The Trüperwiese (Trüper meadow)

The so-called Trüperwiese is an orchard meadow of about 1.3 ha near the Sophienhöhe. It belonged to the Trüper sanatorium and educational institution originally founded in 1890, where Johannes Trüper developed a new concept for the therapeutic-educational support of developmentally disabled children.

The concept focused on the special inclusion of practical activities. In addition to the usual residential buildings, the institution also had a swimming pool, a gymnasium and various workshops as well as agricultural land and orchards.

After Johannes Trüper's death, the home was continued with the cooperation of the family and later within the framework of the GDR school system, but it closed in 1966. Due to the gradual deterioration of the premises, all buildings were finally demolished in 2005; only the so-called "Russenvilla" (Russian villa) on Wöllnitz Oberweg has remained. Parts of the site were cleared for residential development; the meadow orchard, however, remained in its original form as a protected biotope.

Since 2003, the meadow has been gradually made usable again as a meadow orchard by planting new trees, after it threatened to become increasingly overgrown in the 1980s. Since then, many local residents have taken over a large part of the care and maintenance measures.

A meadow for all

In 2014, the Trüper community of heirs donated the area to Bürgerstiftung Jena in order to preserve the meadow as a green space in the long term.

The meadow is a local recreation area for Jena residents and residents of Jena. Those who fancy fresh and home-picked apples can visit the meadow orchard at harvest time and pick apples. And in winter, a wonderful sledding hill beckons you to go on fast rides.

On the occasion of the 11th Jena Volunteer Day 2015, Dr. Werner Schuricht, Thuringia's state spokesman of the Pomologen Verein and Jena's "apple pope", was invited to identify the trees of the Trüperwiese. After the inspection of the meadow, around 24 varieties emerged, some of which are over  a hundred years old.

So that you also know which variety you are picking, we have drawn up a map of the trees and the corresponding list of varieties, which can be downloaded as a PDF.

We hope you enjoy your visit to the meadow!

Would you like to support our voluntary work on the meadow?

Then please send a donation by bank transfer with the intended purpose "Trüperwiese" to the Bürgerstiftung Jena, IBAN: DE63 8602 0500 0003 5675 00.

Of course, you will also receive a donation receipt if you provide an address.