This villa stands on one of the most beautiful properties on Lake Starnberg. With direct access to Bavaria’s most popular large bathtub and to the sailing paradise, at the pole position of the Gold Coast in the richest district of the republic. For a long time it seemed certain what to do with the listed property: Investors wanted to convert it into an elegant hotel with a large wellness area, a stylishly refurbished 400 square meter terrace and lots of rooms and suites with a view of the lake. Nothing will come of it now.
The Munich trio Gregor Wöltje, Michi Kern and Lissie Kieser, known for art and event projects such as “Lovelace” or “Sugar Mountain”, have thought of something else for the historic villa and the approximately 5000 square meters of land surrounding it: you want to turn it into a public guest house for needy children and young activists. They have already reached an agreement with the owner of the property and the contracts have been signed. The property belongs to the German Trade Union Federation (DGB) and has long been its federal school. But in 2011 the DGB relocated its institution and negotiations with various investors began. However, these fizzled out in 2018. The house has been empty for many years.
Encourage young people to make positive contributions for the future
Wöltje and his colleagues have seized the opportunity. The three, who also operate the Utopia Hall in Munich as an event location, now understand this new project on the lake as a “social business” https://www.sueddeutsche.de/bayern/. “The focus for us is on promoting children and young people, especially those who do not come from the Gönn-Dir-Was-Gesellschaft of Lake Starnberg, “says Gregor Wöltje. It is to become “a place for the arts and a mixture of creative seminar house, affordable family hotel and progressive adventure playground”. In this villa and its adjoining conference buildings, young people should “be encouraged to contribute something positive to the future”, says Wöltje, “and that through an environment that combines artistic design and nature”. That is why “future-relevant topics” such as creativity, sustainability, environmental and animal welfare, media skills, inclusion, justice and social commitment formed the cornerstones of the content-related program.
Soon, youth and art will move into Villa Zitzmann and around it – as in these pictures, the new tenants imagine it.
(Photo: Sasha Bikoff, Trinette Reed)
The approach is to set a targeted counterpoint to the environment: “This jewel will not be opened to the elite clientele, but to precisely those who otherwise have no access to such properties: socially disadvantaged children, single parents, young activists, volunteers of all ages” says Wöltje. His business partner Michi Kern had been pursuing a corresponding idea for a long time. That they have now found this unreally beautiful property makes the three as proud as they are happy. The lease agreements have been signed and discussions are already underway with artists and architects about the interior design. A name has already been found for the child: “Villa Z” it should be called, in abbreviation of “Villa Zitzmann”, the previous house name.
An Erlangen entrepreneur built the villa in the twenties
Because the DGB villa with the address Ferdinand-von-Miller-Straße 7 in Niederpöcking has a checkered history behind it. Originally the villa of a dentist from Munich stood on the lake property, which was acquired in 1919 by the Erlangen entrepreneur and councilor Karl Zitzmann. He had the previous villa demolished and built the stately country house with outbuildings such as a coach house and a boatman’s hut on the lake property. That was in 1922 and 23.
The architects Otto Gruber and E. von Gutmann were responsible for the classicist forms. Because the building complex differed significantly from the neighboring buildings, the locals also called Villa Zitzmann the “Wannsee Villa”. After the Second World War, American occupation troops were quartered in the villa. In the fifties it was then taken over by the DGB.
A stop for activists from Fridays for Future
The “Z” in the new “Villa Z” should also stand for cooperation. “Because we develop our programs there in cooperation with various social organizations and associations,” says Wöltje. Remedial educational approaches are also under discussion. Because the house offers overnight accommodation, the new tenants strive for a complementary use as a seminar house during the week and outside of the holidays. In addition to the villa, there is also a guest house with 49 rooms on the property. The social service providers themselves have a great need for employee seminars, training courses, and supervision. But NGOs such as Fridays For Future or Greenpeace were also constantly looking for seminar houses.
Art studios, music rooms, wood and pottery workshops will be created in the old building. In the future, the old orangery will be the link to the outdoor area and provide space for movement and play even in bad weather. In addition, Wöltje believes it can be used for screenings and as a cinema. The tenant trio is expecting a comparatively modest investment volume for this, and financial supporters are only just being brought on board. The lease now runs for ten years with a further option for five years. The ambitious project is scheduled to open in April 2022.