Farm by Broken Window Theory, on FlickrDisturbing and bizarre - these are probably the best terms to describe the forgotten place in today's post. We made several strange discoveries during our exploration of this isolated farm somewhere in Eastern Germany. Once, a wealthy family used to live here. And dog breeding was their big passion. The former owners were so successful that their dogs won many trophies in the past. But what happened here? Why was this stately home abandoned all of a sudden? Stay tuned if you want to know what he have found out.
Overgrown by Broken Window Theory, on FlickrActually it's an old manor house which we are visiting today. It's part of a four-sided courtyard in a small village. Because of the long-standing vacancy the buildings are currently in a very bad condition. They're partly trashed and characterized by vandalism. The most interesting building of the farmyard is probably the old mansion. Long tendrils have grown out from it which leads to an eerily beautiful scenery.
House of Bones #05 by Broken Window Theory, on FlickrOne of the first things visitors will notice here is the extensive collection of trophies. The former residents arranged them here very proudly. In the past there were probably even more awards. It's surprising that so many prize cups haven't been stolen yet. Apparently, dogs were honored with them. Great Danes to be exact.
Trophy Collection by Broken Window Theory, on FlickrA great amount of furnishings are still there. Even though thieves and kids have already destroyed large parts of the building. From time to time we're even finding old photos of the former residents. But there are only a few ones which show people. Mostly our four-legged friends are on those pictures.
House of Bones #08 by Broken Window Theory, on FlickrThe history of the manor starts in the 12th century. Back then there was a former water castle building located somewhere on the property. Landlords were changing from time to time. It seems like nobody wanted to stay here for long. In the 19th century and after multiple fires and reconstructions the four-wing farmyard we're exploring today was constructed. Fortunately, the buildings were spared from the chaos of the Second World War. But under Soviet occupation the owner of the farm was expropriated. As many other manors in the Eastern part of Germany, it was now used by the publicly owned agricultural cooperative. Until the German reunification. The old landowners were happy to get their farmyard back. Finally, a few years later the last residents of the estate moved in.
House of Bones #14 by Broken Window Theory, on FlickrCertainly it's already really expensive to live in such a manor. But in addition to that, the building was partly decorated with very fancy furniture. It seems like the family must have been wealthy in the past.
One of the last residents used to run a roofing company on the property. In his former office you can still find the master craftsman certificate on one of the walls. Apart from that, there are many sketches spread all over the place. The old construction materials are also still stored in the court.
Do You Want A Little Bite Of That by Broken Window Theory, on FlickrInside the upper story of the barn the bones you saw in the beginning of this episode are located. What looks like some kind of art installation, can be explained quite easily. Meat from animals was hung here in the past. It was probably used to feed the dogs that used to live here. Today only the spines are left. Anyhow that's a view that won't be forgotten.
House of Bones #01 by Broken Window Theory, on FlickrNow we're back in the main building and it's time to tell you more about the dogs. As it seems the former residents used to breed Great Danes in their spare time. The rewards in the entrance area show that those dogs have won competitions on a regular basis. But not only in Germany as we found out while taking a look at the certificates. They have all participated in European competitions in the 90s or the early 2000s.
House of Bones #19 by Broken Window Theory, on FlickrBut apparently they did not achieve any more victories. And so they didn't get any cash prizes as well. But after all, the residents had their luxurious lifestyle. And as it seems the roofing company wasn't profitable enough. So eventually bankruptcy followed and the family had to abandon the home.
House of Bones #21 by Broken Window Theory, on FlickrBut is this an adequate explanation? In the end, all the personal stuff was left behind and even the fridge is still filled with goods. The fact is that this was just our theory. We don't know for sure what happened here in the past. After all we didn't find any further records. And the more the buildings are falling apart and get vandalized the harder it is to find out the true story. But one thing is for sure: Only in rare cases we discover an abandoned place that is so disturbing and bizarre at the same time. Unfortunately, there is no hope for the farmyard at this point. So as it seems it will just vanish and nobody will even notice.
If you want to see more of this place make sure to watch our documentary on YouTube:
