Perhaps the name “Neuwirtshaus” sounds like just another quaint German village. It is actually a significant piece of Stuttgart’s history. This district’s story starts with its name, meaning “New Inn”.
Back in 1621, Neuwirtshaus was first called “Neues Wirtshaus”. Before that, it was known as “Herberge an der Elbenstraße”. The Elbenstraße? That’s an old Roman road from the 1st century. It ran much like today’s Schwieberdinger Straße. The “Herberge an der Elbenstraße” gave shelter to wagon drivers and their horses.
After the Thirty Years’ War, the Freiherren had to sell the Rittergut Stammheim. It became a hub for all sorts of carriages. Then in 1857, Gut Neuwirtshaus started growing sugar beets. The Hofdomänenkammer leased the building to Adolf Reihlen in 1858. He was a sugar manufacturer from Stuttgart. The land was used for sugar beet farming until 1934. Many tenants managed it during that time.
In 1934, the Locher family brought Neuwirtshaus back to its original purpose. It became a guesthouse again. Imagine a festive hall with 80 seats. Picture cozy Wirtsstuben inside. Envision seven chestnut trees providing shade around the building. Sadly, in 1990, the original Neuwirtshaus burned down and was later demolished. This building had given the district its name. The new building was designed to resemble the old Neuwirtshaus. Today, it serves as a hotel and restaurant.
But there’s more to Neuwirtshaus than just the inn. The Neuwirtshaussiedlung still exists. It consists of similar-looking semi-detached houses. They were built between 1933 and 1937. These bricked timber-frame houses had simple to medium amenities.
The former Domäne Neuwirtshaus once belonged to the House of Württemberg. It included about 7.5 hectares and 306 settlement sites. The Stuttgarter Siedlungsgesellschaft mbH, now SWSG, developed the area. Their goal was to fight mass unemployment. They built small houses with stalls on garden land near the city’s edge. Unemployed families received a home, livelihood, and useful work. They could manage a settlement for low rent. The settlers leased the land. This allowed even those with little money to afford a house.
In 1931, Zuffenhausen, including Neuwirtshaus, became part of Stuttgart. Neuwirtshaus became a district of Zuffenhausen in 1961. The district also has a primary school built in 1934-35. Architect Heintel Wilhelm designed it.
At the heart of Neuwirtshaus stands the Michaelskirche. Professor Paul Heim designed it in 1938. He was a student of Paul Bonatz. The church’s Scandinavian style is unique. Due to the upcoming war, it had a reinforced concrete ceiling. Its timber-frame construction fits with the settlement houses. Next to the church is a “Luftschutzhaus” or air-raid shelter. It was built in 1940-41. This bunker had space for 730 people.
Today, Neuwirtshaus offers a blend of history and community. The semi-detached houses, gardens, and the edge of the Seewald forest shape Neuwirtshaus. The Siedlergemeinschaft Neuwirtshaus e. V. represents the residents’ interests. This place has seen centuries of change. It has transformed from a Roman road stop to a modern Stuttgart district. Neuwirtshaus remains a testament to resilience and community spirit.