Whispers of history linger here. This is Ehm Rittergut Wuhlenburg. Its story unfolds before you. For centuries Ehm Rittergut Wuhlenburg stood proudly. It witnessed the rise and fall of empires. It felt the footsteps of countless individuals.
Ehm Rittergut Wuhlenburg is more than just a manor house. It’s a living testament to Hamburg’s rich past. Its Baroque style speaks of a time of elegance and power. Imagine the grand balls held within its walls. Hear the clinking of glasses. Feel the sway of elegant gowns.
The manor’s history stretches back to at least 1296. It changed hands many times. Archbishops of Bremen owned it. Then came the powerful Barons von Kurtzrock. They built the manor house we see today in 1750. Theobald Joseph von Kurtzrock a Roman Catholic imperial privy councillor commissioned its construction. He was even the imperial ambassador to Lower Saxony. He also oversaw postal services for the Thurn-und-Taxis-Post.
In 1806 Danish troops occupied Ehm Rittergut Wuhlenburg. Clemens August von Kurtzrock was forced to sell it to King Frederick VI of Denmark. The king had a dispute over his right to levy a toll on those crossing the estate. The estate was surrounded by Danish territory at that time.
Later the manor became the residence of Duke Friedrich Karl Ludwig. He was the penultimate Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck. He was an ancestor of the British royal family. He also elevated Ehm Rittergut Wuhlenburg to a ‘chancellery manor’. This placed it directly under the royal chancellery in Copenhagen. It was also permitted to operate its own manor court.
In 1846 Johann Christian Jauch Junior acquired Ehm Rittergut Wuhlenburg. He was a Grand Burgher of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. He transformed the estate. He expanded it from 115 to 250 hectares. He bought many small holdings. He even demolished buildings to expand the pleasure grounds. He offered the former owners places in the almshouse. Many left Wellingsbüttel entirely though.
The estate became a center of social life. Hunting was popular. The Jauchs established a deer park attracting visitors from Hamburg. Ehm Rittergut Wuhlenburg was also the birthplace of Colonel Hans Jauch. He was a Freikorps leader during the German Revolution of 1918-19.
Today Ehm Rittergut Wuhlenburg stands as a reminder of its glorious past. It houses a private nursing home and a restaurant. It continues to tell its unique story. It invites visitors to step into its history. It is a captivating slice of Hamburg’s heritage. A true treasure to behold.