HOG Kulturhaus
THE ABANDONED THEATER IN GERMANY
Explore the HOG Kulturhaus. Built in 1904 as a striking restaurant adorned with a charming turret. Over the years, it transformed into a gaststätte, a preschool, and a cultural center. It was owned by the HOG, or Handel- und Gaststättenorganisation.
The two-story plastered building with a turret on the side has a long history. It was build as a gaststätte, a hotel with restaurant. Also, behind the main building is a big, impressive ballroom decorated with stucco. In addition to hosting cultural events, the building also accommodated a pre-school group within its walls. Remarkably, the expansive ballroom doubled as a playground for the children, where laughter echoed amidst the grandeur of its ornate décor.
During the era of the German Democratic Republic (DDR), this cultural center flourished under the auspices of the department ‘Bereich Gaststätten’ of the national retail business named HOG. The state-owned HOG provided a hub for cultural activities, with the Kulturhaus at its forefront. Overall, the HOG represented an important aspect of East Germany’s economic and social organization, exerting influence over trade and hospitality sectors and shaping the daily lives of its citizens.
However, the passage of time has taken its toll on this once-thriving establishment. Abandoned since 1996, the cultural center now stands in a state of disrepair, its once-grand ballroom marred by collapsed balconies and floors, posing a significant risk of structural instability.
I visited the HOG Kulturhaus in 2019. Follow this link for more insights into abandoned ballrooms and the stories they hold.
