User:Balanovskaya/sandbox/Villa Krehl in Heidelberg

The Villa Krehl in Heidelberg "A town mansion of national, cultural importance" Baden Württemberg State Monument Authority "maybe the proudest private home in Heidelberg, which was built before World War I" Professor Karl Gruber, in Reperta Carola 29, 1961.

The house in Bergstrasse No. 106, was build in 1911 by the renowned German architect Friedrich Ostendorf for a famous physician Dr. Ludolf Krehl.

The architect Prof. Dr. Ing. Friedrich Ostendorf was born 1871 in Lippstadt, Westphalia. He studied architecture in Stuttgart, Hannover and Berlin. He soon became Regierungsbaumeister (government architect), and in 1899 he received the Schinkelpreis, the Germany's most distinguished architectural award. After 1904 Friedrich Ostendorf taught as Professor for Medieval Architecture at the Technical University of Danzig, and in 1907 he joined the faculty at the Technical University of Karlsruhe and worked there until 1915 as full-time professor of architecture.

Ostendorf became Baureferent (State Supervisor of Construction) of the State Ministry of Finances of Baden and thus was the highest official of the State buildings and construction administration in the State of Baden. At the beginning of the World War I architect Ostendorf volunteered to serve in the German army. Together with several of his students he fought in the battle field. He was awarded the Iron Cross for his courage. He was killed in a battle near Arras, France.

A large number of publications show Ostendorf's eminent position in architecture. His book "Geschichte des Dachwerks" (History of the roof)was the first systematical research study on this particular construction detail.

In his theoretical masterpiece "Sechs Bücher vom Bauen" (Six Volumes on Construction), Ostendorf tried to outline the general complexity of all architectural problems and their solution by a theoretical idea, which did not emphasize on the individual structure of a building, but which centered on its best adjustment to given natural conditions, ideas and necessities. In the context of this architectural concept we have to see the constructions of the Bergstrasse 106 house.

Ostendorf tried to incorporate the given natural conditions, the extremely sloping building plot on one side, and on the other side the traditional Heidelberg roof-line, mainly distinguished by baroque houses, in his planning. The Palais Firedrich/Villa Krehl therefore serves as his prime example in his supplement volume "Haus und Garten" to the six volumes on construction and as such serves as his example for the state-of-the-art of house and garden architecture at the time.

The Landlords of Bergstrasse 106 Professor Ludolf Krehl M.d. and Mrs. Krehl

Dr. Ludolf Krehl was a leader in the medical research in Heidelberg. At the beginning of the 20th century under his supervision a hospital of the medical faculty (renamed 1919 Ludolf-Krehl-Klinik) became a famous medical institution of the time.

Dr. Krehl (1861 - 1937) studied medicine at the University of Lepzig, Jena, and Berlin, and became professor of medicine at the universities of Jena 1892, Marburg 1899, Greifswald 1900, Tübingen 1902, and Strasbourg in 1904. Since 1907 he held the position of full-time Professor at Heidelberg University. He was awarded high merit medals, and in 1904 was knighted by the King of Württemberg (von Krehl). He was appointed Geheimrat (Privy Councillor to the King) in 1906, and among other honors in 1907 he received the Royal Order of the White Elephant from the King of Thailand. During World War I, Ludolf von Krehl joined the Army Medical Service and was awarded the Commander's Cross 1st Class by the Grand Duke of Baden. After the war he resume his position as a professor until his retirement in 1930.

In 1922 Dr. Krehl received the rare honor of a Honorary Citizen of Heidelberg. He was awarded a Honorary Doctorate of Divinity by the University of Tübingen and received the Pour Le Mertie Order, the highest German civil medal in 1932.

Elisabeth Krehl (1868 - 1942)

A major influence on the houre's layout and construction plans could be attributed to Dr. Krehl's second wife, Elisabeth Krehl, born Frohne. A strong feminine element is apparent not only in the lavishly decorated Lady's Suite (Main Floor to the South), but it also could be seen in the elements of floral ornament about the street side first-floor doorway in the middle of the building or above the door, leading to the reception room at the top end of the main stairway.

It is also remarkable that all original blueprints, which are preserved at the Heidelberg construction authority are singed by Mrs. Krehl.

Mrs. Krehl's royal descent and the great wealth she possessed were manifested in the construction of the spacious mansion, which even for well-to-do citizen's standards appeared almost palace-like. 

This rumour had its origin in the Russian background of Mrs. Krehl. She was not a Russian princess by birth, but could be well taken for one, thanks to the immense wealth of her ex-husband Friedrich Koenig and her father-in-law Leopold Koenig (keonig means "king"), the "Sugar King" of Tsarists Russia. The Koenig family had moved from Germany to St. Petersburg in the late 18th century. They greatly improved industrial methods of refining can sugar and later they became the figureheads of industrial sugar production from sugar beads which they grew on their won estates in Southern Russia (Ukraine). Their success allowed them to increase their agricultural estate to an immense size, including a whole principality of 324 square kilometers which they bought in 1874 from Prince Galizin.

Every winter the Koening family returned to Germany where they owned lavish residences on the Rhine an on Lake Constance. The Koening residence in Bonn later became Germany's "White House", the Villa Hammerschmidt, seat of the German federal presidents 1949-1991. The German Constitution of 1949, the Grundgesetz, the basic alw, was signed in the Museum Koenig in Bonn, which Elizaebeth Krehl's brother-in-law had founded.

So mistaking Mrs. Krehl for a Russian princess was not fetched too far and a steady stream of Russian gold rubles had indeed flwoed from the vast estates in the Ukraine to make the construction of the new house in Heidelberg possible in the first place.

The further history of the House The Krehls have lived in the house only for a few years, from 1913 to 1919.

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