History of the Castle

The castle was built in 1910 by Martin Wilhelm Freiherr von Waldthausen, son of a wealthy industrial family. Having insulted Kaiser Wilhelm II with the famous but rude quotation of Goethe’s Götz, Waldthausen had to emigrate to Switzerland. However, after paying a considerable compensatory sum he was allowed to return to Germany. He immediately started with the planning of Schloss Waldthausen to show to the world and to Kaiser Wilhelm II in particular his unbroken self-confidence.

Waldthausen lived there for only two years. In the course of history the owners changed several times: After World War I and II Schloss Waldthausen was seized by the French Army. It was sold to the city of Mainz in 1980 where it was used as a supply depot and even drill ground of the Federal Armed Forces.

Today Schloss Waldthausen serves as a conference center with several seminar rooms, auditorium, accommodation complex, recreational facilities, restaurant etc. The owners prevented Schloss Waldthausen from decline and saved Schloss Waldthausen now known as a historically significant building.