Europahaus Marienberg

Europahaus Marienberg (EHM) is a non-profit European education centre located in Bad Marienberg in the Westerwaldkreis district of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Founded on 19 October 1951 by the association Europa-Haus Marienberg e. V., it was the first "Europahaus" ever established and is regarded as the mother house of more than 100 comparable institutions in over 30 European countries. Its mission is to make the European idea tangible for young people, promoting peaceful unity among peoples, overcoming national borders and fostering European integration for a Europe of citizens. The foundation's work is independent of political parties and religious denominations. The centre's core activity is European youth education under the brand "think europe", which designs and implements innovative educational projects for young people from Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany and across Europe. These are experience-based, challenging and unconventional, and have received multiple awards. EHM also runs European youth seminars, bilateral, trilateral and multinational youth encounters, and international projects often supported by Erasmus+. Beyond youth work, it offers conflict mediation seminars, media education programmes (including work with school newspaper editorial teams since 1975 in cooperation with the Rhineland-Palatinate education ministry), and seminars on current topics. The house also rents its modern infrastructure for conferences, retreats, barcamps and celebrations. Since 26 April 1975, the educational institution has been run by a public-law foundation (Stiftung bürgerlichen Rechts), established with significant support from the State of Rhineland-Palatinate and formally instituted on 30 September 1975. The founding association continues as a co-sponsor of the foundation and is recognised as non-profit. The foundation's board of trustees (Stiftungsrat) sets policy guidelines; its seven members are appointed by the Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate, three of them on the proposal of the association. The foundation board (Vorstand) manages the foundation. As of 2025, operational leadership is held by Nicole Stecker (strategy and steering), Elena Wakefield (finance) and Lena Krian (pedagogical direction). By the end of 2024, nearly 260,000 participants had attended EHM seminars, with an average of about 70 seminars held annually. The centre is a member of several networks, including the Gesellschaft der Europahäuser und Europäischen Akademien e. V., Arbeitskreis deutscher Bildungsstätten e. V., Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Ost-West-Institute e. V., Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, Jugend für Europa, Europäische Bewegung Deutschland, Europa-Union Deutschland and the European Network for Education and Training (EUNET).

Europahaus Marienberg was founded on 19 October 1951 by the association Europa-Haus Marienberg e. V., driven by the commitment of young Europeans who wanted to create a meeting place where the European idea could be brought to young people. It was the first Europahaus ever established and thus became the mother house of more than 100 comparable institutions in over 30 European countries. Co-founders included Adolf Kanter, a foreign agent of the Ministry for State Security of the GDR (Main Directorate A) and Flick lobbyist, and journalist Claus Schöndube, who remained associated with the house until his death in 2007 and is still listed as an honorary member of the foundation council. To ensure the continuous and effective continuation of its work, the educational institution was transferred on 26 April 1975 into the care of a public-law foundation (Stiftung bürgerlichen Rechts), with substantial support from the State of Rhineland-Palatinate. The foundation was formally instituted on 30 September 1975. The founding association continues to exist as a co-sponsor of the foundation and is also recognised as non-profit. The foundation's co-founders are the State of Rhineland-Palatinate and the Europa-Haus Marienberg e. V. Over the decades, EHM has developed a broad range of educational formats. Since 1975, it has conducted seminars and study trips for school newspaper editorial teams together with the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Education. It has also built a long tradition in media education and offers conflict mediation seminars for all school types. Its international youth encounters, often funded by Erasmus+, bring together young people from various European countries for several days in Bad Marienberg. By the end of 2024, nearly 260,000 participants had attended its seminars, with an average of about 70 seminars per year. In 2025, the operational leadership of the foundation is held by Nicole Stecker (steering and strategy), Elena Wakefield (finance) and Lena Krian (pedagogical direction). The foundation council (Stiftungsrat), which determines the guidelines of the foundation's activities, has seven members appointed by the Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate, three of them on the proposal of the association Europa-Haus Marienberg e. V. The foundation board (Vorstand) manages the foundation. The house is a member of numerous networks, including the Gesellschaft der Europahäuser und Europäischen Akademien e. V., Arbeitskreis deutscher Bildungsstätten e. V., Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Ost-West-Institute e. V., Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, Jugend für Europa, Europäische Bewegung Deutschland, Europa-Union Deutschland and the European Network for Education and Training (EUNET).

• 2025

  New operational leadership team: Nicole Stecker, Elena Wakefield and Lena Krian.

• 2024

  By the end of 2024, nearly 260,000 participants had attended EHM seminars.

• 1975

  Transferred on 26 April into a public-law foundation (Stiftung bürgerlichen Rechts); formally instituted on 30 September.

• 1975

  Began conducting seminars and study trips for school newspaper editorial teams with the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Education.

• 1951

  Founded on 19 October as the first Europahaus ever, by the association Europa-Haus Marienberg e. V.

Innovative, modern European education centre for political and youth education, independent of party politics and religion, with a focus on experiential and creative learning.

• think europe

  Innovative European youth education programme for young people from Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany and Europe; experience-based, challenging, unconventional and multiple award-winning.

• International youth encounters

  Bilateral, trilateral and multinational youth encounters on pressing topics, often funded by Erasmus+.

• Conflict mediation seminars

  Training for pupils as peer mediators, promoting social skills and preparing for real conflict situations.

• Media education and school newspaper seminars

  Seminars and study trips for school newspaper editorial teams and teachers, conducted since 1975 with the Rhineland-Palatinate education ministry.

• Venue rental

  Rental of the modern infrastructure for lectures, day and evening events, multi-day training, barcamps, retreats and celebrations.

1. 1Innovative Bildung im Europahaus Marienbergeuropahaus-marienberg.eu
2. 2Über das Europahaus Marienbergeuropahaus-marienberg.eu
3. 3Europahaus Marienberg – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
4. 4Maison de l'Europe (Brussels, Belgium) – Wikidatawikidata.org