The science city of Darmstadt is making rooms available in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Mathildenhöhe
The German Academy for Language and Literature is returning to its original location on the Mathildenhöhe. The city of Darmstadt and the Academy have signed an agreement for the use of rooms in the Glückert House. This further strengthens the connection between Darmstadt and one of Germany's most important literary institutions.
The Große Haus Glückert is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Mathildenhöhe and is one of the most important places in Darmstadt's cultural history.
“With this agreement, we are committing ourselves not only to the protection and preservation of an outstanding cultural monument, but also to its vibrant cultural use,” explains Mayor and Head of Cultural Affairs Hanno Benz. “For Darmstadt, the Mathildenhöhe is not a museum, but a place of new beginnings, of critical engagement, and of the present. The fact that the German Academy for Language and Literature will once again be working here is particularly fitting for our city and for our understanding of cultural responsibility.”
An important example of Darmstadt Art Nouveau
The Glückert House was designed in 1901 by architect Joseph Maria Olbrich for the court furniture manufacturer Julius Glückert. It is one of the defining buildings of the Mathildenhöhe and a significant example of Darmstadt Art Nouveau.
Because the building survived the Second World War largely unscathed, it retains a special authenticity to this day. Its original character as an exhibition and representational building is still palpable.
A place for language, literature and cultural exchange
The German Academy for Language and Literature is based in Darmstadt and is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the German language and literature. The Academy is particularly well-known for awarding the Georg Büchner Prize, one of the most important literary awards in the German-speaking world.
“Our support for the Academy is an expression of a cultural policy that takes its responsibility for language and education seriously,” Benz emphasizes. “Especially in the spirit of Art Nouveau, which in Darmstadt has always been associated with new beginnings and civic engagement, we see this step as a mandate to keep cultural venues vibrant and to further develop them.”
The contract was concluded for an indefinite period. According to the city of Darmstadt, this underscores its commitment not only to preserving the Mathildenhöhe as a historical heritage site, but also to further developing it as a vibrant cultural center.
“The World Heritage Site thus remains a place of encounter, education and cultural work – a place where history and the present intertwine,” said Benz.
(DARMSTADT – RED/PSD/ho)
Featured image: The City of Darmstadt and the German Academy for Language and Literature have signed an agreement for the use of rooms in the Glückert House on the Mathildenhöhe. From left to right: Secretary General Dr. Julia Cloot and President Ingo Schulze of the German Academy for Language and Literature, and Mayor Hanno Benz and City Treasurer André Schellenberg of the City of Darmstadt. Photo: City of Darmstadt
