House under the linden trees

The house under den Linden in Herford , also known as HudL (pronounced like the word “Hudel”), is an urban community center and, according to the city, “the central facility for cross-age and target group opportunities for encounters, education, advice and civic engagement ". It opened on October 1, 1977.

The house is located in the old town of Herford between the Renntorwallstraße and the part of the Herford ramparts , which in this area is called "Unter den Linden", and after which the villa was named. It was given the name HudL, which is common today, after the renovation and renovation in 2001.

Facilities

There are rooms in the HudL in which numerous events take place. In addition to courses, conferences, advanced training, seminars, lectures, information events, readings and workshops, yoga, dancing and gymnastics are offered. Concerts, exhibitions, theater performances, cabaret, flea markets and film screenings are also held. The rooms can also be rented for private and business meetings and parties.

Café Hudl is operated in an extension and serves breakfast and lunch as well as coffee and cake. The café is an integration company that pursues economic goals, but at the same time employs people with disabilities in a large proportion of its workplaces. The café is also available for private parties and there is a bowling alley in the basement.

History of the building

Local museum

After the building at Unter den Linden 12 was initially privately owned, it was acquired in 1931 by the “Herford Local History Association” in order to be able to leave the unsuitable museum location on Brüderstraße. The prehistory, abbey history, arts and crafts, hand weaving, urban development departments, as well as a Biedermeier room, an old German room and a rural room were created on two floors. The museum was now called the "Heimat Museum". About 40 percent of the collection could be shown. The rest was kept in base cabinets and in the basement. After the Villa Schönfeld was available to the Herford Association for Local History from April 1, 1940 , the local history museum moved there.

Health department

In 1941 the health department of the then independent city of Herford moved into the building, which in 1950 received an extension for this use. In the course of the regional reform on January 1, 1969 , the municipal health department became part of the district health department. However, it remained in the building as a branch office until 1975.

Senior center

After the house was initially empty, it was converted into a senior citizens' center and from 1977 onwards by several social institutions. such as the German Red Cross , the German Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband , Diakonisches Werk , Caritas and Arbeiterwohlfahrt run on a voluntary basis.

Civic Center

The house from the garden side

After the offer was expanded, the building was completely renovated in 2001 and made barrier-free. Then the senior citizen center became a community center.

Protest against an AfD event

On February 28, 2017, the AfD district association Herford rented a room in the HudL for an event. In the course of this, 150 citizens protested against the event in front of the house. More than 20 mostly young people had chained themselves in the house and thus blocked access to the event room. One of the blockers was charged with resisting law enforcement officers, but the proceedings under Section 153a of the Criminal Code were dropped. During the trial in the Herford District Court , the police witnessed contradicting statements, which is why they were admonished by the Public Prosecutor.