The Cranach Foundation emerged from a citizens' initiative founded in 1989 to save the two Cranach courtyards in Wittenberg. From the beginning, the courtyards of the Cranach family of painters were also used for cultural purposes: The foundation shows exhibitions of historical and contemporary art, organizes literature and music series, founded a youth art school in 1994 and has been running the Cranach Hostel since 2009.