Imagine, if you will, Franz Wilhelm von Asbeck envisioning his grand residence. This very spot where the Prinz-Georg-Palais stands today at Karolinenplatz 5.
The Prinz-Georg-Palais is more than just a building. It is a landmark listed as a historical monument in the Bavarian monument list. Its story is one of vision, transformation, and echoes of Munich’s past.
In 1810, Asbeck, a royal official, owned nearly all the properties around Karolinenplatz. He commissioned Karl von Fischer to design a palace. Fischer drew inspiration from Andrea Palladio’s La Rotonda during a two-year trip to Italy. The Prinz-Georg-Palais’s design featured a 4×4 grid layout. A rotunda extended through both floors, topped with a skylight. Fischer added an ionic portal to the facade facing Karolinenplatz for a grand entrance. The main facade centered around a triple opening.
Instead of mirroring La Rotonda’s cylindrical rotunda, Fischer opted for a square enclosure over the roof. This created straight, horizontal roof edges. This design choice aligned with classical tastes and simplified construction. Two outbuildings on Barer and Brienner Streets complemented the main structure.
In 1821, Ferdinand Ludwig Joseph Anton von Hompesch-Bollheim acquired the Palais. He was a General-Lieutenant in royal English service. Leo von Klenze oversaw renovations in 1825. The main building was raised by one story and expanded with side additions.
From 1881 to 1894, during the reign of Alexander III, the Prinz-Georg-Palais served as the Russian Embassy. Nikolai von der Osten-Sacken resided here as the Russian ambassador.
Ludwig Deiglmayr & Co. purchased the property in 1896. They added two floors and sold it to Georg von Bayern.
From 1901 to 1904, Max Bullinger used the building as a Portuguese Consulate. In 1906, it housed the arbitration court for worker’s insurance.
From late 1908 to 1931, Elsa and Hugo Bruckmann, publishers of Houston Stewart Chamberlain, lived on the second floor. They hosted Salon Bruckmann every Friday. Before that the salon had already taken place since January 1899 in the Nymphenburger Stra\u00dfe 86. Norbert von Hellingrath met Karl Wolfskehl in February 1908 at his aunt Elsa’s salon. During World War I, Elsa Bruckmann supported war relief for intellectual professions.
The Prinz-Georg-Palais was the site of the Munich Journeyman’s Murder on May 6-7, 1919. Soldiers under Vizefeldwebel Konstantin Makowski murdered 21 members of the Catholic Journeyman’s Association St. Joseph. Oberst Hans Kundt arrived to find soldiers and brigade staff from the nearby Palais Toerring-Seefeld.
In October 1919, Jakob M\u00fcller and Konstantin Makowski were sentenced to 14 years in prison for manslaughter. Stefan Latosi was acquitted of manslaughter but sentenced to 10 years for theft.
After his release from prison on December 21, 1924, Adolf Hitler visited Salon Bruckmann. He was introduced to Paul Ludwig Troost. The Bruckmanns helped finance the Nazi Party’s purchase of the Brown House. They moved to Leopoldstra\u00dfe in 1931.
Today, the Prinz-Georg-Palais stands as a testament to Munich’s evolving history. Its walls have witnessed architectural innovation, diplomatic missions, artistic gatherings, and tragic events. As you gaze upon its facade, remember the layers of stories embedded within its stones.