Günter Grass' Villa in Behlendorf: A missed opportunity for a museum!

Günter Grass' Villa in Behlendorf: A missed opportunity for a museum!

In Behlendorf, in idyllic Schleswig-Holstein, the home of the great writer Günter Grass is for sale. The charming property where Grass lived with his wife Ute for over 30 years is being offered for 1.6 million euros. With a living space of 354 square meters and eleven rooms, the villa offers plenty of space for creative ideas and retreats. The almost 22,000 square meter garden landscape includes an orchard, a stream, a carp pond and a studio with lots of windows that makes artists' hearts beat faster. Still, the sale is not without controversy.

Loud NDR In his will, Grass wanted the villa to remain open to the public as a museum and event location. But the citizens of Lübeck recently decided against the takeover, mainly because of the high maintenance and renovation costs, which the head of the Grass Museum, Jörg-Philipp Thomsa, described as a “missed historical opportunity”. Instead, the property is now being offered as a private sale, leaving many wondering what the future holds for the home.

A house full of history

Günter Grass' former home has been empty since the death of his widow in 2021. Many of the rooms are still furnished, but the extensive library has already been transferred to the Günter Grass Foundation and his second house in Lübeck. The villa, in which creativity and literature were alive, could soon pass into other hands - completely contrary to the wishes of its former owner.

The charming features of the property include not only the park-like garden, but also the quiet location, only around 50 kilometers from Hamburg. This sale is undoubtedly a talk of the area, attracting both literary fans and potential buyers looking to purchase a piece of history. For 1.6 million euros, this could open a whole new chapter.

Challenges for the Grass House