Wilhelm-Leuschner-Gedenkstätte
Municipal memorial in the Bayreuth birthplace of the trade unionist, politician, and resistance fighter Wilhelm Leuschner – free admission.
About the museum
Wilhelm Leuschner was born in 1890 in the residential building at Moritzhöfen 25, completed an apprenticeship as a wood sculptor in Bayreuth, and joined a trade union in 1907. In Darmstadt he later rose to become a union chairman, SPD member of the state parliament, and, in 1928, Hessian interior minister, and he fought the rising NSDAP early and publicly. After 1933 he was imprisoned, joined the resistance, and was slated to become vice chancellor after a coup; after the failed assassination attempt of July 20, 1944, he was arrested and executed in Berlin-Plötzensee on September 29, 1944.
The listed birthplace, which is privately owned, was renovated in 2002/2003. In 2003 the city of Bayreuth set up a memorial there, which is now run as a branch of the Historisches Museum Bayreuth. The exhibition is based on Leuschner's papers, which the Wilhelm-Leuschner-Stiftung, founded in 2002, keeps and studies in the nearby Leuschner-Zentrum on Herderstraße.
With picture panels and original objects, the show follows Leuschner's path from his childhood in Bayreuth through the political years in Darmstadt to the resistance in Berlin. A short film deals with his concentration camp imprisonment, and the chess set with which he occupied himself in prison with his fellow prisoner Ernst Reuter is also on display. The memorial serves mainly historical-political education: the Historisches Museum and the foundation offer tours, project days for school classes, and city tours on National Socialism in Bayreuth.
Highlights
- Original birthplace of Wilhelm Leuschner in Moritzhöfen
- Chess set from his time in prison, used with Ernst Reuter
- Film of about 15 minutes on Leuschner's concentration camp imprisonment
- Stages of life in Bayreuth, Darmstadt, and Berlin
- Free admission
Permanent exhibitions
- Wilhelm Leuschner – Lebensweg eines Demokraten – Four rooms with five thematic sections trace Leuschner's life from Bayreuth through Darmstadt to the resistance in Berlin with picture panels, documents, and personal belongings, supplemented by a film about his concentration camp imprisonment.
- Founded
- 2003
- Operated by
- Stadt Bayreuth (Historisches Museum Bayreuth)
- Director
- Martina Ruppert
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Free admission. Tours and educational programs on request through the museum education department of the Historisches Museum Bayreuth or the Wilhelm-Leuschner-Stiftung.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Kids & families
Only partly suitable for kids
Memorial on the history of resistance against National Socialism; the programs are aimed mainly at school classes and young people.
Getting there & parking
By car
Parking available
Seven car parking spaces at the memorial.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The tour "Ein Leben für die Demokratie" (A Life for Democracy) through the memorial lasts about 60 minutes; combined with the city walk "Bayreuth auf dem Weg in den Nationalsozialismus" (Bayreuth on the Road to National Socialism) about 90–120 minutes. Booking through the museum education department of the Historisches Museum (tel. +49 921 7640113). The Wilhelm-Leuschner-Stiftung also offers tours and project days for school classes. |
