Award for artisanal preservation of historical landmarks given to Garsedow
The Schönfeld couple from Garsedow, a suburb of Wittenberg, have been honoured with the Craftsmanship Prize for their exceptional work in restoring a historic granary. The award ceremony will take place on November 27, 2022, in Potsdam, personally awarded by the Brandenburg Minister President Dietmar Woidke (SPD).
The granary is part of a protected four-sided farm that the couple now operates as a pension called "Deichhof Garsedow". The award-winning work was recognised for the commitment to renovation and repurposing of the granary, which dates back to 1554.
The restoration work was carried out between 2017 and 2019, under the supervision of the Heritage Conservation department of the Prignitz county. The Craftsmanship Prize is given for exceptional craftsmanship in heritage conservation projects.
Horst Schönfeld, one of the winners, believes that the heritage-appropriate renovation and the construction method using clay convinced the jury. The Schönfeld couple was also awarded the "Wolfgang and Ursula Engelbarts-Förderpreis" for outstanding restoration work.
The Federal Prize for Craftsmanship in Heritage Conservation, a prestigious award recognising excellent craftsmanship and restoration work in Germany, is awarded alternately for two federal states each year. This year, the prize is also given to the Prignitz region.
In 2025, the prize will be awarded to Thuringia and Brandenburg. The Craftsmanship Prize is a separate award from the Federal Prize for Craftsmanship in Heritage Conservation. Brandenburg last received the award in 2016.
The Craftsmanship Prize winner, Olaf Ihlau, is a carpenter from Cumlosen, while the owner couple, Silke and Rolf Müller, are the recipients of the Craftsmanship Prize. Horst Schönfeld expressed that living in a clay-built house is a pleasant and healthy way of life.
For those interested in learning more about past winners and their projects, official sources such as the German Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community, or other relevant cultural heritage organisations are recommended. They might provide the most current and detailed information on award winners and their projects.
The Schönfeld couple's home-improvement project, the restoration of a historic granary, showcasing their dedication to lifestyle preservation, is part of their home-and-garden endeavors that have earned them the Craftsmanship Prize. The federally recognized award for exceptional craftsmanship in home-improvement and heritage conservation projects, the Federal Prize for Craftsmanship in Home-and-Garden and Heritage Conservation, might be a fitting title for future accolades in their ongoing endeavors.
