To mark the 150th anniversary of the Heilbronn Historical Society, the HÖRTKORN GROUP presented a special gift: A check for 40,000 euros for the creation of a bronze tactile model of Heilbronn’s city center around the year 1800.
A city model you can touch – HÖRTKORN GROUP donates 40,000 euros to the Heilbronn Historical Society
The detailed model will be accessible to all visitors at the Heilbronn City Archives in Eichgasse – equipped with Braille and manufactured by the renowned Egbert Broerken workshop. This makes history literally “tangible.”
“I saw the cardboard model in the city archives, was immediately impressed, and spontaneously decided to provide the funding,” explains entrepreneur Christian Hörtkorn.
Mayor Harry Mergel also praised the support: “Today is a very special moment because, thanks to voluntary commitment and generous support, a project close to our hearts is becoming reality. The Hörtkorn company is a gem in Heilbronn as a business location. At the same time, we would like to thank the Historical Society, which has been preserving and keeping alive the history of our city for a century and a half.”
For the Historical Society, this donation is the largest contribution in its history. Society Chairman Prof. Dr. Thomas Schnabel emphasized: “Heilbronn’s city center has undergone fundamental changes over the past centuries. The tactile model brings to life how narrow the streets were back then.”
With the presentation of the check on September 25, 2025, the HÖRTKORN GROUP is sending a strong signal of its close ties to Heilbronn – and actively supporting the preservation of history for the future.


