goose and goats. In addition, there are training courses and cultural activities available. The aim of this project is to create an atmosphere where people with or without disabilities may come, live and work together without any prejudice against handicap, nationality or religion.
Inhabitants of the castle are looking forward to meeting us, to working with us and hearing our suggestions and ideas and to creating a peaceful world together!
💼 What the programme involves
Volunteers are invited to help in the care and preservation of this ancient monument. We will work for 6 hours daily, do painting and cleaning inside or maintain the garden around the castle. In the garden, the work depends on the season, usually it is harvesting fruits, cutting trees, bushes and hedges. Encounters with kids and people of the region are foreseen. Every year Bedheim castle is part of the nationwide event called “day of the open monument“. The castle will be opened in the weekend for guests and we can support with doing some service and show an artistic performance. In the last years, volunteers danced and played piano music. You can develop something according to your talents. There will be the possibility to take one day off during the week as compensation.
Study: We may learn more about the following topics: natural beauty of the environment. We can make excursions to places of cultural and historical interest (e.g. Weimar, the city of Goethe and the concentration camp Buchenwald). We can have discussions and lectures about German history, society, culture and politics (the German East-West border was only 9 km away from Bedheim). There will be the possibility to encounter with young people of the region and getting to know more about the countries of the participants.
🏠 Accommodation on site
Bedheim castle offers a simple group accommodation in a seminar house. There are beds with mattresses and pillows, but sleeping bag is needed. Meals will be prepared by the group (less meat but a lot of very good vegetables and fruits from the nursery). Warm water is provided from a solar collector.
📍 About the location
Bedheim castle is located in the west of Thuringia, close to the Bavarian border. Next bigger town is Coburg (28 km away). Bedheim is surrounded by the extraordinary beautiful Franconian landscape.
ℹ️ Additional information
Some basic knowledge of German or English is recommended. Please bring rain and working clothes as well as swim suits, a sleeping bag, slippers, towels and warm pullovers with you. You can also bring a map, pictures or special food items from your country.
