Günther Jauch: The end of the restaurant in “Villa Kellermann”

The restaurant in Günther Jauch’s “Villa Kellermann” in Potsdam is closing its doors – June 21 is officially the last day. The closure was already announced in April. “We would have loved to continue, but Corona, sharply increased operating costs and a tense personnel situation left us with no other decision,” it said in a statement at the time.

In recent weeks, many people seem to have taken advantage of the last opportunity to visit. “Unfortunately, we are fully booked until our closure on June 21, 2024,” reads the notice.

“It was always a celebration for us”

the restaurant team received the following from its guests on June 18th: “We would like to say thank you again! Thank you to all the guests who have made it so much fun over the last few years. To our great regulars – it was always a pleasure for us to host you and celebrate the most beautiful moments with you.”

Günther Jauch bought the villa on the Heiligen See in the Brandenburg state capital in 2016 and had it renovated in accordance with monument protection regulations. There are nine luxury apartments on the upper floors. In 2019, Jauch opened the restaurant together with star chef Tim Raue, who retired from the business in 2023.

Villa Kellermann has an eventful history

The house, built in 1914, has an eventful history. It is named after the writer Bernhard Kellermann. From around 1919, the house – then still called Villa von Hardt – belonged to a Jewish banker who fled to Switzerland in 1932 and later to the USA, where he died in 1933. His heirs were expropriated by the Nazis in 1938 through a forced auction. The Wehrmacht’s army command then moved into the house. During the GDR era, the villa was the headquarters of the Cultural Association and a meeting place for intellectuals, writers and artists. From 1994, the villa belonged to the Jewish Claims Conference (JCC). From 2005 until Jauch’s purchase, it was owned by heirs of the cosmetics company Wella.