Köster Foundation
| Heinrich and Caroline Köster Testament Foundation (Köster Foundation) |
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| Legal form: | Non-profit and benevolent foundation under civil law |
| Purpose: | Construction of apartments for needy large and old people, which should be left to them at the lowest possible rent |
| Chair: | Stefan Matthaei |
| Consist: | since 1885 |
| Founder: | Heinrich and Caroline Köster |
| Seat: | Hamburg |
| Website: | koester-stiftung.de |
The Heinrich and Caroline Köster Testament Foundation , or Köster Foundation for short, in Hamburg-Barmbek-Nord is a non-profit organization founded in 1885 . The purpose of the foundation is the construction of apartments for needy children and old people, which are to be left to them at the lowest possible rent.
Benefactor
Heinrich Köster was born in Hamburg on January 13, 1803. His father, Johann Heinrich, was a Hamburg merchant and came from a respected Hamburg family. His mother Henriette was the daughter of the Wandsbeck pastor Johann Nicolaus Milow. She died when Heinrich Köster was five years old. After his father also died early , Heinrich, who had become almost penniless as a result of the continental blockade, began his commercial training in London and then lived in North and South America for 30 years. In 1851 he returned to Hamburg and started his own business as a shipowner and businessman. Through his business abroad, especially to Saint Thomas , an island in the American Virgin Islands , from which his wife Caroline, née Benjamin, came, he became wealthy. He owned a house on the Palmaille , an office building on the Alstertor, a house in Eppendorf and two ships of his own. Already during his lifetime, Köster campaigned for people in need. In the 1870s, Heinrich Köster maintained 16 small one-story houses with 2 and 3-room apartments on what was then Kirchentwiete, today's Kellinghusenstraße . Since one of his own houses was on Kirchstrasse, today's Ludolfstrasse, Heinrich Köster gained experience through close contact with the residents, which was later reflected in the orders of his will. In his will of May 14, 1879, Köster stipulated that one million gold marks from his assets should flow into a Heinrich and Caroline Köster Testament Foundation, which was to build apartments for needy children and old people and leave them with the lowest possible rent.
Heinrich Köster died on August 30, 1884 and was buried in the family grave in the Hammer cemetery . His wife Caroline took over the wishes and orders in her own will. Caroline Köster died on September 10, 1894.
Heinrich Koester
Caroline Köster
history
The foundation's first honorary administrators were appointed with effect from February 1, 1895. These were G. Embden, Pastor Arnold Köster from St. Georg and, as a member of the family, the businessman Johannes Köster. To this day, the statutes stipulate that at least one descendant of Heinrich and Caroline Köster's family and, if possible, a Protestant pastor should be represented on the foundation board.
The 16 houses on Kirchentwiete were supposed to be demolished in 1897 to widen the street. The foundation wanted to replace 18,000 m² of building land on Frickestrasse in Eppendorf for development with around 80 houses. However, this was rejected by the Senate. The foundation administrators then acquired a plot of land on Bramfelder Straße in Hamburg-Barmbek and another near Tarpenbekstraße in Hamburg-Eppendorf. An agreement with the City of Hamburg was finally concluded on February 18, 1901, according to which Hamburg acquired the property in Kirchentwiete and part of the property recently acquired by the foundation in Barmbek for 60,000 gold marks. At the same time, two narrow replacement areas next to the Barmbeck property were given to the foundation. The property conditions were thus clarified. Between 1901 and 1906, 23 new houses were built on the Eppendorfer property in the style of the Kirchtwietenhäuser in the newly created Kösterstrasse. These houses were rented to large families.
Up to November 1901, 14 row houses had been built in the same style on the newly created Kösterallee in Barmbek. Preparations for a further 13 houses began in January 1903. Another 16 more modern two-story row houses were built in 1927. Starting in 1929, the senior citizens' residential home "Haus Köster" (today Haus Köster 1) was built on Kösterallee according to plans by the architect Paul Frank , and a further wing was added in 1932. This building was created in the modern arcade style .
During Operation Gomorrah , the row houses on Kösterallee were almost completely destroyed. Only a few preserved basement floors were used as emergency shelters by bombed out Hamburgers, but were finally demolished in 1968/69 and the street was closed. The senior citizens' home was also badly damaged in 1943 and all the apartments on the fifth floor were lost to fire bombs . These apartments could only be rebuilt in 1953. By explosive bombs severe damage was caused to the arcades, which were in 1964/65 completely renewed. In 1981 the building was listed as a historical monument. Further repairs were necessary in 1984/85 on the steel girders of the arcades and the balconies.
In 1974 planning began for a new development on the site of the former Kösterallee. The concept for house Köster 2 should reflect the latest technical knowledge and the changed living conditions of senior citizens. Various services should be offered as part of assisted living . The plans for the building were drawn up by the architect Gerhard Langmaack . Since the foundation's own funds had largely been used up by the war and currency reform , public funding had to be applied for. The first work began in September 1978 and the first residents moved into the building in August 1980.
The houses on Eppendorfer Kösterstraße were sold to a private investor in 2010. The cold rents there in 2006 were between € 5.00 and € 6.50 per square meter.
Board
The volunteer Board of Köster Foundation is defined by the constitution of at least five members, of which at least one person to be a related descendant of the family of Henry and Caroline Koster. Another member is, if possible, a Protestant pastor.
The board currently consists of
- Hartmut Dommick
- Bernd Fürstenau
- Stefan Matthaei (chairman)
- Klaus Kösling
- Ann-Kristin Matthaei
- Philipp Matthaei
- Mary Schmoecker
- Christian de Vogel
Residents Advisory Board
The residents' council consists of nine people and is elected every three years. The advisory board represents the interests of the residents vis-à-vis the management and is informed by them about upcoming plans and changes.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.koester-stiftung.de/fileadmin/redakteur/pdf/WEB%20Koester%20Chronik%202008.pdf Kösterchronik 2008
- ↑ http://www.koester-stiftung.de/fileadmin/redakteur/pdf/Festschrift_zum_125-j%C3%A4hrigen_Jubil%C3%A4um_SQ.pdf Festschrift for the 125th anniversary in 2010
- ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from December 24, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Information brochure Köster Foundation p. 6
Coordinates: 53 ° 35 ′ 25 ″ N , 10 ° 3 ′ 26 ″ E