Who we are
“A thank you from my family to everyone who contributes daily, both inside and out, to the 'artwork' of Sonnenhausen! I know we are shaping a tiny part of our world here for generations.”
Georg Schweisfurth
Conversation with Karl Ludwig Schweisfurth
A film by friend Peter Künzel, shot on the penultimate day before KLS moved out of Nymphenburg. 2018. † 15 February 2020.
ERINNERST DU DICH?
The sight of the estate and farmhouse in the morning mist, feeling the calm, was the moment that first amazed Georg Schweisfurth and his father, eco-pioneer Karl Ludwig Schweisfurth over 30 years ago.
Here, in 1985, they founded the Herrmannsdorfer Landwerkstätten, later followed by the organic and conference hotel Gut Sonnenhausen, as a place of meeting, beauty, good thoughts, nature, and art. Much has evolved, and we are committed to the idea of change. However, the feeling upon seeing the clearing emerge from the dense forest has remained.
IN HARMONY
We are dedicated to organic farming at Sonnenhausen. This is evident in the incredibly rich and beautiful forest edges, the meadows in bloom, and ultimately the fine scent of the earth.
We manage our 25 hectares of agricultural land according to permaculture principles. For example, by planting perennial, fruit-bearing trees and shrubs, or by creating diverse habitats for a rich flora and fauna.
Over 4,600 fruit trees, timber-yielding trees, and shrubs have been planted in recent years. To make them accessible for you, we have created new paths, which hold their charm even in winter.
ORGANIC & LOCAL
Everything you eat and drink with us is organically certified. We do this out of conviction, and it has been a long-standing tradition: we've been organic since 1986, ever since our brother estate, the ‘Herrmannsdorfer Landwerkstätten’, opened 2.5 km from here.
WITH ALL THE SENSES
Stroll through the kitchen garden. SEE and HEAR the variety of insects bustling around.
Pick dill stalks or lavender and take in their SCENT. Brush a sage leaf and FEEL how wonderfully soft and velvety it lies in your hand.
From the field, dripping fresh and at the right time, straight into our kitchens - that's the shortest route and you can TASTE it.
ORGANIC, there you go.
QUIET COMFORT
Abundance can also arise from omission. Choosing consciously means creating space for silence, allowing the soul to breathe, and focusing on what truly matters.
Art can do that.
It lingers around, stands in the garden, appears in corners. Not loud, not intrusive – yet somehow it affects you. Suddenly, you think differently, look more closely, pause for a moment. It just happens. That's art.
