Poet's house - Foundation gives three million euros for Goethe residence
Large donation against a bitter background: The German Monument Conservation Foundation is contributing three million Euros for the restoration of Goethe's residence in Weimar, handed over a corresponding sponsorship contract to the President of the Classical Foundation Weimar, Steffen Skudelny.
The UNESCO World Heritage property, the residence of poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), is a property of the Classical Foundation. The cultural institution had extensive plans for the restoration of the house, which now have to be scaled down: The additional funds promised did not materialize.
Goethe's Residence - an important cultural heritage
Skudelny said: "This house is an important witness to German history. We are therefore a little proud to be able to contribute to the preservation of this building, in which the German poet Goethe lived and shaped history in Germany and Europe for half a century."
Ulrike Lorenz, President of the Classical Foundation, said: "Thanks to the generous support of the German Monument Conservation Foundation, the valuable surfaces of the historical rooms on the ground floor can be restored after the building shell and electricity maintenance work financed by the public sector." The goal is to preserve the property as central cultural heritage for future generations and make it accessible.
Goethe lived in the house, which was built in 1709, until his death in Weimar's old town. He worked there, had extensive collections of art and natural sciences, and received many visitors. Today, it is part of the Goethe National Museum.
Dampener in the financing of the restoration
Initially, the Classical Foundation had calculated 35 million Euros for the restoration of the internationally known literary monument. Now, the Foundation announced that the budget will be smaller.
Accordingly, the Federal Government and the Free State are investing over the regular budget of the Foundation initially only 13 million Euros in the pure substance maintenance. The Federal Government had originally promised roughly 17.2 million Euros for the project. At least, an additional 10 million Euros from foundations and donors will flow into the house garden and the garden pavilion.
The start of construction in 2026 - after the 2025 anniversary of Goethe's arrival in Weimar, which will be celebrated, is currently being held under reserve by the Foundation. The hope is to complete the work by the end of 2028.
- Despite the initial budget for the restoration of Goethe's residence in Thuringia's Weimar being 35 million Euros, the unexpected lack of additional funds has necessitated a reduction.
- The German Monument Conservation Foundation's contribution of three million Euros for the restoration of Goethe's residence in Weimar is significant, given its status as a UNESCO World Heritage site and a vital part of Germany's cultural heritage.
- The interior of Goethe's residence, which houses numerous literary and historical artifacts, is set to undergo restoration, thanks to the generous donation from the German Monument Conservation Foundation.
- The restoration efforts at Goethe's residence in Weimar include the preservation of the historical rooms on the ground floor, with the hope that the property will continue to serve as a central cultural monument for future generations and remain open to the public.
- As part of the restoration project, the historic garden and garden pavilion at Goethe's residence in Weimar will also benefit from additional funding, ensuring that this important literary monument is preserved in its entirety.
