Ebernach Abbey

The origins of Kloster Ebernach date back to 1130, when it was founded as a priory of the Benedictine monastery of Laach. The property, initially known as the Evernacum estate, was transferred to Laach Abbey through donations from Knight Johann von Evernach and his family. Over the centuries, the priory developed further, acquiring an adjacent winery, among other things. In 1802, the monastery was dissolved as part of the secularization process by Napoleon's Reichsdeputationshauptschluss. After a period of private ownership, the former priory building was acquired by the Rhenish Provincial Administration in 1887. Since then, it has been managed by the Franciscan Brothers of the Holy Cross as a sanatorium and nursing home for people with intellectual disabilities. During World War II, the monastery temporarily served various purposes, including a military hospital and a refugee home. Tragically, in 1943, as part of the Nazi euthanasia policy, 199 intellectually disabled residents were deported and murdered.