Friedenstein Castle: Exhibition about the Gotha opens for the first time!

Friedenstein Castle: Exhibition about the Gotha opens for the first time!

There is reason to celebrate in Gotha: the exhibition “100 Years of Gotha” highlights for the first time in history the meaning of the famous nobility manual “Gotha”. For over 260 years, the handbook has been a central document recording the lives of European noble families and has also functioned as a status symbol in its time. This unique show takes place in the Hall of Mirrors at Friedenstein Castle, where visitors can admire twelve window niches with display cases in which various editions of “Gotha” are presented. MDR reports that there has never been an exhibition that deals so intensively with this handbook of the nobility.

Although the old books are often perceived as boring because many people can no longer read the old script, interest in the stories from noble houses remains unbroken. Weddings, funerals and other aristocratic events still attract a lot of attention. The exhibition invites you to learn more about the noble families that developed and mastered challenges over the centuries.

The way to “Gotha”

In order to be listed in “Gotha”, nobles had to meet strict criteria. This included the submission of notarized documents, such as births and deaths, to ensure the quality and reputation of the work. The Gotha court calendar, which was published from 1785 by the renowned Justus Perthes publishing house, formed the basis of what would later become the most important lexicon of the European nobility. Perthes adds that the French edition “Almanach de Gotha” also has its origins in the early 18th century, when it was launched by Carl Wilhelm Ettinger in 1763.

The exhibition in Gotha not only shows an old desk and a display case with everyday objects from the 18th and 19th centuries, but also an impressive black bookcase that permanently presents editions of “Gotha” in the Perthes Forum. At the entrance to the exhibition, which is flanked by an impressive portal with a canopy, visitors are welcomed by the historical atmosphere.

Archived Traditions and Genealogy

The tradition of “Gotha” lives on not only in the exhibition. The German Noble Archive in Marburg, which was founded 70 years ago by Hans Friedrich v. Ehrenkrook and Jürgen v. Flotow, plays a central role in preserving the genealogy of the nobility. The Gotha Genealogical Handbooks, which have a history spanning over 250 years, are continued here. This is not only a documentation and research site, but also a place where research into the history of the nobility can be carried out. Nobility in Germany shows that the archive still plays an important role today, for example through the publication of the “Genealogical Handbook of the Nobility”, which has been published as the “Gothaisches Genealogical Handbook” since 2015.

In summary, it can be said that the exhibition “100 Years of Gotha” not only provides a look into the past, but also makes an important contribution to maintaining the traditional aristocratic history. It shows that the fascination for nobility and genealogy remains alive and that it is worth taking a look at the showcases in the Hall of Mirrors.