Sayneck Castle

Sayneck Hunting Lodge is located above the Sayn Valley in the municipality of Großmaischeid near Neuwied in Rhineland-Palatinate. Between 1884 and 1968, it was leased by the industrialist Krupp family, who used it as a base for extensive hunts. Since then, it has been used by the Princes of Wied for the same purpose.

In 1881, Alexander Graf von Hachenburg (1847–1940) had a simple hunting lodge built in the middle of the Princely Wied hunting grounds, which he named "Sayneck". Already significantly expanded in 1882, Sayneck was leased on May 1, 1884, along with the hunting grounds of Großmaischeid, Ebenfeld, Caan, Nauort, Stromberg, and Sayn, by the industrialist Friedrich Alfred Krupp (1854–1902). After further outbuildings (e.g., forester's house, staff building, bathhouse, stables, shooting range, gas station) were erected between 1884 and 1887, Alfred Krupp decided in the spring of 1888 to demolish Sayneck and rebuild it as a hunting lodge in the same style, but on a much larger scale. Over the following decades, many prominent guests stayed at Sayneck Hunting Lodge. At the end of the 19th century, Friedrich Alfred Krupp even had the guests of his large driven hunts arrive by special trains on the Brexbachtalbahn. Hunting parties continued to be held at the lodge until 1943.

Towards the end of the Second World War, in December 1944, a Reich Labour Service hospital was set up in Sayneck Hunting Lodge. From January to March 1945, the Gauleiter of Gau Moselland, Gustav Simon, resided there with his staff. During this time, Robert Ley, head of the German Labour Front, was also among the visitors to Sayneck. Shortly before the arrival of the Americans, on March 25, 1945, the General Staff of the Wehrmacht's Western Front Command also made a brief stay at Sayneck Hunting Lodge. This was followed temporarily by American and French occupation troops.

After the death of Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach (1907–1967), the Krupp era at Sayneck ended on June 30, 1968. The hunting lease was terminated, and the hunting lodge passed into the possession of the landowners, the Princes of Wied. A Princely Wied district forestry office is located in an outbuilding of the lodge. Much of the original furnishings are still preserved, including the large fireplace, several tiled stoves, paneling and carvings, and an extensive collection of trophies.