Culture - Dannenberg: Exhibition rescheduled
The planned opening of a large multimedia exhibition about the captivity of Danish King Waldemar II. in Dannenberg (Elbe) in late summer is postponed indefinitely. Instead, the show is expected to be seen in a smaller form in the Tower Room of the so-called Waldemartower from the end of 2024. This was announced by the deputy city director Jens Sporleder to the German Press Agency (dpa) in Dannenberg. The reason for this are necessary renovation works on the tower, a landmark of the city, where the ruler resided from 1223 to 1225.
Due to water damage in the attic and possibly necessary new electrification, the responsible expert committee of the city council decided to put the originally planned new conceptualization of the entire building and the associated plans, work and acquisitions on hold for the time being.
Some 800 years ago, the present-day Lower Saxon town was briefly the center of great northern European history - with consequences to this day. For Waldemar "the Victorious" and his son were kidnapped from the Danish island of Lyø in the night from May 6 to 7, 1223, by Heinrich Graf von Schwerin. They were brought to the German coast by ship and hidden in the tower of the then fortress to demand high ransoms for their release.
As a result, Danish power in the Baltic Sea area was severely shaken. Had it not been for this dramatic event, Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg might still be under Danish rule today.
For the tower renovation with a new round roof, Dannenberg had originally calculated costs of at least 800,000 Euros and had hoped for significant project funding. Now, according to Sporleder, significantly higher costs may come to the city with its already strained financial situation.
Exhibition
The German Press Agency (dpa) reported that the German city of Dannenberg has delayed the large multimedia exhibition about King Waldemar II's captivity, originally scheduled for late summer, due to necessary renovations on the Waldemartower. The renovations, which include water damage repairs and potential electrification updates, may significantly increase the city's costs.
The postponed exhibition was expected to feature a new conceptualization of the entire building, but these plans have been temporarily halted due to the renovation works. The revised plan now includes a smaller version of the show set to open in the Tower Room of the Waldemartower towards the end of 2024.
King Waldemar II's captivity in lower Saxony during late summer of 1223 was pivotal in the region's history, as it led to a shift in power in the Baltic Sea area, potentially keeping Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg under Danish rule if it hadn't occurred. The city of Dannenberg, holds significant cultural and historical importance related to this event, as it was the location where the Danish Royal family was held captive in the Waldemartower.
