Reinhold Würth: Herr der Schrauben und Mäzen: Wie der Milliardär sein Kulturimperium ausbaut

Reinhold Würth, the billionaire heir to the Schrauben empire, has transformed into a global conglomerate with annual revenues exceeding 20 billion euros. Beyond being an astute entrepreneur, the 91-year-old is also a passionate art collector, whose patronage recently brought prominent figures to Schwäbisch Hall. On Tuesday, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Minister-President Cem Özdemir, and 600 honored guests celebrated the inauguration of the renovated museum in the St.-Katharina-Kirche.

The 25 million euro investment appears modest for Würth's standards, yet it is just one of many. With 14 museums worldwide, Würth's patronage allows visitors to view his art for free. Over the decades, Würth has amassed over 21,000 artworks from the late Middle Ages to the present, including southern German Renaissance portraits and objects of courtly splendor, as well as entire collections by Anselm Kiefer, Max Ernst, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, and David Hockney.

The collection is among Europe's most active private art collections, attracting over five million visitors to the Kunsthalle in Schwäbisch Hall since its founding 25 years ago. A recent expansion and renovation, overseen by the Copenhagen-based Henning Larsen Architects, added 600 square meters of exhibition space, bringing the total to 3,200 square meters.

A continuous route through the museum is now possible, with new spaces for art mediation and audiovisual content that expand opportunities for accessible and diverse artistic expression. Federal President Steinmeier praised Würth's entrepreneurial commitment to democracy and art, referencing the German-Jewish painter Max Liebermann.

Steinmeier emphasized the intertwined nature of free art and liberal democracy and warned of the dangers to these values. Würth, no longer the chairman of the Würth Group's supervisory board, still carries weight within the corporation, and his words resonate with the organization. The opening of the Anselm Kiefer exhibition, "Everything That Falls," marks the event's kickoff.

Featuring over 70 works from Würth's collection and 21 loans from the artist, the exhibition showcases Kiefer's monumental work "Black Flakes," which, at nearly eleven meters tall, will make its debut in a dedicated building at the Museum Würth 2. The estate of Reinhold Würth, now managed by his granddaughter Maria Würth, continues to grow, with many works remaining in the company's portfolio.