Rose Ausländer once called this place home. We are standing in front of the Nelly-Sachs-Haus. It is a Jewish retirement and nursing home. It stands on Nelly-Sachs-Straße in Düsseldorf-Stockum.
The Nelly-Sachs-Haus has a kosher kitchen. Residents celebrate the Sabbath. They also observe Jewish holidays religiously and secularly.
The Jewish community of Düsseldorf commissioned the Nelly-Sachs-Haus. Architect Wolfgang Döring designed it in 1969 and 1970. It was intended as a residence and guest house. It was built for parents of community members. These members had returned to Düsseldorf. Initially, it accommodated 80 to 97 residents. The home is named after Nobel laureate Nelly Sachs.
Architects Margret Balkow and Ernst Endres renovated the building in 2003. This extensive renovation considered new regulations. These regulations concerned retirement and nursing homes. The renovation expanded the Nelly-Sachs-Haus. It now cares for 110 people in need of care. The renovation also lowered the building’s energy consumption.
In 2005, the Nelly-Sachs-Haus received the “Energy Saver NRW” award. Solar panels were installed on a 190 m² roof area. This reduced energy costs by 30%. In 2006, the facility participated in the Day of Architecture in North Rhine-Westphalia. It opened its doors to visitors.
The building complex consists of several buildings. It offers 110 places for senior citizens. The building is a skeleton construction. An architecture guide mentioned its pre-renovation facade. It described “gable cladding made of exposed aggregate concrete slabs”. This was in 1975.
Rose Ausländer lived here from 1972 until her death in 1988. Paul Spiegel often participated in activities at the Nelly-Sachs-Haus. Lilli Marx spent her last months here. The painter Konrad Klapheck also lived his last years in the Nelly-Sachs-Haus. It became his home later in life. The Nelly-Sachs-Haus is more than just a building. It is a community hub. It is a place of care. It honors the lives of remarkable individuals.