Great-granddaughter of the Duchess of Courland impressed at Posterstein Castle!

Great-granddaughter of the Duchess of Courland impressed at Posterstein Castle!

On June 25, 2025, Christiane Ruoss-Blaack, the great-granddaughter of the Duchess of Courland, visited the Altenburger Land together with Pastor Alain Joly from Paris. The Duchess had regularly visited the priest during her lifetime and supported him financially. During their visit to the region, the program included exploring the exhibition at Posterstein Castle and the Tannenfeld Castle Park. Ruoss-Blaack, who is a member of the Burg Posterstein Museum Association, brought not only family connections into play, but also the cultural roots of her ancestor.

Pastor Joly, who currently leads the Des Billettes church in Paris, also knew the artist Sergio Birga personally. This led to a visit to the “Stars over Paris” exhibition at the Lindenau Museum, where his work can be seen. The cultural connections between Altenburg and Paris come to life through the historical relationships of the Duchess of Courland, highlighting the importance of art and music during this time.

Art and music in focus

A central part of their visit was the cabinet exhibition “Taktvoll – From Salon to Music School” at Posterstein Castle, which can be seen until August 17, 2025. This special show focuses on the history of music and music learning from the historical salons to the modern music school. As part of the exhibition, a piano will also be presented, which was probably played by the Duchess herself and thus represents a special connection to the musical promotion of young talent, which was an important concern for the Duchess.

The exhibition, which is supported by the Cultural Foundation of the Free State of Thuringia, offers the public the opportunity to actively participate. Visitors are invited to bring in personal memorabilia and experiences to preserve the history of the Duchess of Courland's Löbichau Salon. Part of these stories are also reports from contemporary witnesses who talk about tolerance, political discussions, theater performances and making music together.

A special supporting program

The accompanying program for the exhibition includes various events, including a jazz concert planned for August 17, 2025 with the “Kaisers New World” quartet. Special pieces of music dedicated to the Duchess are also set to music by musicians from the Altenburger Land Music School, building a bridge from the past to the present.

The connection between European salon history and today's music education is impressively illustrated by these presentations. Therefore, it remains exciting to see how the salon ideas will live on through the reporting and engagement of visitors, and thus be made accessible to future generations. For further information about the exhibition and its events, please refer to the Posterstein Castle website: abg-net.de as well as on the page of salon-europa.eu.