50 Years IBZ Gimborn

50 years of IBZ Gimborn Castle
Under the patronage of Herbert Reul,
Minister of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia

Greeting by the
Minister of the Interior of
North Rhine-Westphalia
Greeting by the President of
International Police Association (IPA)
Section Germany
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Crime knows no borders – neither local nor national ones. That is why
co-operation is essential precisely during these times of increasingly
global interrelations and work-sharing. The efforts to combat crime must
be just as international as crime itself is today. Here the International
Police Association makes a valuable contribution.
Through its seminars on topical issues of internal security, and methodical
further training such as the use of social media in police work, the
International Conference Centre of Gimborn Castle presents contemporary
formats. The opportunities for police officers to establish cross-border
contacts and exchange experiences are particularly significant. We all
can always learn a great deal from each other.
For 50 years the Conference Centre has been offering a platform to
participants who now come from over 30 countries. On the occasion of
this Golden Jubilee I would like to congratulate the IBZ with all my heart
and wish you all the best for the next 50 years.
Dear Friends of the IBZ,
Honoured Readers of the 50 Year Chronicle
of the Conference Centre of Gimborn Castle!
If the IBZ didn‘t already exist someone would have to invent it immediately,
in my opinion! The IPA Flagship, as it is called within the International
Police Association (IPA), is a magnificent institution with a flair that is
unique in all the world.
On behalf of IPA Section Germany it is with special pleasure that I offer
congratulations on half a century of educational endeavours for police
officers. My congratulations are directed not only at the current staff
of the IBZ, but also specifically at the founders, and the other women
and men of the early beginnings, for their first-class pioneer work and
perseverance on a sometimes rocky path. I would also like to extend a
vote of thanks to all the officials and helpers, from full-time to unpaid,
who contributed actively over the last fifty years to the success of the IBZ.
Without them all, the IBZ would not be what it is today!
IPA Section Germany stands firmly at the side of the IBZ.
Herbert Reul
Horst W. Bichl

Greeting by the
International President
International Police Association (IPA)
Happy Golden Jubilee!
Anyone signing up for their first seminar at IBZ Gimborn usually knows
the basics: it is a nice place, the seminar will be a good opportunity to
meet colleagues from other countries, and the social moments carry on
long after sunset and are an integral part of the experience.
Once there, you will definitely fall in love with the peaceful atmosphere
of the castle and its beautiful scenery. The interaction with the other
participants of the seminar is unique, and you will bring back
unforgettable memories of the long evenings and the social activities
arranged in addition to the working sessions. And without doubt you
will look forward to another chance to return to Gimborn!
Director, René Kauffmann, who, together with his team, works with so much
dedication and enthusiasm for the positive development of IBZ Gimborn.
50 years is a great achievement, but such an anniversary is also an
opportunity to generate further interest and to encourage more people
to join, and therefore ensure the future of this wonderful institution.
Whether as an individual IPA member, or together as an IPA region,
branch or section, make sure you seize the chance to support our education
centre and sign up! “Mighty oaks from little acorns grow”, therefore every
new member and every additional contribution is important for the
future of Gimborn, a future that concerns us all and that we must ensure.
The International Police Association is fortunate and honoured to benefit
from such a long and wonderful partnership, which was established
50 years ago, in 1969. The information and education centre of Gimborn
is often referred to it as the flagship of our Association, which emphasises
the importance of the friendship developed between our two institutions.
This Golden Jubilee gives us the perfect opportunity to celebrate this
precious treasure we have, and to thank the pioneers who had the vision
and belief to lay the foundations of this unique international education
centre, as well as all those who have worked hard over the past 50 years
to maintain and develop our partnership. A special thank you to the current
Happy Anniversary on behalf of the IPA International Executive Board
and the entire IPA family.
Long live Gimborn!
Long live our partnership!
Servo per Amikeco
Pierre-Martin Moulin

“
Our motto of
education and encounters
has remained
a main theme
„
for all events

50 YEARS OF IPA CONFERENCE CENTRE
In fact, the IBZ ought not to even exist. That, at least, is the impression
you get when looking back on forty years and realising the circumstances
and prospects under which the project was undertaken.
Within the IPA the notion of renting a real-life Castle and running it
permanently with its own staff was quite fantastic. After all, at that time
the IPA was viewed by many of its Members as an association for the
promotion of friendship and travel, which pledged strict allegiance to
the principles of ideological and political neutrality, banned any economic
activity whatsoever, and rejected paid full-time staff outright in favour
of support from wholly unpaid volunteers. Anyone who was in the IPA
utilised the advantages of membership exclusively by becoming active
themselves; by seeking personal contacts with fellow officers and embarking
on joint activities within the Association with kindred spirits. The minimal
amount of paperwork required could be dealt with by a handful of Members
at their own kitchen tables, so to speak, during their free time.
FOUNDING
Gimborn Castle in 1969
After 50 years the IBZ presents itself today in a manner which, however
rocky things appeared to be at the beginning, may well have been the
objective in the minds of the founders. Since then the IBZ has become a
centre of information and education as well as a forum for encounters and
further training, principally for police officers of all ranks and branches,
which is known far beyond the German borders.
In the whole world, the IBZ is unique. It is the only institution for the
entire International Police Association (IPA), and as a privately sponsored
teaching institute intended primarily for police officers it is the only one
of its kind.
To many, the concept that the IPA might, one day, possess its own
offices, with its own telephone, personal computer, and communications
technology, appeared alien to the “IPA” idea. All those things would
cause the loss of a fundamental aspect of personal co-operation within
an altruistic association that aimed at achieving close personal contacts
across all borders. The IPA was not tied to one particular place. The IPA
was everywhere: anywhere IPA friends met.
Accordingly, it is not surprising that the idea, towards the end of the
1960s, of founding an inter-regionally oriented institution in Gimborn
that would be most intimately linked with the IPA name was controversial.
Was the original principle of the IPA, conjured up by Arthur Troop, its
legendary founder, still evident? Was the IPA about to be transmogrified

1970s
by an over-zealous bunch of progress fanatics? Or was a gang of hyped-up
idealists loose in Gimborn, who had no grasp of the financial and
administrative scope of their deeds and were on the point of entering
into obligations for the future, which others might possibly have to
uphold?Indeed, establishing a training institute was, for those times, truly
ambitious. No similarly large-scaled undertaking, with all its personnel,
economic, and legal implications, had previously been attempted within
the framework of the IPA. In the absence of guarantees from the Baron
von Fürstenberg, assistance and a loan from the then community of
Gimborn, and support from the district, the project would have come to
a standstill right at its inception.
What drove its initiators to set out on such an endeavour? Experiences
gained by the North Rhine-Westphalia branch of IPA in organising
international training events at the European Academy of Otzenhausen
and elsewhere, attended by police officers from various countries,
had kindled the idea of carrying out such events independently. The
“Uhu-Haus” experience had already demonstrated that, when the
division of labour was suitably planned, a hitherto undreamed-of degree
of motivation could be mobilised among active and retired police officers
when it came to co-operation and creativity.
where, some 4 kilometres from Gimborn, the conferences were held, meals
taken, and a number of the seminar participants were lodged. A fire in
the Castle temporarily delayed the final move to Gimborn, so that the
IBZ was officially inaugurated only in 1972, in the presenceof the then
Home Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Willi Weyer.
der Landesgruppe Nordrhein-Westfalen in der Europäischen Akademie
Otzenhausen und anderswo in Europa gemacht worden waren, hatten
die Idee geweckt, derartige Veranstaltungen in eigener Regie durchzuführen.
Bereits das Uhu-Haus hatte gezeigt, dass bei entsprechender
organisatorischer Vorbereitung der arbeitsteiligen Lastenverteilung ein
ungeahntes Maß an Motivation zur Mitarbeit und Kreativität aktiver und
pensionierter Polizeibeamter mobilisierbar ist. Für die Gründungsväter,
allen voran, Günter Kratz, Hans Jansen und Theo Leenders, galt es 1969,
die Chance, für die IPA ein Schloss mieten zu können, nicht ungenutzt
verstreichen zu lassen, wenn auch die Voraussetzungen für die notwendigen
Umbaumaßnahmen und für einen späteren ordentlichen Tagungsbetrieb
noch längst nicht als gesichert angesehen werden konnten.
The initiators at the official inauguration of the IBZ in 1972
The founding fathers, led by Günter Kratz, Hans Jansen, and Theo Leenders,
felt the opportunity in 1969 to rent a castle for the IPA simply couldn’t
be passed by, even if the prerequisites for the needed alterations and
subsequent regular conference operation were far from being assured.
As early as 1971, after the conversion of the former Gimborn Volksschule
(elementary school) was completed, conference operation began, as did
many years’ close co-operation with the Hütt Pension in Dürhölzen;
The founding of an educational centre actually came at an auspicious
time. Towards the end of the 1960s “Education” became fashionable.
Thus, in its infancy the IBZ benefited from the judicious decision of the
North Rhine-Westphalian Home Minister to invest not only in initial but
also in further training, on behalf of the intermediate levels of the police
force too. Operating at capacity, a matter that was crucial to the Centre’s
survival in its early years was managed to some degree by offering seminars
for the staff councils being created within the public administration and

y organising events on behalf of third parties. The original intention,
though, to stand out by offering international events involving police
officers from a variety of European countries, could initially be realised
only to a very narrow extent. Within the international bodies of the IPA
there was still no majority to be found that was disposed to combine
foresight with courage to grasp the opportunity that was materialising
in Gimborn.
True, the founding in 1969 created a fait accompli which was followed by
more of the same, so that – from our present vantage point we might say:
luckily – there was simply no turning back; nevertheless in its earliest
years the condition of the IBZ was a precarious one, particularly in
financial terms.
“ „
Learning & growing together
It was only in the second half of the 1970s that stabilisation and steady
development began to emerge, which were to have lasting effects on
identity and conference structure. One key element was recognition of
the Centre under the Weiterbildungsgesetz (law on adult education and
further education) of North Rhine-Westphalia, which entered into force
in 1974 and enabled generous expansion of adult education under public
and private administration. That Law also ensured solid basic funding of
everyday operation and staff for the IBZ. For the very first time since the
IBZ was founded, its budget problems were palpably alleviated. Even so
the use of state funds to finance own educational work which, on top
of that, was called “political” in accordance with German terminology,
led to great qualms notably among those circles of the IPA, both
domestically and abroad, who felt an obligation to tradition. Wasn’t this
a contradiction of the absolute independence of the IPA as laid down
in the International Statutes? Wasn’t there a risk that political party
interests might possibly make their influence felt? It took many years to
allay those misgivings.
A further development was, in the long term, at least as significant as
operation based on the Weiterbildungsgesetz: the acknowledgement of
the IBZ as a training centre of the IPA, which was reflected in the provision
of educational events for IPA Members and progress in the number and
structure of the Members of the Association.
After Jürgen Klös came into the office of President of the German IPA
Section the decision was made to utilise the potential of the IBZ for the
IPA. While formerly the attitude of the previous German Federal Board
towards the founding of a conference centre had actually verged on the
hostile, rather than simply passive, now a cautious yet decisive change
began to unfold. The German Section introduced a procedure under which
their own Section Members were entitled to lower participation fees
than non-Members. Under the chairmanship of Artur Winkelmann, who
had retired in 1974, the first IPA seminars took place, characterised from
the start by trans-regional, even international, participation and by the
principle of voluntary attendance. Success was so sweeping that in the
following years the number of IPA seminars was increased considerably
each year to accommodate the demand. Courtesy of public debate, in
those years there was no shortage of varied topics. These included:
the value shift expressed by the student movement at the end of the
1960s; a multitude of reform plans for state and society; Ostpolitik and
domestic German policy; terrorist attacks with domestic and foreign
1970s

1970s
political backgrounds; conflict research; and the dawn of the age of
communication. At the relevant events the focus was less on tactical
aspects of police deployment; rather, much greater emphasis was placed
on discussions of diverging opinions and the implications of certain
positions for one’s own views of society, the profession, and people.
To provide as many interested persons as possible with an opportunity
to attend, even if they were from more distant areas, participation fees
were kept to a minimum. In addition, a number of Sections decided to
grant their Members financial subsidies towards participation fees and
travel expenses so that, independently of the distance to be travelled,
the maximum number of persons would have a genuine chance to make
use of the educational opportunities presented.
The success of the IPA seminars also affected the Association. Membership
numbers had increased only very slightly until the mid-1970s and was
initially limited largely to Members from North Rhine-Westphalia; true,
already within the first four years of existence, the sole non-German
Founding Member, the Netherlands, was followed by three additional
European neighbouring sections: Denmark, Luxembourg, and Austria. In
the second half of the 1970s the number of Members rose twofold and
thus indicated that a development had at last come under way which led
to mutual influence and acceleration.
Under the pressure of circumstances in the early years, the staff of the
Centre, whose numbers were steadily increasing, also became aware
that they were creating something exceptional, and expressed this
awareness in an extraordinary measure of personal dedication and
attention. Shortcomings of the facilities and in the working conditions
were more than made up for with skilful improvisation and individual
effort. All of those gave rise to that special Gimborn ambience, exemplified
by a very personal, indeed often very warm relationship between the
staff of all areas and the participants. This grew even stronger when,
contrary to the original plan for long-term co-operation with the then
manager of the Schlosshotel, the Centre began catering meals itself,
with a kitchen, kitchen staff, and dining room of its own. The “home
cooking” – welcomed by the seminar participants – served in the years
to come stood out from the canteen food of the time and the fast food
that came into fashion later.
“ „
Innovative on new ground
The Gimborn ambience described above was further enhanced, as it still
is today, by the uniquely secluded location of this tiny hamlet, pop. 24,
with its ensemble of Castle, church, school, Schlosshotel, and manor
farm. Subjective impressions in this exceptional setting proved to be
tremendously influenced by the “atmospheric introductions,” since
renowned, given by Artur Winkelmann at the start of the seminars:
through the expert use of rhetoric and in brief theatrical sketches he
would present the history of the Castle and its inhabitants in a vivid
and amusing manner, going on to reiterate the idealism and devotion
revealed by so many IPA Members in establishing and improving their
conference centre.
The strengthening ties with the IPA and the, now evident, steady rise in
the number of IPA seminars with a decrease in third-party events were
also connected with a decisive change in the composition of the Board.

In 1978 Hartmut Zantow was elected Chairman of the Board; together
with Winrich Granitzka, Gerard de Nijs from the Netherlands (later: Ton
Rutting), and Town Director Werner Knabe (later: Walther Dam Larsen
from Denmark), the new Chairman brought the precarious founding
phase to a successful close. This also included tapping the potential in
the IPA which was, as yet far from being fully activated.
and Klaus-Ulrich Nieder exchanged the scientific theories of Münster
University for practical management in Gimborn. 1981 also marked another
turning point as public funding of adult education reached a peak that
would never be attained again, due to the hard times for public budgets
which later years would bring.
1970s
Prominent mention must be made of an idea that
was keenly and successfully propagated by Hans
Jansen: the “sponsorship actions,” which pusued
and attained a variety of goals simultaneously.
On the one hand, handing over sponsorship of
the furnishings and equipment of rooms in the
Castle and school took a sizeable load off the
budget. On the other, this also helped establish
Hans Jansen
especially close and enduring ties between the
Centre and its active Members. Taking on sponsorship provided a chance
for IPA Friends from near and far to make a commitment and to show the
tangible results of their activity to themselves and others.
Within a few years, thirty rooms were being sponsored; they received
modern, tasteful, and individual furnishings and gave each participant
and guest the feeling that he or she was staying in a very special room.
The definite end of the founding phase was also indicated by the
implementation in 1981 of an amendment to the Statutes abolishing the
prerogatives of the Founding Members in favour of equal treatment of all
Members whenever they joined.
The same year saw a personnel change in the management of the Centre.
Wolfgang Häseker transferred to the Polizei-Führungsakademie in Hiltrup
Modernization of the Castle’s interior is progressing
Although in the 1980s the total volume of own educational events had to
be heavily restricted, the proportion of IPA seminars could be enlarged
greatly nevertheless by diversifying the range of topics on the programme;
soon a point was reached when such seminars represented the greater
part of events, a situation that has prevailed down to the present day. In
this manner the IBZ gradually took on the shape of a professional institute
for adult education. With that development, its reputation for qualified
content and instruction, and the economic results, rested primarily on

1980s
the consideration that the seminars were attractive enough to prompt
interested persons from all over the Federal Republic and neighbouring
regions to decide individually to attend even after having to weigh
the costs of travelling there and back as well as the participation fees.
Mainly for German participants, however, this decision was made easier
thanks to leave of absence that was granted – in varying degrees of
generosity, it is true – for the duration of the seminar under official
provisions for special leave.
The appointment in 1984 of Wolfgang Schulte, a trained secondary
school teacher with a background in history and social sciences, to the
educational staff was an important prerequisite for the increasingly
diversified and methodical planning and implementation of seminars.
“ „
Setting international impulses
To stimulate attendance the range of seminar topics was noticeably
expanded in comparison to preceding years. Topics that had proved to be
“evergreens” in the interest of participants, such as terrorism; substance
abuse; youth crime; extremism; German national policy; and European
unification, were complemented by events on issues of concern at
the time, e.g. the effects of global economic turbulence; the debate
surroundingpeaceful use of nuclear energy; and movements in civic
initiatives and environmental protection, followed later by the peace
movement. Additionally, seminars took up behaviour-oriented topics like
rhetoric; resolution of conflicts; and life after retirement. Topical social
developments were incorporated, such as youth protests; addiction
to gambling; data processing; etc. These were joined by country-oriented
events on e.g. the USA, Turkey, China, Japan, Israel, etc., and the Third
World. Aside from varying the topics, the concern was also to achieve
greater diversification of the individual seminars by systematically
involving the interests of the participants, although this did depend on
the actual topic, and applying a variety of participatory working methods.
The reception by participants demonstrated that the range of IBZ
subjects, oriented by topical controversy and real-life authenticity,
perfectly fulfilled expectations in terms of content and method. As it turned
out, for some topics that had been raised in Gimborn as early as
the 1980s, such as co-operation between social work and the police, or
the role of the individual citizen and that of the police in environmental
protection, for example, it took years before they were debated by a broader
(qualified) public and implemented. Seminars in Gimborn helped notions
like the anti-drugs disco become publicised and imitated throughout the
entire Federal Republic and neighbouring regions.
The cut in public subsidies in absolute terms of the increased budget
volume, but mainly effective also in relative terms, was balanced largely
by greater financial commitments of the IPA; successive elimination of
travel expense compensation and moderate raising of participation fees
for all types of conference; and by third-party events. Additional sources
of income, principally to finance renovations, issued from allocations by
prosecutors’ offices and courts following the payment of fines in criminal
proceedings and from several “building block” campaigns among the
Members of the Association. These sums covered investments essentially
to restore the balcony of the Castle, which had been barred for years,
and the roof and stairwell of the former school; as well as the transfer of
the offices to the Castle’s Annex.

1980s
The Offices are now in the Castle’s Annex
Internationalisation is real
The plan to become more international; that is, to attract to seminars
interested persons from other countries – one of the goals that had already
been a force behind the founding of the Association – could not be
realised with the approach adopted so far, of German-language seminars.
Admittedly, events did attract attendance from immediate neighbour
countries, specifically from Austria and the Netherlands, but also from
Switzerland, Denmark, and Luxembourg. To widen the circle of countries
permanently, however, it proved necessary to admit other languages
too. Some encouraging experience had already been gained from early
seminars that had been carried out in English, without interpretation, with
international participation – albeit largely without British participants
initially. The growing ranks of the Association and the efforts to acquire
Members from outside Germany too made it appear advisable to provide
the IBZ with a visibly international profile in educational work.
Before this plan could be implemented to any great extent, in 1984 an
obstructive new rule appeared in connection with public funding, which
had already been reduced besides: the incorporation of the Landeskinderklausel
(state citizenship clause) into the North Rhine-Westphalian
Weiterbildungsgesetz. With the aim of channelling the expenditure of
North Rhine-Westphalian tax money first and foremost to benefit persons
who lived or worked in North Rhine-Westphalia, the amount of funding
for participants from outside North Rhine-Westphalia became especially
regulated and substantially restricted. This regulation affected and still
affects the IBZ very painfully, since the implementation of international
events without basic financing under the Weiterbildungsgesetz was not
economically viable in most cases. Nonetheless, the projected approach
to internationalise the seminars could be undertaken and subsequently
maintained also.

1990s
In 1985 the first three-language (French, English and German) Juniors
seminar with simultaneous interpretation was offered, and the first
seminar in French; in 1986 Dutch served as a seminar language for the
first time; in 1990, with Italian, a further Romance language was added
to the programme; 1992 was the first year with a Spanish seminar;
with Hungarian, an Eastern European language was represented for
the first time in 1993; in 1994 Polish was included; the 1995 annual
programme listed a seminar in Russian and German with simultaneous
interpretation for the first time. The use of another language than
German does not mean that German speakers are excluded, far from
it; the purpose, which has also consistently been achieved thus far, is
to bring German-speaking participants together with nationals from
other countries more easily through such events. Of course, direct
communication and the exchange of personal and professional
experienceare simplified when people share a common (mother or
foreign) language.
“ „
Future-oriented education
In the ideal case, all participants would communicate in a language that
was a foreign one for all of them. Therefore, seminars with interpretation
are offered only when the targeted national audiences are not expected to
yield an adequate number of persons who are interested in attending
and who speak the same language.
After working at the IBZ for 7 years Wolfgang Schulte transferred to state
public service in 1991, to take on responsibilities in further training for
the police. To succeed him, a new member of staff was won in the shape
of Peter Leßmann-Faust, PhD, who had distinguished himself through
his research into police history and his knowledge of foreign languages.
Proposing seminars that admitted other languages than German very
rapidly resulted in obvious success. The number of persons from other
countries who are interested in attending events in Gimborn has visibly
increased. By the same token, the number of non-German Members of
the Association has grown tangibly and, with that, the footing of the IBZ
within the predominantly European IPA.
1994 witnessed the completion of the most extensive construction
project since the founding of the Centre: the restoration of the Alte Rentei,
or Old Steward’s House. Inside this half-timbered building, over two
hundred years old, which had formerly housed the administration of the
domain of the Baron von Fürstenberg, 12 guest rooms (five double and
seven single rooms) were installed, each with its own bathroom (shower
and WC), while substantially preserving the old structure of the house.
The building project was made possible by a subsidy from the state of
North Rhine-Westphalia and by an exceptionally high level of dedication
from IPA Members, who contributed decisively to ensuring that the not
inconsiderable amount of own equity needed could in fact be found. Of
course all rooms acquired sponsors; happily, though, mainly non-German
IPA Sections used the opportunity to furnish “their” Gimborn room.
With the creation of 12 additional guest rooms it became possible to
meet the growing demand for single rooms, but also to host two groups
in parallel. Inside the Castle Annex, almost at the same time as the Old
Steward’s House was finished, an apartment became available for use as
the administrative offices, and former offices could in turn be converted
to two sponsored guest rooms.

y mutual agreement of the working contracts of the kitchen staff was
eased, luckily enough, by the fact that the ladies, some of whom had
been on the team from the start, had reached an age that did not make
leaving Gimborn and the interpersonal contacts this entailed excessively
hard. However, the decision to give up kitchen operations was far from
being an uncontroversial one, particularly among veteran seminar
participants and Members of the Association. For them, the potential
advantages of costs, quality, and service went hand in hand with the risk
that the proverbial Gimborn atmosphere of personal attention would
suffer permanently.
1990s
The Old Steward’s Estate House
In the 1990s the business structures of educational institutions also
came into the spotlight. Notions like outsourcing, contracting out, etc.,
stood for thoughts of separating core activities theoretically from
sometimes cost-intensive subordinate matter and subjecting such
activities to assessment. For the IBZ, the operation of the kitchen was up
for review. It is true that a certain degree of irony lay in the fact that the
original plan, upon foundation in 1969, had already provided precisely
for separation, and that this had also been practiced in co-operation with
the management of the Schlosshotel at the time. It was only when that
joint effort collapsed after just 4 years that in-house kitchen operations
were set up from scratch, as it were, including the necessary construction
measures. Over 20 years later that decision was reversed and a meals
contract entered into with Mr and Mrs Preuß which comprised a move, so
to speak, of the former dining room to the Schlosshotel. The termination
The stable building in the foreground
For the persons in charge of the IBZ, such a solution was appealing also
because it would cure a space issue that had been almost impossible
to resolve previously. The so-called Great Room on the first floor of the

2000s
Castle had proved to be far too small after all and the working conditions
for the interpreters were unacceptable. If the objective of greater
international orientation was not to be jeopardised, a solution that would
fulfil contemporary demands had to be found here too.
In 1999, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary, the last major
remodelling phase to date was concluded with the inauguration of the
Artur Winkelmann Room. The old dining room was converted into a
conference room with interpreting booths and modern conference
technology, the former kitchen to a foyer for the conference room, and a
former bath to a seminar secretariat which may not bear, but certainly
deserves, the title of Reception. With the assistance of the Stumm
architectural firm, which had already participated in the conversion of
the Old Steward’s House, a modern and functional design was realised
which extensively preserved the existing structure with special care.
to the collapse of the Berlin Wall, it was now a question of utilising
opportunities to include topics and participants from Central and Eastern
Europe that had formerly been off limits.
“ „
Co-operations arise
The amendment of the North Rhine-Westphalian Weiterbildungsgesetz
in 1999 brought with it some administrative relief and new possibilities,
especially for co-operation with other institutions of further training.
Subsequently, close co-operation developed and still exists today with
the European Academy of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Kreisvolkshochschule
(district centre for adult education).
The construction work also led to greater flexibility in implementing
seminars and conferences. In this way, expectations of intensive work
while varying between larger and smaller groups could be met better
than before. Now it was possible to carry out one large seminar as well
as two, physically clearly separated, events. Thus the conditions for
further developing the range of topics and intensifying international
educational work were established.
Securing future viability was a constant guiding principle of the past
ten years. It was not only a matter of being content with what had been
achieved, but also to give foresighted consideration whenever possible
to emerging changes in general conditions and expectations of seminar
participants and guests. At the same time, the intention was to broaden the
international component of the educational programme on offer. Thanks
From 2002 on, however, a successive reduction in state support
commenced that ran counter to the aims of professionalization and
internationalisation. Nevertheless, stronger financial commitments
by the IPA and allocations by prosecutors’ offices and courts from the
payment of fines in criminal proceedings permitted the creation of a
third position on the teaching staff, which was filled by Gundula Laudin,
whose responsibilities mainly consisted of expanding the range of
foreign-language seminars (English and Russian) and handling the higher
demands on scheduling and administration.
The objective of sustainable further development, though, was barred by
the impending end of the lease agreement with Baron von Fürstenberg.
The original contract from 1969 had been signed for 30 years to begin
with and extended, due to the subsequent inclusion of additional building

segments and the related investment outlays, by ten years up to the
end of 2010. It became apparent that further, complex renovations and
conversions were justifiable only if sufficient long-term security was given.
After tedious negotiations a new lease agreement could be concluded in
2005, representing a sizeable expansion with the inclusion of the former
manor farm and yielding adequate security for construction investments
with a term of 50 years. Then again, not only did the new contract
include a higher rent; it also granted Baron von Fürstenberg the option
to terminate within a given period during the term of the agreement,
to provide his son Franz-Egon von Fürstenberg with more flexibility in
planning his occupational future.
one which provided for creating a large conference room in a new building
to be constructed on the grounds of the old manor farm, and installing
a gym area with a sauna and training equipment in the former stables.
2000s
Gimborn is surrounded by a beautiful natural landscape
The participants meet and can exchange ideas
Aside from some renovation work, the new contract allowed a building
project to be undertaken that was unique in the history of the Association:
Coordination processes proved to be highly time-consuming due to the
age of the structures, which had been vacant and neglected for decades,
and the need to consider landmark preservation concerns. Thanks to good
co-operation with the authorities concerned, the required permits could
be obtained for both major building projects; in spite of this the beginning
of construction was considerably delayed. Structural inspections of the
old stables called for extensive modifications to be made to the original
plans, so that the scheme to erect a new building was finally abandoned
and both projects (conference room and gym) are now to be realised in
the stable building.

2000s
Creating an assembly room with modern conference technology
In tandem with the protracted construction planning, financial conditions
grew increasingly difficult. Rising costs and declining public funding
could not be balanced by economies and higher participation fees.
Operating results persistently slipped into the red. Since further
employment could not be guaranteed, Gundula Laudin decided to leave
Gimborn to accept a permanent engagement at another institute of further
education. Thus the chances of durably widening the international
educational programme again became severely restricted in both financial
and personnel terms.
Within the Association, talks began with representatives of the IPA at
national and international levels, aimed at stimulating the will to augment
the financial commitment to the oft-invoked “flagship” of the IPA. The
main targets of those efforts, which commenced early in 2006, were
the Federal Executive Board of the National German IPA Section and the
Permanent Executive Board of the IPA (PEB). A study commissioned by
the PEB of the organisation and cost-effectiveness of the IBZ by two
French firms made clear that the modest resources and complex,
sometimes fragile financial structures did not permit the IBZ to heighten
its attraction to the IPA by its own means. Unfortunately the report did
not indicate any solutions; instead, it paved the way for the decision,
at the national and international level, not to intensify commitments.
However, it also became obvious that many individuals who had since
acceded to responsible positions within the IPA were unfamiliar with the
connections, which can only be explained through historical development,
between the relationship of the IBZ and the IPA and the complicated
financing of the former.
“ „
Investment in the future
Against the background of such developments the IBZ is currently facing
three main challenges, overcoming which will help ensure the future of
the educational institution for the IPA:
• Implementation of a quality-assurance process,
which includes certification of the institution as required
by sources of public funding;
• Modernisation of the facilities and premises to the level
of a conference hotel; and
• Further development of the educational approach.

The steps for quality-assurance that have been initiated tie in with
internally developed, clearly defined labour-dividing administrative
procedures and a sophisticated system for measuring results. By virtue
of the very manageable size of the institute and the close personal contacts
among conference participants and staff, a procedure – albeit almost
undocumented – had already evolved early on for identifying weak points
and making improvements. In the shape of a manual now on hand –
which will grow steadily more detailed – these processes are now being
consolidated and further developed.
by the ancient buildings are not enough to yield sufficient attraction over
the long term, all the more as they are paired with intermittent mobile
phone coverage and mediocre internet access. That is why guest rooms
that meet modern standards, a spacious, multi-functional conference
room, and improved leisure-time activities deserve special attention.
The guiding principle of “education and encounters” had already been
a force behind the founding. Assuredly, contents and working methods
regularly require adjustment. Here it must be ensured that Gimborn
continues to distinguish itself from sources of further police training on
the one hand, and from other private institutions for further education on
the other: offering an exchange of experiences that transcends all
boundaries among ranks, functions, and nationalities; establishing
correlations; and finding explanations for processes of social change.
2010s
Artur Winkelmann Room in the Castle’s Annex
The need to define more strongly the character of the Centre as a
conference hotel derives from the fact that the cuts in publicly funded
education must be compensated by occupation of the institution by
events of other sponsors. The idyllic locale and the atmosphere radiated
“education and encounters”

2010s
“ „
Certified quality education
Numerous personnel changes characterised the fortieth year of the IBZ.
In the year 2009, after accompanying and shaping the development of the
IBZ over decades, two personalities vacated their seats on the Board of
the IBZ in the shapes of Winrich Granitzka and Ton Rutting. Peter Newels
was elected as the new Chairman and successor of Winrich Granitzka
during the 2009 General Meeting. Ton Rutting from the Netherlands was
succeeded by another Dutch citizen, Michiel Holtackers, as a Member of
the Board. Continuity among the personnel is a hallmark of employment
at the IBZ. Nevertheless, as the football fans among us know too well,
even the longest series must come to an end. With Ms Christa Becker a
seasoned and widely-esteemed member of staff retired from service at
the institute after 34 years of work at the IBZ: she had belonged to the
household staff of the IBZ over many long years before transferring to the
seminar secretariat of the IBZ, a crucial interface of the working processes
within the IBZ where, until going into retirement in September of 2010,
she welcomed and looked after our seminar guests with kindness and
attention.
January of 2010 marked the first time that the IBZ provided proof of correct
and successful implementation of quality management in accordance
with DIN EN ISO within the framework of a certification procedure. Ever
since, this complex process needs to be carried out annually, and successful
completion is a prerequisite for recognition and support of the IBZ by
the Centre for Civic Education of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia,
the corresponding authorities of the other federal states, and the Federal
government.
The withdrawal in September of 2011 by Klaus-Ulrich Nieder from his
work for the IBZ constitutes no less than a break in the history of IBZ
Gimborn Castle. Since 1980, i.e. for 30 years as the Director of this
institute for further education, Mr Nieder had had a decisive impact on
the course of the IBZ. A successor for him was found in Ms Gabriele
Bischoff. Ms Bischoff was an educational scientist and had held senior
positions with large social organisations in a number of federal states.
Ms Bischoff set for herself the tasks of introducing a new software for
house and seminar management; introducing a new marketing approach,
including a new corporate design for the PR activities of the IBZ;
renewing fire prevention measures for the buildings used by the IBZ; and
rapidly completing the plans for the conversion of the former stable. One
of the first projects to be embarked on was the introduction of a computer
programme developed by a provider from Hesse, active nationwide, for
the processing and support of the seminars and third-party events held at
the IBZ. Following the usual teething pains and adjustment problems,
the software has become irreplaceable for all the staff of the IBZ and has
made many work processes simpler and more transparent. The co-operation
with the municipal administration of Marienheide regarding payroll
accounting for IBZ personnel, which practice had begun with the founding
of the IBZ, came to an end in 2012. This accounting was transferred
from the HR department of the municipality to the tax and economic
consultancy firm of Rothstein & Rothstein. In the course of this transfer,
cost-centre accounting was introduced to the bookkeeping processes
at the IBZ, to improve monitoring of the financial situation of the IBZ.
The year 2012 was marked by a noticeable decline in attendance, a
decrease that had already been registered at a less significant degree
starting in 2010. The inhibiting effects of the financial and economic

crises since 2009 on the interest in further training within the target
group of the IBZ, as well as the more restrictive approach by authorities
towards granting special leave, were viewed by the Board and Director
Bischoff as constituting the main causes of that decline.
Accordingly, measures to augment interest in the educational programme
on offer at the IBZ and promote awareness of the educational institute
appeared all the more necessary.
“ „
Modern image
oil-fuelled heating was dismantled and a wood-pellet system was installed.
In place of the outdated night-storage heaters, which had been tricky to
operate, infrared radiators were installed in several locations, primarily
within the main castle building and a number of rooms in the administrative
tract of the castle annex. Architect Ralf Janz took over from Stumm Architects
to continue planning the conversion of the former calf stable, where the
revised plan now provided only for converting the ground floor to install
sauna and exercise areas, including housekeeping rooms, dispensing
with earlier plans to convert and utilise the upper floor.
2010s
The new appearance of the seminar programme for 2013 epitomised the
sweeping change in the public image of the IBZ. The black-and-white
DIN A4 sheet succinctly listing the titles of a year‘s seminars was no more.
Since the end of 2012, a booklet illustrated with colour photos and
designed in the new signature colours of the IBZ – red and grey – provides
information on the seminar programme for the following year. Stationery
such as letterheads, business cards, and other print media of the IBZ were
redesigned to match. For the sake of constant technological and graphic
adaptation the IBZ website was placed in the care of Michael Klapper, who
has also been professionally creating fine, highly varied photographic
impressions of Gimborn‘s buildings and their surroundings ever since.
The guesthouse at the former school
Sizeable investments and effort were required to achieve a new fire
prevention plan for the buildings that were in use by the IBZ. In the
course of 2013 new heating oil tanks were installed in the guesthouse
at the former school. Inside the old steward‘s estate house the obsolete
During the meeting of the Board of Trustees in June of 2013 Rüdiger
von Schönfeldt, Police Chief of Gelsenkirchen, was elected to succeed
Wolfgang Riotte, Secretary of State (ret.) with the Home Minister of
North Rhine-Westphalia.

2010s
“ „
Successful restructuring
The year 2014 was marked by two major changes. One of these stemmed
from a third party, so to speak: effective December 31, 2014, Mr and Mrs
Preuss terminated their operation of the Schlosshotel Restaurant, where
the meals for IBZ seminar participants had been prepared under a catering
agreement with the IBZ ever since 1995. Franz Egon von Fürstenberg
announced that he would be taking over the Schlosshotel Restaurant and
catering for the IBZ onwards from January 1, 2015.
The new Director René Kauffmann took over the IBZ during a phase in
which the flagship of the IPA found itself in very choppy waters. With
640 participants for the year 2014, seminar attendance had hit an all-time
low. The financial situation had also grown increasingly critical over the
preceding years due to constant deficits in the operational area. What
ensued was a phase – planned for a three-year period – of comprehensive
restructuring, during which Mr Kauffmann repositioned the IBZ in terms
of staff, organisation, and economic operation.
The second change was sudden and unexpected. After three years of activity
as Director of IBZ Gimborn Castle, Ms Bischoff resigned as of September
2014 and assumed a managerial position with the municipal administration
of the City of Frankfurt (Main).
Her successor at the IBZ from October 1, 2014 was René Kauffmann, a
graduate in business law. Mr Kauffmann had formerly been employed with
the fiscal and economic consultancy firm of Rothstein & Rothstein, which
had been working for the IBZ for many years; this fact was an advantage
for the IBZ and meant a bit of relief for Mr Kauffmann to some extent while
settling in, since he had previously been responsible for dealing with the IBZ
and was acquainted with its financial situation and peculiarities. Dr Peter
Lessmann-Faust, long-standing educational staff member of the IBZ, gave
notice he would be reducing his working hours by 1/3 from 1 July 2015
on. The Board decided to create an additional half-time position on the
educational staff. Ulrike Neuhoff, an educational science graduate, was
already well-known to the IBZ for quite a few years, having served as lecturer
at various seminars, and was taken on after an application process.
The fitness area
From the beginning, Mr Kauffmann devoted himself intensively to
nurturing and revitalising meaningful contacts of the IBZ in the landscape
of North Rhine-Westphalian further education and public authorities,
and to communication with the spiritual and financial supporters within
the ranks of the International Police Association (IPA). In so doing he

steered the IBZ back into calmer waters and succeeded in filling its
sails with more wind. The turning point in attendance, also in the
volume of third-party events, already came in 2015. In 2016 the IBZ
counted well over 1,000 seminar participants for the first time. What is
more, for the 2017 business year an annual surplus could be generated
for the first time in decades: thus the preceding restructuring reached
a successful conclusion.
June 30, 2015 witnessed the inauguration of the sauna and exercise area
inside the former calf stable, on the long side of the open space behind the
old steward‘s estate house. A construction project that had engaged the
IBZ virtually for decades was thus brought to a positive ending. Geological
oddities, structural problems, hidden “legacies” of earlier usage, and
restrictions concerning listed buildings had all repeatedly led to
interruptions and modifications.
“ „
Accepting challenges
Effective January 1st 2018, Franz-Egon von Fürstenberg ended his
operation of the Schlosshotel Restaurant. The IBZ was forced within a
short time to make sure its guests could be fed – during this phase the IBZ
organised the breakfast and supper buffets by itself, with paid service
personnel, and the warm noonday buffet was delivered by a caterer.
Since the end of 2018 the meals for IBZ guests have been provided by Mr
Rolf Graf. Mr Graf manages a hotel restaurant in nearby Engelskirchen
and is the new tenant of Schlosshotel Restaurant Gimborn, property of
the von Fürstenberg family.
2010s
The recreational opportunities that are offered in the well-designed
building are in frequent use by guests of the IBZ and have noticeably
improved the attractiveness of the overall facilities of the institute.
Personnel change remained a constant at the IBZ – how could it be
otherwise, with the finiteness of human life. Hans Jansen, one of the
founding fathers, if not the initiator of the IBZ, passed away in 2014; a few
years after Theo Leenders, the great Dutch founder and long-standing
ally of the IBZ. Ms Monika Schellberg, an indefatigable member of the
IBZ staff for over 30 years, went into well-deserved retirement at the
end of 2015. Mr Rainer Furth, Police Chief of Krefeld, was elected during
the Board of Trustees‘ meeting in June of 2015 to succeed Mr Rüdiger
von Schönfeldt, who had resigned for age reasons from his position as
Chairman of the Board.
The Schlosshotel Restaurant

2010s
An existential threat to the IBZ appeared to issue from water damage that
was sustained in the spring of 2018, practically ruining parts of the
administrative tract as well as the Artur Winkelmann Room and its
technological equipment in the Castle annex. Thanks to financial
commitments by the insurers and the von Fürstenberg family, as well as
donations by concerned IBZ Members, the affected premises and fittings
could be completely restored and taken back into operation six months
later. In the spring of 2019 the Board decided to invest in new,
up-to-date furnishings for the freshly redone conference room. IPA
Section Germany supported this project as sponsor – in addition to its
immense annual financial support – with a generous donation of
EUR 5,000. Since the summer of 2019 the Great Room has looked
brand-new. The renovation expenses of about EUR 7,500 were assumed
entirely by IPA Section Austria as sponsor.
But who knows what the future – which already lies just ahead of us
in tomorrow – brings? From experience we can say nothing is certain,
except: the peace and quiet, which our participants and guests prize so
highly here, are deceptive.
“
The next
50 years of
Gimborn Castle
„
can come
View of the main building

1969
Founding
of the institution
by Günter Kratz,
Hans Jansen
and Theo Leenders
1974
Recognition of the institution
under North Rhine-Westphalian
further-education law and
recognition of the IBZ as the
educational institute of the IPA
1972
Official inauguration of the IBZ
in the presence of Willi Weyer,
then Minister of the Interior
of North Rhine-Westphalia

WE CAN LOOK BACK ON A SUCCESSFUL TIME
1994
Renovation of the
Old Steward’s Estate House
Administration moves
into the Castle Annex
2005
Signing
of the new
50-year lease
2019
JUBILEE
50 Years of IBZ – under the
patronage of Herbert Reul,
Minister of the Interior
of North Rhine-Westphalia
1985
First tri-lingual
seminar
with simultaneous
interpretation
1999
Inauguration
of the
Artur Winkelmann Room
2010
Certification of the
Conference Centre according to
DIN EN ISO 29990:2010

CONTACT
Informations- und Bildungszentrum
Schloss Gimborn
Schlossstraße 10
D-51709 Marienheide
Phone: +49 22 64 4 04 33-0
Fax: +49 22 64 37 13
info@ibz-gimborn.de
www.ibz-gimborn.de
facebook.com/IBZGimborn
Text: Klaus Nieder
Dr. Peter Leßmann-Faust
Photos: Michael Klapper
Daniela Höndgesberg
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