A small, almost 300-year-old inlaid wooden chest from the former Prussian district of Löwenberg (Lwówek Śląski) in Lower Silesia is on display in our exhibition rooms at Schönhof in Görlitz until 5 January 2025.

It comes from Greiffenberg, once an important centre for linen trading and weaving in Silesia. The valuable guild chest - an outstanding object in the Löwenberg Heritage Centre's collection - bears witness to the importance of the Greiffenberg merchants. In addition to seal stamps, it contains important documents such as minute books, lists of members and correspondence books from 1794 onwards.

In the Silesian Museum, it symbolises a step that is unique in the relationship between displaced German and Polish Silesians. On 12 November 2024, the entire home collection of the Löwenberg district was donated to the Silesian Museum, only to then move on to its region of origin in what is now Polish Silesia. The chest from the 18th century is the only object that remains temporarily in Görlitz and can be seen in the museum.

Since its foundation in 1970, the Heimatbund Löwenberg has seen its task as preserving the cultural heritage of the historical Prussian district of Löwenberg in Silesia. In particular, the collection, preservation and exhibition of memorabilia served this purpose. The first Heimatstube was opened in Hanover as early as 1971. Today, the collection of the Heimatstube Löwenberg comprises around 4,600 objects, including postcards and photos, pictures, archival documents, local plans and maps, textiles, ceramics and porcelain, glass, everyday objects and memorabilia as well as an extensive library.

On 12 November, the loan of the Heimatstube to the municipality and town of Lwówek Śląski / Löwenberg was also agreed. This means that the collection - now on loan from the Silesian Museum in Görlitz - is returning to the region in what is now Polish Lower Silesia, whose history it tells. In future, the collection will be professionally stored and presented in public institutions in Lwówek Śląski / Löwenberg, Gryfów Śląski / Greiffenberg and Lubomierz / Liebenthal.