Johann-Friedrich-Danneil-Museum

The Johann-Friedrich-Danneil-Museum stands in Salzwedel, a town in Saxony-Anhalt. It began in 1836 as a collection of the Altmärkischer Verein für vaterländische Geschichte und Industrie, led by Johann Friedrich Danneil. The museum moved several times before settling in the Propstei, a Renaissance half-timbered building with a stair turret built in 1578. The Propstei once housed the archdeacon’s house from 1474 and gained a sandstone portal in 1754. A notable visitor in 1865 was Wilhelm I accompanied by Otto von Bismarck. The museum holds over 30,000 recorded finds from the Altmark region. Among its highlights are the Salzwedeler Madonna, a 1225/1230 oak sculpture, and the 1582 Weinbergaltar from Lucas Cranach the Younger’s workshop. The library contains about 20,000 books and an equal number of periodicals. Special exhibitions focus on local history, such as the 2009–2010 display “Dokumente der Wende.” The Langobardenwerkstatt Zethlingen, part of the museum since 1990, sits at a 2,000-year-old burial site linked to the Lombards. Inside the Propstei, visitors find medieval and later artefacts alongside changing displays. The stair turret and sandstone portal remain visible features of the building. The Langobardenwerkstatt offers hands-on sessions about Lombard life at the nearby burial field. Regular museum education days and exhibitions by local artists add to the programme. The collection reflects the region’s history from prehistory to modern times.