Essen’s B\u00fcrohaus West: Have you ever wondered what stories these walls could tell? Erected in the late 1910s, the B\u00fcrohaus West stands in Essen’s Frohnhausen district. It began its life as a Ledigenheim near the Westbahnhof. This was specifically for the workers of the adjacent Krupp Gussstahlfabrik.
The B\u00fcrohaus West has seen various uses throughout the years. Since 1990, it has been a protected monument. Today, this building complex serves as an office building. Remarkably, it retains its original appearance almost entirely because it sustained minimal damage during the Second World War.
Imagine, between 1916 and 1920, this complex arose southeast of what is now the Essen-West S-Bahn stop. It replaced a barrack camp. This camp had been the lodging and boarding for unmarried workers of the Friedrich Krupp AG. The Ledigenheim offered accommodation to about 750 men. These workers, new to Essen, couldn’t afford their own homes.
The B\u00fcrohaus West included living and sleeping quarters. There were also utility and recreation rooms. A vast dining hall could accommodate up to 1,000 individuals. One wing even housed Krupp’s housing administration.
From 1927, the building became home to the Museum for Natural History and Ethnology. Ernst Kahrs, of the Essener Museumsverein, directed it. In 1934, it was renamed the Ruhrlandmuseum. It has now merged into the Ruhr Museum. Within the B\u00fcrohaus West’s 7,000 square meters, the museum showcased regional zoology, botany, geology, mineralogy, and prehistoric artifacts. Exhibits also covered technology and ethnology. However, in 1939, the museum had to vacate the premises. Krupp reclaimed the building once more.
After repairing the war damages, Krupp utilized the complex again. The round building’s extension on the west end was expanded. Until the mid-1990s, the two largest occupants were Krupp-Wohnungsbau GmbH and Betriebskrankenkasse Krupp BKK. Both have since moved out.
Following renovations, the B\u00fcrohaus West now accommodates diverse businesses and medical practices. These renovations carefully considered the building’s protected status. Inside the western round building, the original facade remains visible. The original gate entrance is still there. It features its original columns. The B\u00fcrohaus West is a testament to Essen’s industrial past. It has adapted to modern needs. Preserving its history for future generations is a goal. The B\u00fcrohaus West is more than just a building. It represents a chapter in Essen’s story.