Schloss Beesenstedt and A Kind of Magic
In a fantasy dinner setting Freddie Mercury would have perfectly blended in during the inaugural banquet of MLOVE ConFestival. Somehow amidst a bizarrely perfect mix of 150 world-changers, cake loving singer-songwriters (Rocky & Balls), frighteningly smart visionaries and schloss-shaking visual artists (Projektil) “a kind of magic” unfolded.
MLOVE’s founder Harald Neidhardt and conference maestro Peter Giblin managed to deliver the unexpected.
A baffled and buzzing audience went home after 2 days and 3 nights, truly grateful for the experience and still digesting “what exactly went down” at this East German Neverland.
Schloss Beesenstedt turned into a constantly transforming playground where Lenin and Genossen were watching from forgotten wall paintings in the hallways and workshops were held under cherry trees. The barn had been remodeled into a set of Future Cubes where new business ideas got shaped in small groups – and then partially presented as impromptu rap songs. Oh yes, and then the entire castle took center stage when Projektil rocked the historic walls with a giant projection.
You could truly feel the soul of this 19th century castle with its history stretching from the freemasons through to a ‘party school’ for the East German FDGB (Free German Trade Union). Now in private ownership, Schlossherr Armin Mey welcomes an illustrious mix of guests. Helmut Berger and Bela B. filmed parts of “Honey Baby” here and in May 2008 Rammstein moved an entire studio into the castle to record their 6th studio album.
“Liebe ist für alle da”
The album of Germany’s Nr 1 rock-band went on to become Rammstein’s biggest international success, despite famously landing on the index for a brief period. Besides retro-communist relicts the interior also includes the former bath from Udo Lindenberg’s room at the Hotel Intercontinental in Hamburg (check into room 15), and the furniture in the foyer stems from Hildegard Kneef’s suite in the hotel ‘Schweizer Hof’ in Berlin.
In short, Beesenstedt provided the perfect stage for MLOVE. Because at the end it was exactly this chemistry between very different but same same people who shared a genuine curiosity and a brilliant event choreography that created the MLOVE bond of trust. With Peter Giblin the camp had its natural super-intendant who directed a mix of high-octane panels blended in with workshops, string orchestras, group kazoo exercises, and bonfires. (Contagious have written a great round-up of the programme.)
People were truly touched and honored to be part of the inaugural MLOVE family – especially when realizing it was Harald Neidhardt’s mountain-moving determination that made MLOVE happen, so that people would finally get to experience what no endorsing words and visuals could describe.
The brave aspiration of the event “to create life-changing experiences that can impact us all for the better” may have sounded ambitious. (The event name apparently even triggered some wild speculations at corporate headquarters.) But the overwhelming post-event tweets (#mlove #mlove2010) are undeniable proof that MLOVE did shift things into perspective for everyone.
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