More than 60 companions gathered at Bönnigheim Castle on Tuesday to honor the local historian Kurt Sartorius, who is known far beyond Bönnigheim. The awarding of the Staufer Medal was also a special occasion for District Administrator Dietmar Allgaier. After all, it was the first time in his more than one and a half years in office that the district administrator had been able to present the highest award of the state of Baden-Württemberg on behalf of Minister President Winfried Kretschmann.
Kurt Sartorius' "passion for history and local history research" has been with him since his school days. "And this passion, this great interest in history, ran through almost all of your voluntary activities and still drives you today," emphasized Allgaier. Sartorius has been a member of the Baden-Württemberg Museum Association since 1974, has been on the advisory board since 1999 and heads the working group of volunteer-run museums. Sartorius has also been working for the State Office for the Preservation of Monuments as a representative for the preservation of archaeological monuments since the 1970s. "You still hold this office today and have been able to make valuable contributions at state level with your excavations in Bönnigheim and act as a short link between the town and the state," the district administrator stated appreciatively in his laudatory speech.
In his late 20s, Sartorius founded the Historische Gesellschaft Bönnigheim e.V. with 29 other people and has been its chairman ever since. To date, the society has gained around 240 members - making it the largest, but also the oldest, historical society in the Ludwigsburg district. In countless guided tours and lectures, Sartorius has introduced visitors from all over Germany to the history and stories of the Ganerbenstadt and the Zabergaeu region. Sartorius made a particular contribution to local history through archaeological excavations: he was the first person in Germany to link the discovery of clay pots in 35 cellars with post-natal burials. "You were ridiculed for this at first," says Allgaier, "but you proved the significance all the more when these finds were recognized internationally. This shows once again that it takes courage and perseverance to achieve the recognition you deserve."
Bönnigheim also became known as a museum town through the founding of the Swabian Schnapps Museum in 1993, which has since attracted well over 125,000 visitors, and since 2002 through the "Arzney-Küche". In addition to countless hours of voluntary work, the Förderverein Museum im Steinhaus has also been able to raise funds amounting to 450,000 euros for both museums. "Your commitment to the town of Bönnigheim is extraordinary, and in such a special field that is not easily accessible to everyone. As a native of Bönnigheim, exploring the cultural heritage of the town of Bönnigheim has been an important concern for you since childhood," praised Allgaier before presenting the Staufer Medal to Kurt Sartorius.
