- Year 1906. 06-11-1906.
- Year 1906. 07-11-1906 Letter to Alma Mahler (1879-1964).
See also: 1908 Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten.
Friedrich Bürklein, who took care of the Gesamtkunstwerk Maximilianstraße (center of Munich) , made Rudolf Gottgetreu the architect of the Four Seasons (Vier Jahreszeiten). The newly built Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten was opened on 25th July 1858 with great pomp by hotelier August Schimon in the Maximilianstraße No. 17. It was true that Maximilian II had desired the noblest Stadthotel on “his” street, which was intended to break all standards set before, but of course a hotel was not allowed to rank in the royal residence.
Nevertheless, it set standards for its time. In addition to 60 stalls, the Vier Jahreszeiten had gas lighting, bells to communicate in the rooms, six marble bathrooms, a paternoster and precious oil paintings. Some rooms in the 19th century had a “wave-swinging bath” popular with many guests to “nerve strengthening”. Johann Samuel Obermayer led the hotel from 1866 until his death in 1889, followed by his son Adolf.
Munich, Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten.
Munich, Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten.
Munich, Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten.
Munich, Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten.
Munich, Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten.
Munich, Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten.
First World War
The hotel was regarded during the First World War as the center of the nationalist agitation of the Pan-German Federation. From 1919 to 1924, it was the meeting place of the Thule Society.
Thule
The Thule-Gesellschaft is an aroscopic and occult organization founded by Rudolf von Sebottendorf in Munich in November 1918. The society was the cradle of the Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (DAP), the forerunner of Hitler’s NSDAP, and the Völkischer Beobachter, the main national socialist newspaper. Nazi pieces such as Rudolf Hess, Heinrich Himmler and Alfred Rosenberg found a lot of inspiration in this lodge.
The term Thule is derived from ancient Ultima Thule, the far north, referring to the Arctic circle where the so-called hyperborne peoples lived. About 1500 Germans were eventually members of the Thule-Gesellschaft. The organization itself was formed as a freemasonry log and thanks to the considerable capital of Sebottendorf, one could meet in the prestigious Vier Jahreszeiten in Munich. As an emblem, the society chose the swastika.
Brothers Walterspiel
In 1926 the brothers Alfred and Otto Walterspiel took over the hotel. Both the Restaurant Walterspiel and the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten were regarded as the “first address” in Europe, thanks in particular to Alfred Walterspiel’s cooking.
Even during the period of National Socialism, the hotel remained “an open house” without restrictions for its international guests. During the air raids on Munich in the Second World War, the building was heavily damaged. In 1944, all building wings, except for the one located directly on Maximilianstrasse, burned completely.This historic part now had a floor less.
After 1945, the building was used by the US occupation forces. In 1948 the Walterspiel brothers received permission from the crew to rebuild the hotel for foreign guests, and Alfred’s son George joined the management. In the summer of 1949 the hotel was also opened to German guests. The Restaurant Walterspiel was reopened in 1950.