Erich Kästner Bibliothek

About the museum

The Erich Kästner Children’s Village was founded in 1974 by Gunda Fleischhauer; a few weeks before his death, Erich Kästner agreed by telegram to the use of his name. In 1991 Kästner’s long-time partner Luiselotte Enderle bequeathed to the children’s village a large part of the contents of their shared terraced house on Flemingstraße in Munich – furniture, private photos, personal belongings and above all thousands of books. Manuscripts, letters and first editions, by contrast, went to the German Literature Archive in Marbach.

In the former threshing floor of the Steinmühle near Oberschwarzach, staff of the children’s village arranged the estate as a walk-in library over several years, much of it through their own labour. It opened in 1994 and feels more like a home than a museum: on display are, for example, Kästner’s desk with his glasses and typewriter, his suitcase and hat, a sitting area and his white bench.

In keeping with Kästner’s spirit, much of it is not behind glass but may be touched. The library is used by the children of the children’s village for reading and playing and is visited by guests from research and the public by appointment.

Highlights

• Kästner’s desk with typewriter and glasses
• Private library with thousands of books
• Furniture from the Munich home
• Exhibits without display cases that can be touched

Founded

1994

Operated by

Erich Kästner Kinderdorf e.V.

Admission & discounts

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Accessibility

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Kids & families

Visitors may sit in Kästner’s armchair, leaf through books and look through his glasses.

Getting there & parking

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Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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