Around 1828 a wealthy man named Friedrich Bensch built Alter Gutshof Düppel. This wasn’t just any farmhouse. It started as a simple estate called Vorwerk Neu-Zehlendorf. Bensch a salt shipping director and inspector of wood had acquired vast lands east of Zehlendorf. He built a main house and worker housing. Around 1830 a distillery was added. It produced schnapps. The building was later used to make Gilka-Kümmel a popular caraway liqueur.
Alter Gutshof Düppel’s most famous moment came later. In 1859 Prince Friedrich Karl bought the estate. He turned it into a stud farm. He named it Düppel. This was to commemorate his victory in the Battle of Düppel in the Second Schleswig War. This battle was fought in 1864 in Dybbøl Denmark. The name therefore moved from the Danish Duchy of Schleswig to Brandenburg. This was quite a journey for a name.
The prince himself didn’t live at Alter Gutshof Düppel. He preferred Dreilinden hunting lodge four kilometers away. A local farmer lived in the main house. He managed the large farm. Alter Gutshof Düppel was officially elevated to a Rittergut. This is a noble estate. It happened in 1865 thanks to a royal patent.
Alter Gutshof Düppel was more than just a farm. It played a significant role during World War II. In 1946 the US military established a large DP camp there. DP stands for Displaced Persons. Many Jewish people found refuge in the camp. This was called Düppel Center and DP Camp Schlachtensee. The Berlin Blockade created terrible shortages. This forced the camp’s evacuation in 1948. People were moved to West Germany.
The buildings of Alter Gutshof Düppel have endured the test of time. They’re now a protected historical landmark. The main house served as a student canteen for many years. The distillery housed the administrative offices of the veterinary medicine department. Alter Gutshof Düppel stands as a testament to a rich and complex past. It shows both peaceful agricultural life and the turmoil of war and displacement. It continues to be a significant part of Berlin’s history. The surviving structures now hold many stories. They all speak to the enduring character of this place. The place is both historical and beautiful.