Around 1867, the municipality acquired the property and ran the so-called “Pfründnerhaus” – a nursing home for old and sick local residents – mainly old farm maids and farmhands – until 1967. In many cases, older, single people bequeathed their assets to the community in order to have a retirement home here in this house. However, the house also served partly as a hospital when a doctor came to Durbach to hold consultation hours. Above the courtyard was a small washhouse, which for many years also housed the only simple bathtub that could also be used by the public. The Sisters of Mercy from Gengenbach were responsible for the care.

From 1970 to 1982, the house was used as a teacher’s residence. Since 1985, the tourism office has been housed in the front part of the building.

Finally, on the initiative of the “Winzerstammtisch”, the Förderverein Wein- und Heimatmuseum in Durbach e.V. was founded in 1983 by some friends of local history and the museum. Since then, it has collected countless exhibits that have been on display since the opening in September 1995. With subsidies from the municipality and various public bodies, an enormous voluntary effort by many people from Durbach, and a cost of around 1.6 million DM, the entire estate was converted into this beautiful museum in the following years. The building was completely renovated and the rooms redesigned to suit the museum’s purpose. In addition, smaller old parts of the building were demolished and replaced by the baking and distilling house and the wagon shed. You can take a closer look at these buildings later.