A short history of the house
The foundations of the House go back to medieval times. Gollwitz Manor House was built in the second half of the 18th century, and was until 1946 in the ownership of the Rochow family. As a result of the Land Reforms in the former GDR after World War II the building was home to a kindergarten and a school. The school was closed in 1977, and subsequently an educational institution took over the house and used it for teacher training purposes. By 1994 the castle had been abandoned. In the autumn of 1997 the local authority of Potsdam-Mittelmark was seeking to accommodate 50-60 Jewish refugees from the former Soviet Union and Russia in the castle. However, the local council of Gollwitz objected to these proposals. Soon after, a civic society was founded with the support of the district government, which aimed to develop a new concept for the bulding: A meeting place for Jewish and non-Jewish people to support educational work against Anti-Semitism, Racism and Xenophobia.
After a period of extensive refurbishment this new meeting place opened its doors in April 2009. Today, the castle is owned by the “Foundation Gollwitz Manor House” within the German Foundation of Monument Protection.
