Schnaditz Castle

The origins of Schnaditz Castle date back to approximately 1237, when it was presumably built. Early lords of the manor included Bodo and Otto “Knights of Schneuditz,” followed by the noble families von Oechlitz, von Bünau, and von Wuthenau. A formative era was the rule of the von Zaschnitz family from 1463 to 1655. A member of this family, Gunther von Zaschnitz, gained notoriety in 1532 when he stole the horses of merchant Hans Kohlhaase—an incident that later inspired Heinrich von Kleist's novella “Michael Kohlhaas.” In 1678, Christoph Otto von Steuben acquired the castle and moved his residence there, becoming the new hereditary and judicial lord. He took possession of the estate, which, in addition to the castle, included a brickworks, a brewery, and a distillery. After his death, his son Christoph Liborius von Steuben inherited the property and had parts of the associated church renovated in 1716. Following Christoph Liborius’ death in 1738, the castle was sequestered in 1757 and later auctioned off to Baroness Dorothea Maria Justina von Görtz.