No table is left free in the castle café this morning. Cyclists and walkers take a break in the courtyard of Türnich Castle, enjoy the first rays of spring sunshine and savour a hearty castle sandwich. Count von Hoensbroech, who everyone here just calls Severin, has also moved his office outside today without further ado. In the café, he negotiates with business partners and chats with passing employees and guests. And as he talks to DeinNRW about his plans and ideas, he waxes lyrical time and again.
Tourismus NRW e.V., Ralph Sondermann, Kräutergarten von Schloss Türnich, Rhein-Erft-Kreis Tourismus NRW e.V., Ralph Sondermann, Teich im Schloss Park Schloss Türnich, Rhein-Erft-Kreis Tourismus NRW e.V., Ralph Sondermann, Kräutergarten von Schloss Türnich, Rhein-Erft-Kreis Tourismus NRW e.V., Ralph Sondermann, Hühner im Schlosspark Schloss Türnich, Rhein-Erft-Kreis
The 45-year-old, who is something of a lord of the manor, caretaker and entrepreneur all in one, has a vision: together with his family, especially his wife Anja, he wants to turn his ancestral castle into a place for the future. The entire area around the magnificent manor house is to become a gem "where we can show other people how farming can work". Natural, sustainable - and unique. A place that - as in the past - is once again the centre of an entire region that no longer exists and "whose magic captivates people".
Just as Severin von Hoensbroech himself was gripped by it. Back then, four years ago, "when the thing here somehow fell on my feet" and, after careful consideration with the whole family, he decided to realise his vision of a functioning permaculture experience space. Or at least to give it a try. "Of course, friends flipped me the bird and called me crazy," recalls the actor and director, as if he couldn't even believe what he was doing. But thanks to his wife in particular, who gave up her job in development cooperation at the time and "holds everything together here today", Severin von Hoensbroech is not giving up. His love of nature and his tireless endeavours to preserve it are too great.
"If you want to control nature,
must obey it"
The castle, which the von Rolshausen family had built in the 18th century in the spirit of Rousseau and always saw as a place for the people, is therefore not to become a museum. "That's too retro for me," says the father of four, recalling his own childhood and youth in the castle. "I didn't think it was particularly cool." Amused, he talks about "the far too long paths in the house, where everything was old and we weren't allowed to touch anything". Today, his own four children run and romp in the castle park. The family has set up their little kingdom in the Swedish house on the castle grounds, where they also keep chickens with names like James Brown and Britney.
In Hoensbroech's opinion, there are enough museum-like palaces and castles. "And you won't attract anyone with a large golf event hotel," he explains succinctly, explaining why he has other plans.
In fact, almost 1,000 castles and palaces in NRW are reminders of the times when the princes were still in charge here. Many hundreds of these baroque, medieval and Romanesque walls have been preserved and are now popular excursion destinations, hotels and museums.
Türnich Castle, on the other hand, still resembles a ruin, although it is a listed building. The façade of the manor house, which fell victim to open-cast lignite mining in the region many years ago, has already been restored thanks to a generous donation from a painter. "The man understood where we wanted to go." The impressive chapel with its many mysterious symbols and ornaments, which von Hoensbroech even calls a "mystical place", has also been renovated. However, no one will be able to live inside the castle for the time being. The sagging rooms behind the large windows, with which the owners expressed their special longing for nature early on, are too dilapidated.
"We want to create a place whose magic grabs people."
The von Hoensbroech family's commitment is therefore currently focussed on the extensive grounds around the castle. In the gardens, where his parents favoured organic farming many years ago and were initially ridiculed for doing so, his son now wants to make natural farming a tangible experience for everyone. "But we're not the kind of eco-hippies who don't know what they're doing."
Because in the permaculture world of experience that the 45-year-old wants to create, only natural cycles are to be utilised and sustainable production is to take place. In addition to the dynamic organic cultivation of fruit and vegetables, from which "Ferdinand Klabunde, our juggling chef, conjures up great dishes every day", von Hoensbroech also has the establishment of a natural kindergarten in mind. In the Ceres medicinal plant garden in the centre of the castle square, visitors can already learn interesting facts about the healing powers of nature. However, as he says with a twinkle in his eye, the castle owner "sometimes has to be careful that the children don't get the signs mixed up".
The 45-year-old is also happy to guide groups of visitors himself through the lime tree avenue, which is modelled on a Gothic chapel, the castle park and the French Garden - and knows how to entertain his guests with many humorous anecdotes. No wonder, after all, the man is an actor and director by trade - and nature is probably the most beautiful place for a perfect production.
Theatre performances in the castle courtyard are therefore just as much a part of the von Hoensbroech couple's future plans as courtyard festivals and regional markets. Companies are already using the unspoilt setting around Türnich Castle for conferences and seminars. Director Lars von Trier was also impressed by the magic of the wild landscape and shot scenes for his film "Nymphomaniac" here. (Incidentally, with Severin von Hoensbroech in the role of the gardener.) In the beer garden of the cosy, lovingly furnished castle café, Severin von Hoensbroech once again welcomes regular guests. The kitchen, which uses home-grown produce wherever possible, has already made a name for itself beyond the local borders and also regularly organises private celebrations.
Knowing full well that there is still a long way to go. Because the visionary is always a realist. After all, the director, who currently still earns his living as a management trainer, knows one thing very well from the stage:
"You start out with great passion, then fall into a deep crisis, and once you've overcome that, things get really good."
And the director also knows "that this is always a creative phase". So there is a good chance that Türnich Castle will soon no longer be "just" an insider tip.
Tourismus NRW e.V., Ralph Sondermann, Severin von Hoensbroech mit Huhn, Rhein-Erft-Kreis Tourismus NRW e.V., Ralph Sondermann, Severin von Hoensbroech in Scheune mit Stroh, Rhein-Erft-Kreis Tourismus NRW e.V., Ralph Sondermann, Severin von Hoensbroech mit Familie und Hühnern, Rhein-Erft-Kreis Tourismus NRW e.V., Ralph Sondermann, Severin von Hoensbroech mit Familie, Rhein-Erft-Kreis
Monuments, mountains and cheese bread.Three questions for Severin Hoensbroech
Mr von Hoensbroech, you have 48 hours of free time. What would you definitely do with this time in NRW?
Severin von Hoensbroech (ponders for a long time): "Oh dear, there are so many things. I'd best quote my son. He would say that his father is happy when he can sit on a big rock by the sea and eat a cheese sandwich. ... Oh yes, a cheese sandwich. Unfortunately, North Rhine-Westphalia doesn't have a sea. No, seriously. I'd probably take my children and play with them the whole time."
Which place in NRW have you recently rediscovered for yourself?
Severin von Hoensbroech: "I really like the Bergisches Land. You often drive through this area and every time I think: It's beautiful here. And I keep discovering new beautiful places, like the Windrath Valley recently."
Her personal favourite place in NRW.
Severin von Hoensbroech: "I have a very special longing for theatrical spaces. For example, I love being on the roof of Cologne Cathedral, but I also really like the Cologne Philharmonic Hall. I don't even know if the Elbphilharmonie is really more beautiful ... I'm also fascinated by the many industrial monuments in the Ruhr region, such as the Jahrhunderthalle in Bochum. The Ruhr region is an impressive area in general, where you can see in so many places how it has managed structural change. The Rhine Valley is also a gigantic place with many small, enchanted corners. Unfortunately, a lot has been ruined here in the past. But unfortunately, this is true of many places on this planet. But back to my absolute favourite place in NRW. That is and remains Türnich Castle, of course. Otherwise I wouldn't be here."
