Together with her nurse, with whom she had a close relationship throughout her life, Annette von Droste-Hülshoff moved into three small rooms on the mezzanine floor. With its low ceilings and small windows, her living room and study was a simple but cosy place, which she herself affectionately referred to as a 'snail shell'. Here she found the necessary peace and concentration and created such important works as "The Jew's Beech", with which she created a literary monument to her native Westphalia. Annette von Droste-Hülshoff always had a keen eye for the political, social and societal upheavals of her time. As a single woman from a noble family who also wrote, she herself lived in a permanent conflict between docility and self-determination.
Living memorial site
The poet's living quarters can be visited as part of a guided tour. The living room and study, which was reconstructed based on one of her drawings, is furnished as faithfully as possible to the original, with a writing desk and authentic possessions such as a stone and bird's egg collection and old art engravings. However, there are also other exhibits to discover, such as the house altar in the magnificent garden hall, the large cooker in the kitchen or the carriage in the barn. The carriage enabled Annette von Droste-Hülshoff to travel, which was an absolute privilege at the time despite all the hardships and allowed her to keep in touch with relatives and friends near and far.
