Did you know that this very spot once housed a department store with a dazzling Christmas star? Right here stands the Kaufhaus Magis a legendary Hannover landmark. This isn’t just any building it’s a testament to resilience and a poignant reminder of a turbulent past.
In 1938 Norbert Magis opened the Kaufhaus Magis. It was a time of upheaval the Nazi era. The store’s predecessor the prestigious Sternheim & Emanuel was a victim of “Aryanization.” Magis acquired its inventory at a drastically reduced price but made amends by compensating the Swiss owners. Tragically a few years later during World War II air raids Kaufhaus Magis was destroyed.
After the war Magis started over. He initially operated within the Otto Werner clothing store. But he envisioned more. Between 1950 and 1952 architects Paul and Rudolf Brandes and Ludwig Thiele constructed a new Kaufhaus Magis. Inspired by Erich Mendelsohn’s designs it was a modern marvel. Horizontal windows and stone bands defined its sleek facade. A semi-circular staircase tower provided a striking contrast. The Kaufhaus Magis was a prominent corner building at Kröpcke.
Kaufhaus Magis offered a wide array of goods clothing for the entire family home textiles and wool products. Despite renovations and efforts to attract younger customers including a model competition the family business couldn’t survive the boom of larger department stores. Ownership issues also hampered its success. Magis was only a tenant. It sadly closed in 1988.
Today a Hennes & Mauritz store occupies much of the space. But the legacy of Kaufhaus Magis lives on. Its most enduring symbol is the “Magis-Star” a magnificent Christmas display with a long tail hundreds of lights and smaller accompanying stars. This magnificent star continues to light up the Hannover skyline a lasting tribute to a store that was more than just a place to shop. It was a symbol of an era of both hardship and hope a corner of Hannover’s rich and complex history.