Forschungsstelle Deutscher Orden
The Teutonic Order Research Centre (), is a research institution at the Julius-Maximilian University of Würzburg. It is dedicated to the history of the Teutonic Order, with a particular focus on the regional history of Franconia. History. By 1219, members of the Teutonic Order had settled in the Tauber-Franconian city of Mergentheim. In 1527 the Order’s headquarters were established there. From its early days, the Order was also based in Würzburg. Because of this long historical tradition, in 2010 Dieter Salch - Honorary Chevalier of the Teutonic Order and proud citizen of Würzburg - asked University President  Prof. Alfred Forchel to consider founding a Teutonic Order Research Center at the University of Würzburg. The Teutonic Order Research Center was established in the Leighton Barracks, home of the 1st Infantry Division of the United States of America. After the transformation of part of the barracks into Campus Hubland North, the former Elementary School was refurbished and opened for use. The archive of the University of Würzburg and an institute for the social and cultural history of university students (Institut für Hochschulkunde) additionally moved into the former Elementary School. The three institutions commonly use and manage the reading rooms  and technical facilities such as the new mobile shelving in the archive. The Center was inaugurated on July 3, 2014. Bruno Platter, Friedhelm Hofmann, Dieter Salch, Josef Schuster, Alfred Forchel, Paul Beinhofer, Christian Schuchardt, Bernhart Jähnig, Arno Mentzel-Reuters, Udo Arnold, Oliver Jörg and Edda Weise were present. Guests came from Poland, Belgium, Austria and Italy. Focus. The Research Center is focused on the European-wide History of the Order - from the Mediterranean Countries to Prussia. It also has a strong connection to the Historical Landscape of Franconia (now the northern part of Bavaria). The Research Center is linked to  the University of Würzburg and the University's Chair for the Regional History of Franconia, , is the Director. Under his leadership, the Center aims to place the Order's history within Europe-wide history as well as in its more specific regional and local contexts. As a result, research focuses on comparative European regional history, including diverse political, religious and cultural references. At the same time, it researches the history of the "Ballei" (an Order’s administrative district) and the Teutonic Order's Commandery ('Komturei') of Franconia. Most of the refurbishment costs of €400,000 were covered by the Free  State of Bavaria. Additional funding came from "Deutschen Gesellschaft für Hochschulkunde", "Deutschherrenbund", "Gesellschaft der Freunde und Förderer des Deutschen Ordens St. Mariens in Jerusalem" and "Dieter-Salch-Stiftung Pro Universitate". Research. Finished project: Current projects: Lectures and seminars. Since 2012, lectures and seminars on the Teutonic Order have been regularly held at the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg. Library. The Research center includes a library on the history of the Teutonic Order. The focus of the own collection is on the literature on research on the Teutonic Order in the early modern period. The inventory also includes the library of  the Historical Commission for East and West Prussian Regional Research (HiKo). Excursions. Since 2015, the FDO (also in cooperation with various chairs of the Julius Maximilians University) has organized excursions in the footsteps of the Teutonic Order.