“HG” are the initials that still adorn the gate of Landhaus Gugenheim. This house has a tale to tell. Today we are standing in front of Landhaus Gugenheim. It is located at Johann-Strauss-Platz 11 in Potsdam. This charming red brick house whispers stories of silk fortunes and dramatic escapes. It echoes with the laughter of film stars and the hushed tones of wartime strategy.
Landhaus Gugenheim was built in 1921 and 1922. Hermann Muthesius designed it. Fritz Gugenheim commissioned it as a home for his son, Hans. Muthesius called it a “country house for newlyweds.” Hans Gugenheim did not enjoy it for long.
Hans was the heir to a silk manufacturing empire. His father’s company, Michels & Cie, stood where the Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung is today. In 1936, Hans Gugenheim had to flee Germany. He was a Jewish banker and was persecuted by the Nazis.
In 1938, actress Brigitte Horney acquired Landhaus Gugenheim. The house became a haven for artists. Erich Kästner, blacklisted by the Nazis, found refuge here. Under the pseudonym Berthold Bürger, Kästner wrote the screenplay for the film “Münchhausen” here. This Ufa film starred Hans Albers and Brigitte Horney.
During the Potsdam Conference in 1945, Landhaus Gugenheim played a role. The Red Army occupied it for the delegations. Stalin, Truman, and Churchill were close by.
After the war, Landhaus Gugenheim became an educational institution. It first housed the Filmhochschule “Konrad Wolf.” Later, it became a college for archival studies.
After the Berlin Wall fell, ownership disputes arose. Heirs of both Horney and Gugenheim laid claim to the property. Eventually, the Gugenheim descendants regained the house. They then sold it.
In 2006, a couple who never wanted to own a house fell in love with Landhaus Gugenheim. They bought it and carefully restored it. They worked closely with preservationists to preserve its unique character. The house was renovated in a year. The owners moved in on July 7, 2008.
Jörg Limburg from the Lower Monument Protection Authority raves about Landhaus Gugenheim. He says it is a light and stylish country house. It is not pompous. The initials “HG” on the gate remind us of its past. They remind us of Hans Gugenheim’s story. Landhaus Gugenheim is more than just a beautiful building. It is a landmark with a fascinating history.