Stiftung Akademie Waldschlösschen

The Akademie Waldschlösschen – Rainer Marbach and Ulli Klaum Foundation is a nationwide, non-profit residential adult education center with a queer focus. Surrounded by forest and rock formations in the Wendebach Valley near Göttingen, it offers space for education, encounter, and empowerment. The institution serves as a meeting place for gay and lesbian, bisexual, non-binary, trans*, and intersex people as well as asexual/aromantic individuals, for HIV-positive and AIDS-affected persons, their relatives, and professionals. The program includes events on social engagement and self-help, life design and health, science and art, as well as professional development. The Akademie is a recognized provider of political education, an educational partner of the BMBF, a residential adult education center eligible for financial aid under NEBG, and a member of the cooperation network “Selbstverständlich Vielfalt” within the federal program “Living Democracy!”. Quality assurance is conducted according to the Learner-Oriented Quality Development (LQW) procedure.

"We are a place of encounter committed to the humanization of society." The Akademie Waldschlösschen promotes equality, solidarity with socially disadvantaged groups, acceptance of diverse lifestyles and sexualities, as well as curiosity about the unfamiliar as an enrichment. Through education and encounters in creative, manageable groups, it encourages participants to take responsibility for themselves and others and to jointly strengthen civil society structures.

The educational offerings are generally aimed at all interested parties but focus primarily on LGBTQIA* communities as well as people living with HIV/AIDS and their relatives. This includes specific seminar series and workshops for gay, lesbian, bisexual, non-binary, trans*, and intersex as well as asexual/aromantic individuals, training sessions on HIV/STIs, sexual education topics, and inclusive programs for people with intellectual disabilities. Additionally, professionals in health care, nursing, youth, and adult education who wish to make their work queer-sensitive are also addressed.