Hamborn Castle (Borchen)

Hamborn Castle is located in the Schloss Hamborn locality of the Borchen district of Kirchborchen on the limestone ridge of the Schoßberg and is situated about 20 to 30 m above a forest-lined loop of the Ellerbach stream.

The first documented mention of Hamborn dates back to the 9th century in a document from Corvey Monastery. Between 1137 and 1140, Hamborn was gifted to the Paderborn Cathedral Chapter (dating of the burned deed of gift according to the Westphalian Document Book). This led to the creation of the Hamborn Obedience. The origins of the castle go back to two manor farms, which were bought by the von Hartmann family in the mid-19th century and united into one estate. The family built the current east wing of the castle.

Through the Mallinckrodt and von Droste zu Hülshoff families, the property came into the possession of Baron Otto von Rüxleben in 1913. He added the current north wing with a hall and a second tower.

In 1928, the industrialist Johannes Leidl bought the castle and the estate. After a fire on March 6, 1929, the castle burned down and was subsequently rebuilt.

The property was acquired by Siegfried Pickert in 1931, and subsequently, the "promotion of soul care for children in need" was operated there on an anthroposophical basis. In 1940, under pressure from the district farmers' association, the agriculture had to be leased out, and on June 9, 1941, the institution was finally dissolved by the National Socialists. Subsequently, the National Socialist People's Welfare used Hamborn Castle as a mother-and-child convalescent home. After the Second World War, the residents of a bombed-out Paderborn retirement home were accommodated here.

After the end of the Third Reich, the sponsoring association around Siegfried Pickert was able to persuade the British military government to return the castle, as land registry entries still listed him as the owner. Since 1947, a Rudolf Steiner school has been operated on the premises. In 1952, the agricultural estate was also brought back into self-management according to Demeter criteria.

In addition to the school, the anthroposophical R. Steiner Werkgemeinschaft complex includes a vocational college, a boarding school, a kindergarten, a special needs school with a particular pedagogical focus (vocational training), an elderly care facility, and a sanatorium. Furthermore, various agricultural and craft businesses are located there.