A sea of green, once dotted with quaint houses, that’s the legacy of Eggarten-Siedlung. This neighborhood, nestled between Lerchenauer See and Munich’s Nordring, holds a story as captivating as its name. Eggarten-Siedlung, or “Egg Garden Settlement”, started not as a garden, but as farmland. Imagine, in the 17th century, this fertile land was part of the Wittelsbach royal family’s hunting grounds!
It wasn’t until the 1920s that the Bavarian government, recognizing a need for housing, made this land available for settlement. Thus began the era of Eggarten-Siedlung. Picture families building their own homes, a small community blossoming with grocery stores, a tavern, and even a wooden church. The residents were granted leasehold rights, valid until 1999, a promise of permanence that was sadly short-lived.
The winds of change blew harshly in 1938, as the area was earmarked for a railway yard. Many residents were forced to sell their homes, their dreams crumbling under the pressure of an unyielding state. The war added to the devastation, with bombings destroying even more houses. Though the grand plans for the railway yard were eventually shifted elsewhere, the Eggarten-Siedlung never truly recovered.
By 2020, only 20 of the original 62 houses remained. Most were relegated to garden sheds, their former inhabitants gone, their stories fading into the background. Despite efforts to preserve the “green oasis”, the decision was made to redevelop the area. Today, Eggarten-Siedlung stands on the cusp of transformation, a poignant reminder of a bygone era. Its story, a blend of hope, resilience, and loss, continues to resonate, a silent echo in the heart of Munich.