Once upon a time, Klein Flottbek wasn’t even part of Hamburg. It belonged to the Pinneberg district in Holstein. Imagine that. Today, Klein Flottbek is a district woven into the fabric of Nienstedten, Othmarschen, and Osdorf, all within Hamburg’s Altona borough.
Klein Flottbek may not be an official quarter of Hamburg like its neighbor Groß Flottbek. It still holds its own charm and significance. The stream Flottbek flows through it towards the Elbe.
In 1927, Klein Flottbek became part of Altona due to the Greater Altona Act. Then in 1938, the Greater Hamburg Act made Altona, including Klein Flottbek, a part of Hamburg. It’s quite the journey.
Klein Flottbek is known for horse riding. The Derby-Park Klein Flottbek hosts the German Jumping and Dressage Derby every year. It is south of the S-Bahn station. Since 1920, people have gathered here to watch skilled riders and their horses. The jumping course remains nearly unchanged. It includes the famous Pulvermanns Grab.
The Derby-Park isn’t just for equestrian events. It has also hosted classical concerts and fairs. Think of Carmina Burana under the open sky. The Home & Garden fair also takes place here.
The western part of Klein Flottbek includes the Wesselhoeftpark. The Westerpark, once a tree nursery, was restored by 2003. It is also here. Both the Westerpark and Jenischpark trace back to Baron Caspar Voght’s estate. It was part of his “Ornamented Farm.”
Take a walk along the Elbuferweg near Teufelsbrück. The Klein Flottbek waterfront is a popular destination for strollers. The Elbchaussee runs through Klein Flottbek. It features grand buildings with views of the Elbe.
The northern part of Klein Flottbek, near the S-Bahn station includes the Loki-Schmidt-Garten. The botanical garden was renamed in 2012 to honor Loki Schmidt.
Caspar Voght played a big role in Klein Flottbek’s history. He bought land here in 1785. Inspired by English landscape architecture, he created a model estate. This included a tree nursery which was called an “Ornamental Farm”. The Jenischpark was its “parc du midi”.
The area is still recognizable today. It includes Jenischpark, the golf course, the Loki-Schmidt-Garten, the polo field, Derby-Park, and Westerpark. Voght also introduced potatoes as a field crop in 1787. He supported the establishment of an agricultural school in Groß-Flottbek in 1797.
Later, Voght sold the estate to banker Martin Johann Jenisch in 1828. He then lived in Jenisch’s house.
So next time you hear the name Klein Flottbek remember its history. It was once an independent municipality that shaped the Elbe region.