The History of “See-Eck” House

The house now home to the “Belle Etage” bed & breakfast was built by one Werner Eichmann in 1909, more than a century ago. As a “Privy Councillor of Commerce,” Eichmann was chairman of Terraingesellschaft Witzleben, one of the development companies raising residential estates in up-and-coming Charlottenburg, at the time still a city in its own right west of Berlin and the richest town of Prussia.

With developments encroaching upon the pastoral lakefront sanctuary of Lietzensee at a brisk pace, Councillor Eichmann realised the potential of the as yet unzoned land. While his plan to section the land into building plots was approved by the Chief Constable – at the time the head of the building authority – there were many strings attached in order to ensure that the Lietzensee area would retain its recreational character for local residents. It is said that, in tribute to his position, Eichmann was commemorated in a stone relief carved into one of the heads of Lietzensee Bridge. The framed image shows a man smiling at an oak tree in mnemonic allusion to the name Eichmann – “Eiche“ being German for “oak.”

Unsurprisingly, “See-Eck” House – by far the most impressive lakeside residence not least because it extends practically into the lake – was originally built for the Eichmann family itself. Each floor consisted of a single apartment with the vast floor space of 511 sqm. With demand for his services drying up, and Eichmann himself approaching retirement, he decided to let parts of the house. As chances of letting apartments this big were slim, he started to partition them into smaller, more marketable units. First, third and fourth floor were carved up into apartments of various size. Only one unit was left unchanged – the second floor, now the “Belle Etage.” At the time, “belle etage” was the moniker for the preferred and therefore particularly lavishly decorated first upper floor of townhouses, and to this day you get a good sense of the mansion’s erstwhile splendour in the themed rooms of our bed & breakfast. The idea underlying the B&B concept was not least to make this historic site available to the public as a place of hospitality and a venue for social events. As a direct descendant of the principal in the fifth generation, it is a pleasure for me, Veit Jost, to welcome you to this enchanted place where past and present congregate in style.