On 1 December 1963, the Ilmenau Society was founded in a festive setting as the 25th of the local associations of the Goethe Society in Weimar. Almost all the chairmen were professors or employees of the TH/TU Ilmenau. The Goethe Society’s activities have always centred on lectures and artistic events, but also on increased research to preserve Ilmenau’s historical treasures from Goethe’s time, especially in connection with mining. It is also important to commemorate the sites of Goethe’s work in and around Ilmenau.
Particularly noteworthy are the annual celebrations for Goethe’s birthday at the Goethe Museum in Stützerbach, which have achieved cult status. The association was involved in the establishment of the Goethe hiking trail around Ilmenau, the design of the Schwalbenstein (Act IV of Iphigenia), the search for the entrance to the ‘Neuer Johannesschacht’, the erection of a memorial stone at this site, the pflege and the preservation of the Goethe cottage, etc. From 2015 to 2021, the association operated the Goethe Museum at great expense. From 2015 to 2021, the association ran the Goethe Museum in Stützerbach at great expense, during which time the dilapidated barn was also rebuilt, where cultural events take place in the summer months. Co-operation with the town of Ilmenau and its cultural institutions is important to the Goethe Society. We also maintain close contacts with the Goethe Societies of Ilmenau’s twin towns (Wetzlar, Homburg an der Saar).
The Goethe Society Ilmenau-Stützerbach contributes to a vibrant cultural life with its rich programme of events, which is popular with residents and tourists alike.
