Mission

The association would like to reach out to as many different target groups as possible through an attractive cultural programme and to encourage them to stay overnight or for a longer period at the castle.

The focus should be on the unique character of Horneck Castle:
- as a former castle of the Teutonic Order with an eventful German history
- as centre of Transylvanian culture, one of the oldest cultures of Germans in Eastern Europe
- as a unique place in a picturesque setting on the Neckar, surrounded by vineyards
- as an open cultural and community centre for visitors from the region and from all over the world

The Heritage and Community Centre Horneck Castle is a place of recollection and identification for the Transylvanian Saxons in Germany. It is a place of preservation of the history and culture of the Transylvanian Saxons, a meeting point and place of encounter for Transylvanian Saxons and their friends from Germany and all over the world.
 

Objectives

„To Preserve, Secure, Research, Expand and Present

the historically grown cultural heritage from Transylvania:

Transylvanian Museum with more than 22,000 exhibits, the most important collection of Transylvanian Saxonian art and historical artefacts outside Romania.
Transylvania Institute with internationally networked research centre

  • Library with 87,000 media units and largest Transylvanica collection west of Budapest
  • Archive with over 1,500 metres of shelf space, the most important collection of Transylvanian culture and history in Germany: archives, bequests, picture and sound archives.
     

At Horneck Castle, valuable cultural assets of the Transylvanian Saxons are collected, stored, secured and presented as well as made available for scientific purposes in accordance with the requirements of § 96 of the Federal Expellees Act. In accordance with the statutory mandate, this enables the further development of research into the culture and history of Germans in Eastern Europe.

„Memory and Identity“

Community Centre for Transylvanian Saxons from all over the world to gather for various occasions, identity-creating preservation and continuation of customs and traditions.

„Transylvanian bridge builders“

Transylvanian saxons as mediators between their new homeland and their country of origin Transylvania/Romania

International encounters at joint events in the fields of culture, customs, science, business and politics.

„Friendships in a new home“

Transylvanian saxons in cultural interaction with Gundelsheim, with the surrounding region and with the country as a whole

„Paths into the future“

Transylvanians as mediators between East and West in a common Europe

Transylvanian citizens with intergenerational cultural identity as a model for a European and an international future.

„International Youth Centre“

Cross-border youth exchanges

„Networking Transylvania"

A suitable setting for encounters in the castle and on the social media.