{"id":19880,"date":"2022-02-08T10:27:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-08T08:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fromplacetoplace.travel\/?p=19880"},"modified":"2022-01-14T13:42:14","modified_gmt":"2022-01-14T11:42:14","slug":"dammsmuehle-castle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fromplacetoplace.travel\/germany\/brandenburg\/barnim\/dammsmuehle-castle\/","title":{"rendered":"Dammsm\u00fchle Castle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the Barnim district of Brandenburg lies the small town of Sch\u00f6nwalde, very close to Wandlitz. Dammsm\u00fchle Castle is located here in the nature reserve of the M\u00fchlenbeck Lakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Shortly before entering Sch\u00f6nwalde, Schlo\u00dfstra\u00dfe leads in the direction of Schloss Dammsm\u00fchle. The street name sounds more impressive than the road is. It goes along a narrow road that has seen better days until it reaches a forest car park. After it had rained for several days, the car park was more like a lake landscape and anyone who didn’t have to wade through a puddle was standing in mud. Apparently we were there so early that we found a parking space without any problems. When we left there again around noon, visitors were parking everywhere and motorists were waiting for a parking space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sky is the most beautiful blue, it is cold and the February sun warms us a little as we follow the Schlo\u00dfstra\u00dfe on foot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Unterwegs<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You walk past some empty buildings that attract visitors. These must have been the rather ugly guest houses from the time when they were used by the Stasi. The door is open and anyone who likes can walk through the dilapidated building. But be careful! It doesn’t really look safe and we decide to take a look only from the outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we continue walking, we discover Dammsm\u00fchle Castle through the branches of the trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Schloss<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From electoral hunting lodge to Wehrmacht headquarters – an eventful castle history<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It must have been around 1650 when Elector Friedrich Wilhelm had a hunting lodge built on the site of a former mill in the middle of the forest. It is no longer possible to say whether he spent much time here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Von<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Peter Friedrich Damm, a Berlin leather manufacturer, acquired the site in 1755 and had a two-storey palace built in the middle of the forest on the shore of the lake. The building must have been quite impressive, there is even said to have been a theatre hall on the upper floor and Queen Elisabeth Christine (wife of Frederick II) is said to have often visited there. When Damm died, he left no heirs and the building fell into disrepair.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

In 1894, Lieutenant Wollank acquired the palace and converted it into a manor house. A building in the shape of a mosque was built on the artificial island in the mill pond, which was used as a dance hall. The surrounding landscape park is said to have been landscaped with vineyards, a fish pond, orchards and avenues next to the lake. Even a family tomb was laid out. Rumour has it that there was a red telephone in it. Later, the castle was named Dammsm\u00fchle (after Peter Friedrich Damm).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Br\u00fccke<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The British Harry Goodwin Hart (director of Unilever) acquired the property in 1929. Unfortunately, he did not enjoy it for long. He left Germany with his Jewish wife in 1938 and was expropriated shortly afterwards. The new owner was SS Reichsf\u00fchrer Heinrich Himmler and after instantsetzungsma\u00dfnahmen, which had to be carried out by concentration camp inmates, the Wehrmacht army group “Weichsel” moved into its headquarters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bowling alley of Erich Mielke<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After the Second World War, the GDR Ministry of State Security took over the building in 1959. It was used as a hunting lodge and guest house until 1989, after a number of changes had been made. For example, an underground bunker was built on the grounds. This is said to have even had its own communication network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Foto<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Erich Mielke had ugly functional guest houses and a farm built.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside the castle there was a sauna, a smart dining room and the former ambulatory was used as a bowling alley from then on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Laubengang<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Visit to Dammsm\u00fchle Castle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After reunification, the castle was briefly a hotel, but then stood empty for many years and fell into disrepair. For a while, the grounds were used for open-air events, as a film set and originally it was planned to create an event and recreation centre. Despite several owners, this failed again and again. In the meantime, construction is underway once again and the castle building is to be reconstructed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Schloss<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Today, the castle is partly scaffolded with a crumbling fa\u00e7ade behind construction fences. The windows are boarded up and doors locked. A castle in Sleeping Beauty slumber, waiting to be kissed awake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"alter<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We walk around the castle and discover a disused fountain that would certainly look beautiful in summer in front of a renovated castle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"verrostetes<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The balcony with the rusty grille above an entrance door points directly to the small mill pond. From up there, you certainly have a great view over the small lake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Schloss<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We decide to walk around the mill pond first. An uneven path leads directly along the edge of the shore. The view of the still frozen water surface and the sun glistening on it is like being in an enchanted land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Wanderung<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the beginning we were still quite lonely, but as time went by the narrow path filled up noticeably. When we passed a wooden pagoda, we did not choose the way back to the car park, but continued our walk through the forest along the M\u00fchlenbeck Lake. After a while, the path led through the small village of Summt. Here we discovered a hiking signpost that led us to the M\u00fchlenwanderweg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"M\u00fchlenbecker<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While walking along an open field, we spotted a large bird of prey circling above us. A little later, a trumpet-like call sounded in the sky. Indeed, the first cranes flew overhead in early February. Excitedly, they first circled over the empty field and then flew on to the lakes. A beautiful sight!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • \"Greifvogel<\/figure><\/li>
  • \"Kraniche<\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    After leaving the field behind us, we went back into the forest and the Tegler Flie\u00dftal valley that runs here, a little further along the M\u00fchlenbecker See lake and then we reached our car again after a little over 9 kilometres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The route on Komoot<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    We have published our hiking trail on Komoot, so that you can easily follow the route. Have fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Click on the button to load the content from www.komoot.de.<\/p>

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