100 years of Wichernhaus: Summer festival with heart and rain in Altdorf!

100 years of Wichernhaus: Summer festival with heart and rain in Altdorf!

The Wichernhaus in Altdorf celebrated its 100th anniversary on May 25, 2025 with a big summer festival. Despite the adverse weather conditions, which led to the celebration being moved indoors, several hundred visitors streamed into the facility and created an atmospheric atmosphere. With a colorful program that included children's games, a wheelchair course, archery, hobby horsing, a bouncy castle and creative hands-on activities, the festival offered numerous highlights for young and old. The musical performance by the samba group “Vincivi” in particular ensured happy sounds and a good atmosphere during the event, as neumarktaktuell.de reports.

An emotional highlight of the summer was an alumni meeting, where numerous former residents and employees were able to toast to a moving reunion. Kevin Kellermann, special education teacher at the Wichernhaus, highlighted the formative experiences that the Wichernhaus has provided for many people with and without disabilities over the decades. “The Wichernhaus has had a lasting influence on our lives,” he said.

A century of service to inclusion

The Wichernhaus of the Rummelsberger Diakonie is one of the most traditional institutions for helping the disabled in southern Germany and plays a central role in the town of Altdorf. Since opening on October 25, 1925, the Wichernhaus has offered support and assistance to countless people with physical disabilities. More than 600 clients currently live, learn and work in the facility, who are looked after by more than 500 employees. The offer ranges from early intervention to schools to residential and workshop offers, as rummelsberger-diakonie.de informs.

“The Wichernhaus accompanies people in different situations and we do everything we can to promote their independence,” says Wichernhaus director Deacon Thomas Jacoby. He also announced a ceremony with a reception of honored guests and a celebratory service on October 25, 2025, the actual anniversary day. This will be the highlight of the anniversary year and shows the importance of the facility for the region.

Social responsibility and future prospects

An estimated 10 million people with disabilities live in Germany, although many have inconspicuous limitations. The 2008 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ensures that people with disabilities are recognized as equal members of society. But everyday life often remains challenging and shapes the experiences of many of those affected. A lively and inclusive society therefore also relies on mutual exchange and understanding, as teamevent-plus.de emphasizes.

The Wichernhaus makes a valuable contribution to this by giving people with disabilities the opportunity to actively participate in life and receive support depending on their life situation. With engaging events and a clear focus on inclusion, the facility not only offers accommodation, but also a home for many people.

A warm welcome and a positive future perspective for people with disabilities are the cornerstones on which the Wichernhaus has been building for a century. The event on May 25th is just the start of a Golden Jubilee that still has numerous important events in store.