Tageblatt.lu | What will become of…?

The best view of Buschland Castle is from the German side of the Moselle. The building from 1889 towers high above Remich, once a private residence, later a hotel, and most recently the summer retreat of a Saudi family.

Anyone who comes closer can see the decay. Broken windows, traces of vandalism, an interior left to chance. What once stood for splendor now appears abandoned.

What remains is a lack of understanding. About the fact that such a building visibly falls into disrepair over the years and about the fact that there is a lot of talk about responsibility, but no concrete steps are taken.

Location with a lot of potential

The politically responsible people in Remich recognize the importance of the castle and speak of a “valuable cultural heritage worth preserving”. They see both cultural responsibility and development potential: “This location has great potential. One possibility, for example, would be the realization of a boutique hotel, possibly supplemented by a harmoniously integrated modern extension, as has been successfully implemented in other countries with historic buildings. The location is also suitable for nationally representative use. The state could use this extraordinary building for official receptions, interministerial meetings, EU ministerial meetings or the reception of state guests. The Moselle region offers an ideal backdrop for this.

The municipality will proactively seek contact with the state and its relevant ministries in order to find joint solutions that ensure the preservation and enhancement of this historic building. The next step would be to hold discussions with the owners and the ministries in order to analyze the possibilities for the future of the site.

The municipality has been in contact with the owners several times in recent years, primarily due to security issues. In the last few weeks there have been several attempts to organize an exchange via video conference. However, these dates had to be postponed for understandable reasons on the part of the owners. The community remains in contact and is interested in constructive dialogue.

In our view, preserving this historic building should be a clear national priority. As part of the INPA’s current inventory of architectural heritage, we have pointed this out and provided those responsible with our contact details of the owners.

The city of Remich is of the opinion that the state should examine all options to secure this location and its infrastructure in the long term – including through a possible takeover into public hands. This would make it possible to sustainably restore this unique castle on the Moselle and reintegrate it into the life of the region.”

INPA says: “Worth protecting”

The building is already registered with INPA. However, a complete analysis is still pending. “As part of the scientific inventory that the INPA is currently compiling in Remich, the building known as ‘Schloss Buschland’ has been recorded and partly already documented. Since it has not yet been possible to contact the owners, an interior inspection has not yet been carried out. However, the INPA has determined that the building is worth protecting and is unfortunately not in good condition. For this reason, the Minister of Culture has decided to initiate a classification procedure before the entire inventory in Remich has been completed. This procedure is currently ongoing and may result in the INPA being able to have urgent work carried out on the building independently, with the consent of the court.”

The political dimension of the “Schloss Buschland” dossier is also reflected in a parliamentary question from ADR MP Alexandra Schoos to Culture Minister Eric Thill.

State can protect by law

The minister confirms that his ministry is aware of the condition of the building: “It has been classified by the INPA as worthy of protection, within the framework of the inventory as provided for by the Monument Protection Act of February 25, 2022, currently being drawn up in the municipality of Remich.”

Among other things, the MP wanted to know why the castle has not yet been classified or fully included in the national inventory.

In its response, the ministry refers to the ongoing inventory that is currently being drawn up across the country. The aim is to detect buildings at an early stage in the future and to protect them preventively. In the case of Buschland Castle, however, the process was brought forward before this work was completed due to its poor condition.

The Monument Protection Act generally obliges owners to preserve classified buildings. The state can grant subsidies and, if necessary, order measures. If an owner does not fulfill his obligations, the state can intervene after court approval and have the work carried out at the owner’s expense.

The question of concrete steps remains open. “Has the ministry held discussions with the municipality of Remich or other stakeholders to find a solution for the future of this building?” was another question. The answer is short: “No, no discussions have been held in this context yet.”