Villa Henle

The heritage-protected villa on the upper Kaiserberg is the central focus of the Wilhelmshöhe neighborhood. In 1937, Dr. Günter Henle acquired the area around the two central villas on the upper Kaiserberg. Henle's life is closely linked with the Duisburg trading company Klöckner, of which he was chairman and co-owner. Under his aegis, the stately home became a meeting place for the economic elite in post-war Germany. As a great promoter of classical music, Henle attracted important artists from all over the world. German Chancellor Adenauer as well as world stars such as Yehudi Menuhin and Arthur Rubinstein were welcomed guests at Wilhelmshöhe.

In 2018, the villa was renovated with great attention to detail. In the process, the flat roof truss built in the post-war period was completely rebuilt and replaced by a pitched roof according to the original construction plans from the twenties. In this way, the building again blends in with the neighborhood of similarly constructed villas. To meet the requirements of modern residential buildings, the roof has been equipped with a loggia in a southern and western direction by means of an incision.

Inside, the staircase extension from the fifties, planned by the important representative of post-war modernism Emil Fahrenkamp, has been preserved. With its bold marble staircase and steel railings with gilded floral ornaments, it provides access to the rooms of the Beletage, which is now home to an advertising agency. On this level, numerous fixtures from the period of origin have been preserved and carefully restored, including filigree portal doors and two large fireplaces.