Villa Adlon

Villa Adlon is a historic mansion located at Am Lehnitzsee 2 in the Neu Fahrland district of Potsdam, Germany. Built in 1925 in a neo-baroque style with expressionist spatial elements, it was commissioned by hotelier Louis Adlon and designed by architect Hans Rottmayer. The complex sits on a 5,100-square-metre plot and comprises a single-storey central main building, a Kavaliershaus (gentlemen's house), and a boathouse. It has been a listed monument since 1994. After Louis Adlon's death in 1945, the villa briefly housed Soviet naval personnel during the Potsdam Conference. During the East German era it served as a children's clinic and later as a civil defence school. After 1989, the Brandenburg state academy for public administration used the complex until it moved out in 2008. Ownership had in the meantime been returned to the Adlon heirs. In 2011, entrepreneur Mathilda Huss and her then-partner Wilhelm Wilderink bought the villa. The property is owned by Gästehaus am Lehnitzsee GmbH. The villa operates as a guesthouse and event venue under the name Gästehaus am Lehnitzsee. Its official website is currently under construction. In November 2023, the villa became the subject of widespread media attention after Correctiv reported that it had hosted a meeting of right-wing extremists, including AfD and CDU politicians and members of the Werteunion, where a "masterplan" for the expulsion of millions of people from Germany was allegedly discussed. The property subsequently received numerous cancellations. The villa had reportedly been a meeting place for prominent right-wing circles in previous years as well. The grounds were also used as a filming location for the third season of the television series Babylon Berlin.

Villa Adlon was built in 1925 in the neo-baroque style on a 5,100-square-metre plot at Am Lehnitzsee 2 in the Neu Fahrland district of Potsdam. It was commissioned by hotelier Louis Adlon and designed by architect Hans Rottmayer. The complex combines neo-baroque elements with expressionist spatial designs and consists of a single-storey central main building, a Kavaliershaus, and a boathouse. It has been under monument protection since 1994. After Louis Adlon's death in 1945, the villa briefly served as accommodation for Soviet naval personnel during the Potsdam Conference. In the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), it was used as a children's clinic and later as a school for civil defence. After 1989, the Landesakademie für öffentliche Verwaltung (state academy for public administration) of the federal state of Brandenburg used the complex until it moved out in 2008. Ownership had in the meantime been transferred back to the Adlon heirs. In 2011, entrepreneur Mathilda Huss bought the villa together with her then-partner, CDU member Wilhelm Wilderink. The property is owned by Gästehaus am Lehnitzsee GmbH. In November 2023, the villa became the focus of national and international media attention after the research network Correctiv reported that it had been the venue for a high-profile meeting of right-wing extremists on 25 November 2023. Attendees reportedly included AfD and CDU politicians and two members of the Werteunion association, and the discussion allegedly concerned a 'masterplan' for the practical implementation of the expulsion of millions of people from Germany. Following the report, the house received many cancellations and rejections. According to a report by Die Zeit, the villa had already been an 'important meeting place for prominent right-wing circles' in previous years; former domestic intelligence chief Hans-Georg Maaßen had reportedly exchanged views there with high-ranking AfD politicians, including Maximilian Krah. According to T-Online, the right-libertarian Friedrich A. von Hayek-Gesellschaft also held a meeting at the villa. It was further reported that Danish race theorist and co-owner of the Human Diversity Foundation, Emil O. W. Kirkegaard (pseudonym: William Engman), had been living at the Gästehaus am Lehnitzsee for some time. The villa also served as a filming location: exterior shots for the third season of the television series Babylon Berlin were filmed on the property.

• 2023

  Correctiv reported a right-wing extremist meeting at the villa on 25 November, leading to widespread media coverage and cancellations.

• 2011

  Entrepreneur Mathilda Huss and her then-partner Wilhelm Wilderink bought the villa.

• 2008

  Brandenburg state academy for public administration moved out of the complex.

• 1994

  Villa Adlon placed under monument protection.

• 1945

  After Louis Adlon's death, the villa briefly served as accommodation for Soviet naval personnel during the Potsdam Conference.

• 1925

  Villa Adlon built in neo-baroque style, commissioned by Louis Adlon and designed by Hans Rottmayer.

Historic listed villa operating as a guesthouse and event venue near Potsdam.

• Gästehaus am Lehnitzsee guesthouse

  Guesthouse and event venue operating in the historic Villa Adlon complex.

• Right-wing extremist meeting at Villa Adlon

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1. 1Hier entsteht eine neue Homepagegaestehaus-lehnitzsee.de
2. 2Villa Adlonwikidata.org
3. 3Villa Adlonde.wikipedia.org