Built in the early years of the last century, Villa Steineck was the rather grand home of Richard Naether, descendant of Ernst Albert Naether, the designer of the pram, no less.
Grand imposing gates and some lovely welcoming signage.
C'mon
Let's mooch
That fountain would look spectacular back in the day
Naether lived here until his death in 1930. Following expropriation of the property at the end of WW2 and during the period of the DDR, the Villa was renamed Weltfrieden, a house for cultural activities, a popular place for dance groups and festivals.
Probably a perfect breeding ground for the Stasi to recruit informers; and spy on the population. No doubt the rooms were bugged and monitored.
"Everything for happiness" the words begin to tell us. "Soon you will own nothing, and you will be happy". Rinse repeat
We will find a way in!
Just a handy piece of railing to lever myself off into the void of a missing window.
The villa had a restaurant and a bar, as well as many other rooms for various functions and I am sure the well meaning slogan is not original!
If you are reading this it is too late, we're coming to get you
An invitation from 2005 to a Herr Wotzel to attend a meeting with his employment agency for which he can claim expenses, how very underwhelming, nothing salacious or clandestine, ho hum.
As you will now see the place is on its arse, beyond redemption.
Then and now
In 2010 it was was purchased for 15k euros and run by a property company, with the hope of selling on ebay a few years back for 1million euro.
So, no takers there then, I guess the phrase, Ein Narr und sein Geld werden bald getrennt, applies
Amazing how some bits of wallpaper maintain their beauty, whilst all around crumbles.
I don't think Villa Steineck has long to live,