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Origin and history

Hunebourg Castle, located in Dossenheim-sur-Zinsel in the Lower Rhine, has its origins in the 12th century. Attested from 1125 with Count Folmar of Huneburc, he belonged to a lineage close to the Counts of Metz and Eguisheim-Dabo. This medieval castle, composed of an "old castle" on a small rock and an adjacent "new castle", served as a residence and fortress for the Counts of Hunebourg, confessed to the abbeys of Neuwiller and Honau. It was partially destroyed in 1378 by the Strasbourgs, then rebuilt before being gradually abandoned from 1464. Its ruins, sold as national property, were acquired in 1809 by Marshal Clarke, who built a park there and destroyed the medieval dungeon.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the site was bought by Fritz Spieser, an Alsatian autonomist, who undertook an ambitious reconstruction in neo-Roman style between 1934 and 1944. The architect Karl Erich Loebell designed several buildings, including the Friedensturm (1937-1938), a commemorative dungeon dedicated to Alsatian-mosellan soldiers of the First World War. The project, interrupted by World War II, became a meeting place for pro-Nazi self-governing groups. Spieser, forced into exile in 1939, returned after the German occupation but could not complete his work due to shortages of materials and labour.

After 1945, the castle was placed under receivership and sold in 1949 to the Mutual Registration Society. Turned into a holiday centre for finance agents, it later became a private property after being a hotel run by Vacanciel. Today, the site preserves neo-Roman elements such as the Friedensturm, the court of honour and residential buildings, as well as medieval remains barely visible. Listed at the Historical Monuments in 2007, it reflects the political and architectural recompositions of Alsace in the 20th century.

The medieval castle, of which few traces remain in elevation, was organized in two distinct parts: the "old castle" on the small rock, protected by a shield wall and a dungeon, and the "new castle" on the large rock, probably dedicated to residential functions. Access was by a staircase cut into the rock, opposite the current bridge. Historical excavations and studies reveal a tank dug in the rock and humpstones characteristic of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. After its partial destruction in 1378, the castle changed hands several times (Fleckenstein, Lichtenberg) before being definitively abandoned in the 15th century.

Fritz Spieser's project, marked by his autonomist commitment, aimed at creating an Alsatian identity symbol. The 16-metre high Friedensturm embraces the pentagonal shape of the western rock and incorporates commemorative sculptures. Residential buildings, such as Spieser's House (1935) and the Gästehaus (completed), were to accommodate guests and cultural activities. The Saalbau, designed as a chapel-room of music, and the ideal farm (unrealized) reflected a romantic vision of community life, inspired by the Wandervogel movement. Local materials (pink sandstone) and Alsatian architectural references (arcatures, geminated bays) reinforced this identity dimension.

The neo-Roman architecture of Spieser Castle is inspired by Alsatian monuments, with arches, bas-reliefs and stylized defensive elements. The courtyard of honour, closed by an openworked wall, and the sculptures of Alfons Rompel (1895-1961) add an artistic dimension to the project. Despite its registration in 2007, access to certain areas, such as the dungeon tower, is sometimes restricted. The site, now privately owned, illustrates the memory tensions of Alsace, between medieval heritage, controversial reconstruction and contemporary re-appropriation.

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