Tretenhof

General information

The first account of the Tretenhof comes from a document dated 1417. It was a noble estate belonging to the House of Geroldseck with a large farmhouse, 30 oxen, 25 cows and 30 horses. Farmhands of varying status and stable lads served here.    

Today’s striking main building was built around 1800. Since then it has experienced some eventful times. In 1867, ‘twelve girls’ lived at the Tretenhof in a nurses’ station. The municipality of Seelbach purchased the Tretenhof in 1891 and established a hospital there with a paupers’ station. The extension with the arcades was added in 1910 and served as a convalescent home. This venture failed, however, in 1927. From 1936 onwards, the Tretenhof was used by the Nazis as a regional training camp for the Hitler Youth. Since 1951, the Tretenhof has been in the hands of the Workers’ Welfare Association (AWO). From 1982 to 2008, a civilian service training centre was located here. Today, it houses an educational centre and a kindergarten.