Previous names: The name “Edelweiß” has been retained since the hotel opened.

Architecture: The hotel was built in the style typical of the time, also known as spa architecture. A rectangular plaster building with two upper floors was fronted by wooden verandas and connected to a tower at the corner.

Year of construction: Around 1909

History/owners until 1945: The owner of Villa Seydlitz, Mr. W. Wahl, had Villa Edelweiß built on the neighboring property in 1908/1909. In 1909, the following entry appeared in the housing register: Lottumstr. 14, Villa Edelweiß, owner Mr. Wahl, 25 rooms and 1 kitchen. The advertisement reads: “Elegant guest house, close to the beach, near the air and sun baths, offers 30 rooms furnished with all modern comforts for days and weeks in every price range.” Several changes of ownership followed. In 1928, “large, heatable, sunny rooms with electric light and covered balconies at reasonable prices” were offered.

That year, the Bartuschat family, the grandparents of the current owner, also purchased the house. From around 1930, the house was leased to the widow Amalie Mann and operated as a guesthouse. From 1945 onwards, refugees from East Prussia were housed in the building.

GDR era: When, among other things, the FDGB holiday service requested a contingent of rooms in the building, the tenant gave up and Mrs. Bartuschat took over the management herself. The “Aktion Rose” (Operation Rose) also did not bypass the building in 1953. Mrs. Bartuschat handed over the management to a resident of the house and went to live with her son in Berlin. Unfortunately, the house fell into disrepair over time. Lightning struck the tower, the “hat” was not repaired and was replaced with a flat roof. The balconies were probably dilapidated, so they were demolished in the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1980s, the house was quietly “transferred to public ownership.”

After 1990: In 1990, the Bartuschat family’s son sought to have the house returned to them. Under certain conditions, they got it back in 1991. At that time, the house was completely rented out for residential purposes. With the funds available, a few rooms were gradually refurbished to make them more hospitable. In 1995, the Bartuschat family’s grandson took over the business. He gradually renovated the house and runs it as a family guesthouse.

Current use: Family-run guesthouse

Interesting facts/anecdotes: In the past, guesthouses had a servant who drove guests and their luggage to and from the train station. Servant No. 7, August Lerch, lived in the rear building of the “Edelweiß.” After taking guests to the train station, he often made a stop at the “Binzer Bierstuben” on his empty return trip, where the horse-drawn carriage waited patiently for him. After “delivering his greetings” there, he often fell asleep on the way home. That never bothered anyone. Everyone always arrived home safely, because the horse knew the way.

Photos: Bartuschat Collection, Binzer Bucht Tourismus Collection, Binzer Bucht Tourismus/Christian Thiele

Text: Bartuschat family, Klaus Boy, Binzer Bucht Tourismus