Wewelsburg

About

Wewelsburg (German pronunciation: [ˈveːvl̩sbʊɐ̯k]) is a Renaissance castle located in the village of Wewelsburg, which is a district of the town of Büren, Westphalia, in the Landkreis of Paderborn in the northeast of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The castle has a triangular layout, with three round towers connected by massive walls. After 1934 it was used by the SS under Heinrich Himmler and was to be expanded into a complex which would serve as the central SS cult-site. After 1941 plans were developed to enlarge it to be the so-called "Centre of the World". In 1950 the castle reopened as a museum and youth hostel. (The youth hostel is one of the largest in Germany.) The castle today hosts the Historical Museum of the Prince Bishopric of Paderborn and the Wewelsburg 1933–1945 Memorial Museum.

Predecessor buildings existed. One of these, the Wifilisburg, was defended during the 9th and 10th centuries against the Hungarians. [ citation needed ]

Count Friedrich (Arnsberg) [ de ] built another predecessor fortification. In 1123/24, after his death, peasants whom he had oppressed demolished the building. In 1301 the Count of Waldeck sold the Wewelsburg to the Prince-Bishop of Paderborn.

A document concerning this acquisition indicates that two fortresslike buildings stood on the hill, the Bürensches Haus and the Waldecksches Haus. [ citation needed ]

From 1301 to 1589, the prince-bishops of Paderborn assigned the estate to various liege lords.

The masonry of both predecessor buildings was integrated in the current triangular Renaissance castle. In its current form, the Wewelsburg was built from 1603 to 1609 as secondary residence for the prince-bishops of Paderborn, at that time Dietrich von Fürstenberg [ de ]. Its location is near what was then believed to be the site of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest of 9 CE. [ citation needed ]

The Wewelsburg was taken several times during the Thirty Years' War. In 1646 it was occupied and then razed by Swedish troops, by the army commanded by General Carl Gustav Wrangel. After 1650 the mostly destroyed castle was rebuilt by Prince-Bishop Theodor Adolf von der Recke and his successor, Ferdinand von Fürstenberg. He carried out some architectural changes; the three towers of the castle were given their baroque domes. [ better source needed ]

From 1589 to 1821 the castle was the place of residence of a bursary officer (or steward ). Two witch trials took place in the Wewelsburg in 1631. (There was an inquisition room in the basement next to the east tower.). [ citation needed ]

During the Seven Years' War (1756–1763) the basement rooms were probably used as a military prison. [ citation needed ]

During the 18th and 19th centuries the castle fell progressively into ruin. In 1802, during German mediatisation, the castle came into the possession of the Prussian state. On 11 January 1815 the North Tower was gutted by a fire started by a lightning strike; only the outer walls remained. From 1832 to 1934 there was a rectory in the eastern part of the south wing of the castle.

In 1924, the castle became the property of the district of Büren and was changed into a cultural center. By 1925 the castle had become a local museum, banqueting hall, restaurant and youth hostel. [ citation needed ]

At the end of the Twenties the North Tower again proved to be the weak point of the architecture and had to be supported by guy wires in winter 1932/33; the preservation of the castle was supported by the Association for the preservation of the Wewelsburg ( Verein zur Erhaltung der Wewelsburg ). After 1925 the renovation activities decreased. [ better source needed ]

Predecessor buildings existed. One of these, the Wifilisburg, was defended during the 9th and 10th centuries against the Hungarians. [ citation needed ]

Count Friedrich (Arnsberg) [ de ] built another predecessor fortification. In 1123/24, after his death, peasants whom he had oppressed demolished the building. In 1301 the Count of Waldeck sold the Wewelsburg to the Prince-Bishop of Paderborn.

A document concerning this acquisition indicates that two fortresslike buildings stood on the hill, the Bürensches Haus and the Waldecksches Haus. [ citation needed ]

From 1301 to 1589, the prince-bishops of Paderborn assigned the estate to various liege lords.

The masonry of both predecessor buildings was integrated in the current triangular Renaissance castle. In its current form, the Wewelsburg was built from 1603 to 1609 as secondary residence for the prince-bishops of Paderborn, at that time Dietrich von Fürstenberg [ de ]. Its location is near what was then believed to be the site of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest of 9 CE. [ citation needed ]

The Wewelsburg was taken several times during the Thirty Years' War. In 1646 it was occupied and then razed by Swedish troops, by the army commanded by General Carl Gustav Wrangel. After 1650 the mostly destroyed castle was rebuilt by Prince-Bishop Theodor Adolf von der Recke and his successor, Ferdinand von Fürstenberg. He carried out some architectural changes; the three towers of the castle were given their baroque domes. [ better source needed ]

From 1589 to 1821 the castle was the place of residence of a bursary officer (or steward ). Two witch trials took place in the Wewelsburg in 1631. (There was an inquisition room in the basement next to the east tower.). [ citation needed ]

During the Seven Years' War (1756–1763) the basement rooms were probably used as a military prison. [ citation needed ]