Hands, Hearts & Heritage in Full Bloom

Table of Contents

• Co-Creating a Piece of Museum History: The New Pri …

• Generations Hand in Hand: Discovering “Heimat” wit …

• Proud Milestone for Traditional Craft: Herrenschne …

• Strengthening Regional Networks: The ARCH at the F …

• Closing Statement from Kerstin Rice

Co-Creating a Piece of Museum History: The New Printing Station Premieres at Osterburg Easter Market

We were especially delighted to see a wonderful collaboration with our Managing Director Kerstin Rice and her husband Miles Rice, a talented designer-maker and special advisor to The ARCH, from Rittergut Schönberg come to life. Miles thoughtfully designed and built a magnificent, custom-made linocut printing station for the Kreismuseum Osterburg, while Kerstin, a dedicated printmaker, brought her expertise to the project.

Linocut is a vibrant relief printing technique that emerged in the late 19th century. Linoleum, originally invented in the 1860s by Frederick Walton as a durable floor covering, was soon discovered by artists as an ideal medium. Softer and more forgiving than wood, it allowed for bold, expressive lines and became popular among greats such as Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and German Expressionists.

This beautiful piece of craftsmanship – practical, elegant, and full of historical charm – was officially inaugurated at the Easter Market, which welcomed close to 1,000 visitors, on a sunny Saturday. As Museumsleiter Florian Fischer shared in the local press, “To have such a practical printing station made from such high-quality materials for the museum is truly a dream. We never hoped to get such a great piece. We and our museum guests will enjoy it for a long time.”

One particularly moving moment was watching two young boys, whose great-grandfather had been a professional printmaker, try their hand at the craft for the very first time – gently guided by their grandfather. The concentration on their faces as they rolled the ink and lifted their very own postcards was pure magic. Visitors of all ages rolled up their sleeves, tried their hand at traditional printing, and took home their own postcards featuring local motifs. The smiles, the concentration, and the pride on every face were heartwarming to witness.

It was a perfect example of how we turn heritage from something to simply admire into something we actively create together. A big thank you to Miles and Kerstin for their skill and dedication, and to the entire team at Kreismuseum Osterburg for welcoming this hands-on experience with open arms!

Generations Hand in Hand: Discovering “Heimat” with Schönberg’s Deichknirpse Kindergarten

One of the most touching moments this spring was the latest chapter of our Generationen Hand in Hand series at Rittergut Schönberg. Under the theme “What is Heimat?” (a German word with no direct translation in English, evoking a deep sense of home, belonging, and rootedness), the children from Deichknirpse Kindergarten joined seniors from the community for heartfelt intergenerational gatherings. This Generationen Hand in Hand series is generously supported by BEQISA, PiA e.V., and the State of Saxony-Anhalt.

Recently, the Landesheimatbund Sachsen-Anhalt also asked our Managing Director Kerstin Rice what “Heimat” means to her personally – a beautiful reflection that ties directly into these community moments.

The little ones created colourful drawings that captured their own ideas of home and belonging – from favourite places in the village to family moments and the gentle landscape of the Altmark. In return, the seniors shared personal memories of life in Schönberg across the decades: stories of childhood games, harvest times, and the quiet strength of rural life.

Laughter, crayons, and quiet listening filled the room as drawings were exchanged and stories were passed from one generation to the next. These simple yet profound encounters remind us that “Heimat” is not only a place but a feeling woven from shared experiences, respect, and care. A warm thank you to the Deichknirpse team, the children, the seniors, and all the volunteers who helped make these moments so special.

ZukunftsHandwerker in Action: Kids Create & Print at Tangerhütte’s Day of Industrial Culture

Through our ZukunftsHandwerker program, children in Tangerhütte brought the town’s rich industrial past to vivid life during the Day of Industrial Culture. Tangerhütte, the youngest town in the Altmark (incorporated in 1935), owes its very existence to the iron foundry (Eisengießerei) established in 1844. What began as a small village quickly grew into an important industrial centre during the Industrial Revolution, producing cast iron goods and shaping the regional economy. The historic ensemble still includes the Old and New Castles of the Wagenführ industrial family, as well as impressive factory halls and a beautiful park featuring a pavilion created for the 1889 Paris World’s Fair – all lovingly cared for today by the Verein “Aus einem Guss”.

Ahead of the big day, during the Easter holidays, the Hortkinder (children from the local after-school care program) had already created impressive large-scale collages and banners depicting the old iron foundry halls and the New Castle, important landmarks that shape their city’s identity.

On the Day of Industrial Culture itself, the focus shifted to the mobile linocut printing station set up in the historic New Castle. Here, children, families, and visitors of all generations printed together – capturing the momentum of Tangerhütte’s industrial history through their own postcards filled with personal impressions of the ironworks, the castle, and the town’s heritage. One delighted visitor who lives on Industriestrasse rediscovered the sights right around her home through the activity and happily returned home with her very own printed postcard. Seeing everyone proudly holding their artworks, explaining what they had learned, and beaming with excitement was a powerful reminder of why we do this work.

As a Rathaus representative highlighted in the local newspaper, “This initiative shows how regional history can already be conveyed to young people in a vivid, tangible, and lively way.” These moments show how traditional crafts can make regional history feel alive, personal, and full of possibility for the next generation. Heartfelt thanks go to Dr Dreihaupt and the team from “Aus einem Guss” for the fantastic collaboration, to all the dedicated volunteers, and to the local partners who helped make the day so special.

Proud Milestone for Traditional Craft: Herrenschneiderhandwerk Officially Recognised as Intangible Cultural Heritage

We warmly congratulate our partners “Die Herrenschneider – Echte Maßarbeit. Ehrliches Handwerk e.V.” on a fantastic achievement! On 30 March 2026, the Deutsche UNESCO-Kommission officially recognised the traditional craft of bespoke men’s tailoring (Herrenschneiderhandwerk) and inscribed it into Germany’s national inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage, see here.

This recognition honours the high level of craftsmanship, the thoughtful transmission of specialized knowledge across generations, and the craft’s contribution to cultural diversity and sustainability through durable, made-to-measure garments. As Sandro Dühnforth, Chairman of the association, shared: “This recognition strengthens visibility and supports the continued passing-on of these valuable skills.”

We see this as powerful validation of the entire ecosystem of living heritage we are nurturing – from the Altmark to the wider world.

Strengthening Regional Networks: The ARCH at the First ICH Network Meeting Sachsen-Anhalt

Another important step forward was The ARCH’s participation in the first statewide Intangible Cultural Heritage Network Meeting in our federal state Saxony-Anhalt (Sachsen-Anhalt). Held on 22 January 2026 in the Staatskanzlei Magdeburg, the gathering was organised on the invitation of the Staatskanzlei (the State Chancellery, which serves as the central office of the Minister-President and coordinates government and cultural policy across Sachsen-Anhalt) and the Landesheimatbund Sachsen-Anhalt.

It brought together representatives of all ten official ICH carrier groups (Trägergruppen) from the state register – the groups were officially honoured for their inclusion in the Landesverzeichnis – along with The ARCH. We were especially moved by the impressive opening performance of the Lebendschach-Ensemble (Living Chess) from Ströbeck, where children and youth enacted the centuries-old tradition in a vibrant display.

We shared stories from our Generationen Hand in Hand and ZukunftsHandwerker projects while learning from others working to safeguard living heritage across the state. These new connections are vital as we continue building the Flywheel – turning local hands-on action in the Altmark into inspiration that can travel far beyond our region.

Closing Statement from Kerstin Rice

Dear Friends of The ARCH,

These spring moments beautifully illustrate what The ARCH is all about: local craft experiences that strengthen belonging, transmit knowledge, and feed into our larger mission of preserving and renewing living heritage.

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to every volunteer, participant, child, senior, funder — including the wonderful Town & Country Stiftung — and supporter who makes this work possible. Your time, creativity, and enthusiasm truly are the heart of everything we do.

Would you like to get involved? We warmly invite you to join our upcoming workshop “Wenn Stoffe sprechen: When Fabrics Speak – the rare craft of paramentics (ecclesiastical textile arts)” on the 1st May 2026 from 14:00 to 17:00 at Rittergut Schönberg, Dammstr. 35, 39615 Seehausen (Altm.). Together with textile artist and parament maker Gudrun Willenbockel and in partnership with the Landesheimatbund Sachsen-Anhalt, we will explore this beautiful and little-known handcraft that has adorned churches for centuries through the creation of liturgical vestments and altar cloths. Registration is now open via QR code or at https://eveeno.com/170240110.

You can also follow us on Instagram @the_arch_org for spontaneous invitations and updates, volunteer at a workshop, share your own craft story with us, or simply spread the word about the living heritage we are building together.

With warmest regards,

Kerstin Rice
Managing Director
The ARCH Rittergut Schönberg, Altmark

The ARCH gUG supported by 

thearch.org | [email protected]

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