Imagine a baroness longing for connection. Villa Reitzenstein stands before you a testament to love, loss, and political power. This stately home has witnessed Stuttgart’s history unfold. Let’s delve into the story of Villa Reitzenstein.
Helene Freifrau von Reitzenstein, a woman of means and dreams, commissioned this villa. It was between 1910 and 1913. She was the daughter of a Stuttgart publisher and widow of Carl von Reitzenstein. Carl was the Würtemberg Lord Chamberlain. Helene sought solace and beauty in creating this grand residence.
She hired architects Hugo Schlösser and Johann Weirether. Helene sent them on a trip. They visited France and Italy. Their mission was to gather inspiration. They explored French Baroque style and incorporated it. The villa boasts a two-story three-wing design. It features Maulbronn sandstone. A mansard roof tops it off.
Inside, modern comforts were integrated. A warm water central heating system was installed. This was not common at the time. The library received special attention to the interior. This was due to the family’s publishing background. The entire construction cost 2.8 million Goldmark. That is equivalent to about 14 million euros today.
Carl Eitel designed the two-and-a-half-hectare garden in 1912. Georg Stirnweis maintained the garden for four decades. The garden had French and English styles. It had solitary trees and a rose garden. Several ponds and a tempietto dedicated to Amor also stood there.
Helene lived in Villa Reitzenstein for only nine years. During World War I, it served as a reserve hospital for officers. In 1921, she sold the villa to the state of Württemberg. Johannes von Hieber acquired it during the inflation period for 5.5 million Papiermark. This was about 400,000 Goldmark.
The government intended to house the Reichsverwaltungsgericht here. That plan never materialized. Instead, the villa became the seat of the Württemberg State President in 1925. Wilhelm Bazille was the first to live here. He used it as both his official and private residence.
Eugen Bolz followed in 1928. He was later removed from office in 1933. This coincided with the rise of National Socialism. He was executed in 1945. Villa Reitzenstein then served as the headquarters of the Stuttgart NSDAP. Wilhelm Murr led it for twelve years. A tunnel was built under the villa’s cellar for Murr. Prisoners and foreign workers constructed it.
In 1945, Karl Benz prevented Murr from destroying the villa. The city was handed over to French troops. After the war, General Lucius D. Clay, the US military governor, resided here. The Länder Council also met in the Gobelinsaal.
Since 1952, Villa Reitzenstein has been the official seat of the Minister Presidents of Baden-Württemberg. The Stuttgart Treaty was drafted here in 1983. Hans-Dietrich Genscher and Emilio Colombo created it.
Between 2013 and 2016, extensive renovations modernized the villa. Historical and functional needs were considered. Today, the Villa Reitzenstein continues to symbolize power. It embodies the history of Baden-Württemberg.
Named after Helene’s late husband, Carl Friedrich Sigmund Felix Freiherr von Reitzenstein, this villa carries a legacy of aristocracy. Carl died at a roulette table in Baden-Baden in 1897.
The park surrounding Villa Reitzenstein is open to the public on weekends between April and October. Here, you can see sequoia trees. Legend says King Wilhelm I gifted their seeds. Bee colonies produce “government honey” for state guests. An insect hotel provides habitat for wild bees.
Villa Reitzenstein stands as a reminder of the past. It is a symbol of political power. It is an urban biotope. It is open for all to witness.