Didn’t fields once surround this very spot where Villa Elisabeth stands? This villa boasts an architecture that makes it stand out. Today we will explore Villa Elisabeth. It is located in the Kirchrode district of Hanover.
Let’s step back in time to 1907. Kirchrode had just been incorporated into Hanover. That same year, Elisabethstrasse was laid out. It was named after Elisabeth Jöhrens, the mother of a local landowner.
Construction on Villa Elisabeth began that year. It was completed in 1908. The villa was built for the parents of Hermann Meffert. He was an artist. His wife Elisabeth was also a painter. The family purchased a double plot of land from farmer Jöhrens. The Roediger brothers designed the villa in the Art Nouveau style. Imagine this area in those days. Villa Elisabeth stood amidst fields. The views stretched to the Bockwindmühle windmill on Kronsberg.
Ulrich Roediger designed the villa. He used geometric Art Nouveau elements. The upper floor facing Ostfeldstrasse features timber framing. The Elisabethstrasse facade is striking. It includes vertical panels resembling blind windows. Hermann Meffert created a sgraffito landscape for this facade. He collaborated with other artists on the villa’s design.
Inside Villa Elisabeth, the winter garden of house number 9a is remarkable. The window grilles are also noteworthy. Sadly the original garden fence is no longer present. However much of the interior remains intact. This includes the staircases, built-in wardrobes, and doors. The doors feature glazed clinker bricks at the entrances. All of these elements were designed by Ulrich Roediger.
Hermann Meffert and his wife were early vegetarians in Kirchrode. Meffert was known as a “sun worshiper”. He was easily recognized by his large painter’s hat. He wore it during his many nature walks.
In 1912, Meffert’s son Otto was born in Villa Elisabeth. Otto later became a typesetter. He also worked for the C. L. Schrader printing company. Otto Meffert helped to get matching bells for the Jakobikirche in Kirchrode.
Hermann Meffert established Hanover’s largest painting studio in Villa Elisabeth 9a. Later, he also opened a painting school here. He owned his part of the house until at least 1941. By then, house number 9 was owned by farmer H. Bartels from Fallingbostel.
Today, Villa Elisabeth stands as a reminder of Kirchrode’s past. It showcases Art Nouveau architecture. It also highlights the life and work of the Meffert family. The building is a testament to a time when art and nature intertwined here.