Hotel Deutsches Haus - History
No other hotel in Braunschweig in embedded in the historical focus of the city center this centrally, as the Hotel Deutsches Haus on Ruhfäutchenplatz.
In the immediate neighbourhood of the cathedral, Lion Monument, Dankwarderode Castle and Vieweghaus (now home to the Braunschweigische Landesmuseum), this venerabel hotel looks back on a traditional and interesting history.
In 1996 the Hotel Deutsches Haus celebrated its 100th anniversary.
Since 1919 it is owned by the Osten family.
House brochure around 1930
Deutsches Haus
Hotel and wine wholesale
Braunschweig
In a quit location in the centre next to Dankwarderode Castle and the Cathedral. Opposite is the State Ministry and City Hall.
The house contains over 100 beds. All rooms are furnished in the most modern way, with running water, light signal system, Reichstelefon, double doors and to a large extent with private baths. There are also two large banquet halls for celebrating weddings and other celebrations, meeting rooms of all sizes. The kitchen and cellar are at the height of most demanding requirements. There is also a beer and breakfast room in the house.
Tradition since 1896, on Braunschweiger Burgplatz
However, the history of the name „Hotel Deutsches Haus“ began much earlier in Braunschweig. In 1780, according to the then "Brunswick Advertisements", Serenissimus gave the predecessor of the German House, the old-renown Auberge (for: Gaststätte) "Zum Jungfernstieg" in the Neue Straße, the name "Hotel Deutsches Haus".
The later owner Robert Schrader sold the former Hotel Deutsches Haus located in the New Street, in the 90s of the 19th century to a group of business people, who converted the hotel into shops, apartments and a Würzburger Hofbräu. Robert Schrader and his wife Marie opened a new hotel in the historic heart of the city, at the suggestion of the ducal Court Director. The hotel, which was built at the Ruhfäutchenplatz should carry the name Deutsches Haus again.
When the buyers of the old hotel heard about it, they protested, because Schrader made a momentous mishap. He had forgotten to exclude the name "Deutsches Haus" from the sale and the buyers threatened to sell Schrader's name to another hotel. Since Schraders good reputation and reputation also hung on the name, he paid the buyers the required sum of 20,000 gold marks (about 153,000 EUR) for the naming rights.
1895 – 96
At the same time, as the town hall is being built, Pallas rebuilt the castle, on the part of the castle which bears the name "Küchenhof" - after demolition of the half-timbered buildings - the new German house (hotel business and wine wholesaler) is built. With towering towers and battlements, shielded from the highest point by a Germanic warrior with wolfskin and spear.The ducal court administration and the ducal court, which was used for festivities of all kinds, spoke decisive words during the construction. The architect Robert Schrade attached his and his wife’s initials in a crest of stone on the two center cotumns at the entrance of the hotel, which are still visible today. He also let install a piece of half-timbered on the second- floor Burgplatz side. In October 1896, the new building of the Hotel Deutsches Haus was inaugurated by a ball company of the dural court.
1910 – 1912
The first of many reconstructions and renovation measures begins to keep the house up to date. The first bathrooms are installed and the guest rooms washing toilets with running water are installed.
1919 - 1938
Mr. Robert Schrader sells the Deutsches Haus to Karl Lehnhardt and Wilhelm Osten. The gentlemen renovated and modernized the house further. 1934, the still existing transition to the castle Dankwarderode was built. This was built by the then rulers to perform the annual banquet of the then Imperial hunter master in the Knights' Hall of the castle with about 400 people. Karl Lehnhardt died in 1934 and when his wife died in 1938, Wilhelm Osten continued to manage the German house alone.
1942
Wilhelm Osten leases the hotel for 20 years to the Braunschweig GmbH. The Braunschweig GmbH appointed Mr. August Oelde as subtenant.
1944
In an Allied bombing raid, the Deutsches Haus was partially destroyed by a firebomb. The roof and the third floor burned down completely. The large and small ballroom as well as the rooms on the 1st and 2nd floor on the side of the stables as well as the breakfast room and the coffee underneath burned down.
1945 – 1949
At the end of the war Braunschweig GmbH terminated the lease with immediate effect, but Wilhelm Osten should not get back his property. The occupying power confiscated the hotel until 1949 and turned the hotel an English officer’s casino. The gentlemen were not exactly mindful of the inventory. ⇒ For example, full kegs of beer were rolled down the marbel stairs, where by the steps broke off which had to be replaced later. Wilhelm Osten died in 1947 without getting his hotel back. 1949 The Hotel Deutsches Haus was returned to the community of heirs east and leased from this to Mr. Peter Sandorek for 12 years. Mr. Sandorek renovated and furnished the Deutsches Haus in a makeshift manner and resumed hotel operations and began with 2 hotel floors and the restaraunt.
1951
The Heirs community Osten rebuilt the large ballroom with Funds from the Marshall Plan. The community of heirs converted the coffee and breakfast room into shops.
1953 – 1955
The community of heirs did not give up, they rebuilt the third floor. Here 26 newly renovated hotel rooms with 32 beds were built and a new lift from „Flohr Otis“ was installed.
1963 - 1972
On 1 January 1963, after the expiry of the lease agreement with Mr Peter Sandorek, the son of Wilhelm Osten, Friedrich Wilhelm Osten takes over the Hotel Deutsches Haus. Friedrich Wilhelm Osten begins to renovate the entire house, the restaurant, the hotel rooms and the corridors were carpeted, all electrical lines were renewed and put under plaster. Storage rooms next to the hotel rooms will be converted into bathrooms. The restaurant "Zum Burglöwen" was inaugurated with a reception, which was also attended by Viktoria Luise Duchess of Braunschweig and Lüneburg.
For the Duchess Friedrich Wilhelm Osten engraved a complete set of crockery and silverware with her name. The Duchess had everything exclusively for her use, from the sugar bowl to the coffee pot to the silver cutlery. The Duchess remained faithful to the Deutsches Haus.
1973 - 1978
The first wet rooms with showers and WC are installed on the Burgplatz side. The Deutsches Haus joins the marketing cooperation Ringhotels e.V.. The remaining rooms on the 1st and 2nd floor are equipped with wet rooms with shower and toilet. Throughout the 3rd floor, all guest rooms are equipped with wet rooms, so that all guest rooms have bath / WC or shower / WC.
1979 - 1984
During these years the hotel rooms and club rooms have been continously renovated and refurnished.
1985
Friedrich Wilhelm Osten had stone slabs laid on a part of the Burgplatz and erected a free-seating area directly in front of the restaurant "Zum Burglöwen".
1986 – 1990
The facades to the stables and the courtyard have been renovated. The new hotel entrance with automatic door was built in and the lobby was renovated and newly furnished. The façade to Burgplatz and Rufhäutchenplatz has been restored under historic preservation conditions.
1992 – 1995
The hallways and the stairwell have been renovated with new carpets and lamps. The guest rooms were all equipped with soundproof doors. The hotel was connected to the Braunschweiger district heating system with a new heating system and all rooms were equipped with new radiators. Approximately 50 of the hotel rooms were modernized and newly furnished. The 100th anniversary of the new Deutsches Haus is nourished, now the large ballroom and the staircase to the Burgplatz have been renovated and prepared for the anniversary.
1996
The staircase to the small hall at Marstall was completely renovated, the small hall was leased to the company "Vital" - practice for physiotherapy and medical training, Mr. Radoslav Minkov. In practice, not only the hotel guests can get fit. The new Deutsches Haus on Ruhfäutchenplatz will celebrate 100 years, this will be celebrated with a ceremony on 2 October 1996 with about 150 guests. Among the invited guests are the 1st mayor, the city director, the president of the Chamber of Crafts, the cathedral provost and cathedral preacher and many more. The invited guests were served an exquisite menu, served with sole tureen, sock soup, venison fritters and an ice cream buffet. On 3 October, the Deutsches Haus celebrates the jubilee of all Brunswicks with an open day.
1997 - 2006
In the following years, the house was renovated and modernized, on New Year's Eve 2001, a piece of Brunswick restaurant history ends because the hotel restarant „Zum Burglöwen“ closes it's doors.
In 2002 the rooms, clubs rooms and the restaurant were renovated and the in- house restaurant was leased to the Italien Gastronomie GmbH „Al Duomo“. The elegant restaurant offers Italian cuisine and selected wines. The conference rooms and club rooms as well as the large banquet hall are ideal for many different events. Anniversaries, company and family celebrations up to 120 people will be happy to host. In the years that followed, more attention was paid to environmental protection during renovations, so the roof was insulated and the hotel got a new telephone system and a W-Lan network was installed throughout the house. Bathrooms were renewed and the half-timbered facade on Burgplatz was restored under strict conditions of the monument protection.
2007 – 2014
After 54 years, the always reliable elevator (built 1953 by Flohr Otis) was renewed by the company EGGERT Lift-Technik GmbH and enlarged on this occasion and expanded into the basement floor.
Air conditioning was installed in the Grand Ballroom as well as in rooms 3 and 4. Since 1919 the Hotel Deutsches Haus has been owned by the family Osten. After the death of senior partner Friedrich Wilhelm Osten in July 2007, Lars and Thorsten Osten-Göbel took over the house in the third generation. Under her management, the hotel continues to be renovated and modernized to preserve the house for future generations. After more than 30 years, the paths of Hotel Deutsches Haus and the cooperation Ringhotels e.V., the hotel terminates the membership. The renovations continue The heating and hot water system were rebuilt and renewed, new windows were used to reduce energy consumption.
In 2011, the first themed room, the Eintracht Zimmer (room 67) was furnished. Other rooms and bathrooms have been completely renovated. It also renewed the electrical wiring and the water pipes.
2015 - today
The hotel gets a fire alarm system, a new escape staircase on the side of the stables, the corridors get a new fireproof ceiling and the electrical wiring in the public areas are renewed. Other rooms were renewed, too.
Today the Hotel Deutsches Haus has 85 rooms with 123 beds. All rooms are equipped with ISDN connection for fax and telephone. Throughout the house there is the possibility of free Wi-Fi use for your laptop.