Gut Osterrade – a brief summary of a long history

The manor house, erected in the typical architectural style of Schleswig-Holstein, is a protected historic building standing in idyllic parkland, surrounded by open ground and studded with ancient beech trees, outclassing many film sets.

Gut Osterrade embodies an authentic link between the modern day and a long, eventful history. As far back as the Middle Ages there was an estate within close proximity: Dosenrade. A new estate was built just to the east of Dosenrade – thus explaining the name: Osterrade, built in a clearing in the woodland well before the Thirty Years’ War.

You have to delve about 430 years back through the annals to find the first mention of the manor house back in 1587. It was described as an elongated, single-storied building with a tiled roof and corner towers. ↓

In 1723, Detlev Brockdorff constructed a new manor house on the foundations of the original building. More than 100 years later, in 1829, Johann Friedrich Wehrtmann purchased the entire estate for the sum of 155,000 Reichstaler, the currency of the time. After a fire, Wehrtmann rebuilt the manor house and redesigned it as a wide, two-storied building in the classical style. An inscription with Roman numerals commemorates the former owner: “Johann Michael Friedrich Wehrtmann, hereditary lord of Osterrade, rebuilt this house, MDCCXXIX”. ↓

In 1836, the house was purchased for an undisclosed price by Caesar von Hildebrandt, a merchant from Hamburg. After the death of his homonymous son, von Hildebrandt’s widow sold the lands to the principality of Schaumburg-Lippe.

In 1993, the family of Heinz Fromberger purchased the venerable Gut Osterrade, investing much time and money in its renovation, and began to build up what is now the tournament and breeding centre for sports horses.

In 2004, the family built their own EU stud farm and insemination station.