In February 1983 Don Ignazio Vigoni Medici di Marignano, the last descendant of an affluent German-Italian family, died. By will he bequeathed to the Federal Republic of Germany his property at Lake Como, comprising an agricultural estate, several rural buildings and, most of all, two historical villas: Villa Mylius-Vigoni and Villa Garovaglio-Ricci.

The testator’s wish was to create a centre promoting cultural and political understanding between Italy and Germany and at the same time commemorating the friendship of his ancestor Heinrich Mylius with Johann Wolfgang Goethe and Alessandro Manzoni.

According to the will’s instructions, the property should become a meeting place for personalities from the political, diplomatic, scientific, literary and artistic fields, and it should host a centre for major cultural exchange projects between Italy and Germany as well.

After the authenticity of the will and the very possibility of fulfilling it have been ascertained, the commissioners of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) took care of the transition of the Villa Vigoni from a private family property to a cultural and scientific institution. The first meetings betweeen scientists and politicians took place already in 1984. In June of the same year the Federal Government voted in favour of the acceptance of the bequest and set the funds for building renovations and furnishing works. From the very beginning the European dimension and thus the mutual understanding between Italy and Germany have been at the heart of the Villa Vigoni Association.

On 21 April 1986, in Bonn, the Italian and German Foreign Ministers Giulio Andreotti and Hans Dietrich Genscher signed an intergovernmental agreement for the mutual promotion and usage of the villa. According to the last will of Ignazio Vigoni this should be realized through an association to be integrated within the framework of the 1956 Cultural Agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and Italy. As it clearly appears from the exchange of notes between the two ministries, the mission of the Association is to promote cooperation between the two countries in the fields of science, education and culture, including their ties with economy, society and politics, through study visits, colloquia, rounds of talks, summer academies and artistic events at Villa Vigoni. 

Going beyond its bilateral scope by shifting towards a European perspective is an integral part of the idea from which the Association was born, thus making the development of the relations between the two countries an active contribution to and in Europe.

In February 1987 the Villa Vigoni Association was entered into the Register of associations in the District court of Bonn in accordance with German private law. In March 1988 Italy joined too. In October 1988 the Association was inscribed into the Register in Como. According to the contract mandate of the 22^nd December 1987 the Federal Republic of Germany shall make the property available to the Villa Vigoni Association without any costs and transfer its management to the Association.

On the Italian side, the Foreign Ministry is responsible for the Villa Vigoni, while on the German side it is the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

The bodies of the association are the two Presidents, one German and one Italian; the Managing Board; and the General Assembly of the Members. The Secretary General is the association's director. The members of the association are natural and legal persons, such as the German Foreign Ministry, the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research, Länder, regions and provinces as well as organizations for the promotion of research (e.g., the German Research Foundation and the National Research Council).

The Villa Vigoni Supporters’ Circle (Circolo degli Amici di Villa Vigoni / Förderkreis der Freunde der Villa Vigoni e.V.) sustains the activities of the centre and the maintenance of the heritage of the Mylius and the Vigoni families. Natural persons, companies or institutions that are interested in the Association’s goals are welcome to give their contribution by joining the club.

Current Presidents:

Botschafter a.D. Michael H. Gerdts (since 2013)

Ambasciatore Leonardo Visconti di Modrone (since 2013).

 

Current Members of the Board

Former Representatives of the Villa Vigoni