Readers' café in the historic dance hall: A meeting place for the region!

Readers' café in the historic dance hall: A meeting place for the region!

The historic Rappelsdorf dance hall, a cultural jewel of the region, will once again be the venue for the region's readers on Tuesday, September 24th, 2025, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. How insuedthueringen.de reports, the fourth readers' café will take place here, organized by the Hildburghausen local editorial team and Silvia Bergner from the readers' market.

In an open discussion, visitors have the opportunity to ask questions and shed light on topics that are important to the region. Particular attention is paid to the digital reading world, where Silvia Bergner offers on-site answers about e-paper and technical possibilities. This regional initiative follows successful events in Hildburghausen, Bedheim and Eisfeld and thus shows the population's interest in active participation.

A piece of history

The historic dance hall, built in 1908 by the innkeeper Gustav Schmidt, has an eventful history behind it. Originally used as both an event venue and accommodation for fire victims, it was declared an individual monument in 1995. Until September 2017, it was privately owned by the Pfeifer family, who ran the “Zur Grünen Aue” restaurant. The purchase of the dance hall by the city of Schleusingen to preserve its cultural identity took several years and began with the city council's decision in September 2017. How heimatverbund-schleusingen.de documented, the city had already invested over 70,000 euros in the purchase and planning by October 2020, with the total costs of the renovation being estimated at around 406,000 euros.

The dance hall was finally saved from imminent demolition by a committed citizens' initiative, the Heimatverbund Schleusingen e.V. Since 2021, the building has been undergoing extensive renovation, which was completed in June 2024. Funding, grants and the support of volunteers were used, which led to the awarding of the Hildburghausen District Monument Prize in 2024.

The importance of monument protection and promotion

The preservation of the dance hall is not only important for the community, but also reflects nationwide efforts to protect historical monuments. How on kulturstaatsminister.de explains, such projects are designed to preserve the cultural landscape, with up to 50 percent of the costs being supported by federal funds. This financial support primarily benefits medium-sized construction and craft businesses and is an important part of German monument protection policy.

In recent years, the Rappelsdorf Historical Dance Hall has developed from a neglected building into a respected family and leisure center that regularly offers events based on local customs. Ute Hoffmann from the Heimatverbund had the brilliant idea of ​​hosting the readers' café here. A lively place for exchange and cultural engagement - and that's exactly what makes Rappelsdorf so special.