Hotel "Teddybear"

The former Hotel "Waldgarten" in the small town of Hahnenklee in the Harz Mountains looks back on an eventful history. It was built in 1909 as a spa hotel in typical Harz timber architecture on the edge of the climatic health resort. During the First World War, it was temporarily used as a military hospital, but then returned to hotel operations. In January 1940, the building was badly damaged in a major fire, but was then completely rebuilt.

During the National Socialist era, the character of the building changed fundamentally: it was used as a

Abandoned Hotel in the Harz Mountains in Germany

maternity home by the Nazi aid organization “Mother and Child”. More than 3,600 children were born here - a remarkably high number given the small population of the village. In a separate part of the building, a maternity ward was run by the Lebensborn organization. This phase is a dark chapter in the history of the building.

After the war, the hotel initially resumed regular operations and benefited from the flourishing tourism of the 1950s to 1970s. During this time, Hahnenklee developed into a popular tourist destination, especially for guests from the big cities and Scandinavia. In the following decades, however, tourism began to decline and the Hotel Waldgarten also became less and less important. The building has been empty and derelict since around 2002 - a classic “lost place” in the Harz Mountains.

Visited: October 1, 2017 and August 5, 2018

Location: Hahnenklee, Germany

Status: Demolished