Content
Our History
Northern German Hospitality with Tradition
The history of the "Birke" started with a rich wheelwright. He became bored of the city and decided to move to the sea. He considered some small cottages but then he found the village Hasseldieksdamm nearby Kiel, directly located in a wooded area, close to the sea. It was in 1773, when he acquired a small cottage with a cabbage yard for his enjoyment.
As the small cottage only gave low potential for earnings for the owner and the village was constantly growing, he decided together with his wife to open a snuggery pub. In 1802 he obtained a serving entitlement from the Royal Danish Rentekammer. The then-cook became famous beyond the city for her pancakes which during baking ,were thrown very high and caught again with the pan. Many Kiel residents made a wonderful walk at the weekend to enjoy her pancakes.From this , the name "Pannekokenkrog" arose.
In 1902 the small cottage was replaced by a timbered house with twenty hotel rooms, a ballroom, a beer garden and a riding stable. And the name was changed to "Waldesruh".
At the end of the Second World War the building was confiscated by the English. In 1957 Eduard Birke acquired the restaurant "Waldesruh". He had it refurbished and modernized. With his family, he developed the Waldesruh to become a very well-kown and successful restaurant and dance hall.
In 1971 the family Birke leased it out and on the neighbouring estate built the Hotel Birke – Waldesruh with 13 rooms and 20 beds. In 1979 Eduard Birkes son Rainer Birke, took over the hotel with 20 rooms and 31 beds. He managed the hotel very successfuly, so that in 1981 he was in a position to expand it to 33 rooms with 49 beds.
Shortly after, in 1983, he again increased the capacity to 39 rooms with 59 beds and in the following years a further 18 rooms, a sauna, a solarium, a fitness room, an evevator, a hotel bar and a meeting room have been added. The restaurant Waldesruh was leased anew and appartments were established.
Due to the Hotel Birkes great demand and also to provide a perspective for his son Christian Birke in the future, the hotel again was expanded in 2002. 25 air-conditioned rooms, an event area, a business center, the restaurant Fischers Fritz and the Birke Day Spa were also added. Completion was in winter 2005.
In order to revive the tradition of celebrating festivals at the "Waldesruh" and after expiration of the leasing contract, the mirror hall and the restaurant in the "Waldesruh" were refurbished. Since Summer 2006 it is said: "If one celebrates festivals, one celebrates festivals in Birke-Waldesruh".
Impressions "Our History"
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