Calls for the city to provide clarity Group working to return American Club to its former glory
Plittersdorf · The Montag Foundation and Bonn International School want to revive the former American Club building. It has been neglected for decades and is in an advanced state of decay. They are calling on the city to provide clarity.
There is nothing left of the glamor of the former Bonn Republic: The American Embassy Club in Plittersdorf, located on the grounds of Bonn International School (BIS), is in a sorry state. Almost all of the window panes have been broken, and lots of graffiti can be seen inside and especially outside. Pieces of paneling hang from the ceiling, and the floor is littered with poles, broken tiles and ceiling pieces. It is hard to imagine that U.S. presidents and German chancellors once came and went here, informally deciding on world politics with a direct view of the Rhine.
Bonn International School has been granted a leasehold on the site by the Vebowag subsidiary Vebofutur. BIS would have liked to renovate the club, there were already plans for this in the past, but the school does not have the possibility to invest large sums in the project. The American Club has also been a recurring topic in the Bad Godesberg district council. There is a great desire to fill this historic site with life again.
The Carl Richard Montag Foundation and the Montag Foundation Urbane Räume want to work together with civic engagement to turn the club into an "Open Embassy for Democracy." The idea is to create an "open and protected space for working on the challenges for democracy, openness, inclusion and tolerance" (the GA reported). The Montag Foundations and BIS have now come a little closer to this vision on Friday. As a first step, they signed a letter of intent.
This step sends out an important signal, as Stefan Anspach, Chairman of the Montag Stiftung Urbane Räume, explained. The foundations and BIS will now work together, but in order for the project to be implemented, the next step is the handover and later a leasehold agreement with Vebofutur. "We are ready to turn the visions into reality," said Robert Sims, BIS director. Nonetheless, he was sure it would be a challenge. Sandhya Balasubrahmanyam, Chairwoman of the Board of Bonn International School e.V., called the Memorandum of Understanding an "important milestone." This lays the foundation for the revitalization of the club, she said.
If you like, the ball is now in the court of Vebofutur and the city of Bonn. "It is now up to the city of Bonn to create the conditions and framework for the further development of the Embassy (club),” says Bernd Bach, Chairman of the Carl Richard Montag Foundation. The Montag foundations see themselves as responsible for a sustainable foundation for the project, because in the long run, the American Club is to be rented and operated by a civic organization. To this end, they are looking for "movers and shakers," as Anspach further explained.
There is already a group of 50 to 100 men and women from the community who want to get involved. In the past, a project group worked with the Montag foundations to develop initial guiding principles, which are now to be further developed with a growing community. A variety of events could take place there in the future.
The Montag foundations want to invest between eight and ten million euros in the property - due to the overall condition, this amount will be necessary. However, Anspach reiterated that they have not yet received a contract from Vebofutur or the city of Bonn - even though they have already been working on the project for one and a half years. They have also made advance payments, including for planning. Anspach estimates the sum invested so far at more than 300,000 euros.
The letter of intent also specifies a deadline. The Montag foundations and BIS want to have "clarity" by the end of May. This clarity is also important because money has already flowed into the project. In October of 2021, the Montag Stiftungen were still saying that they wanted to either buy the property in 2022 or secure a long-term leasehold. That has not yet worked out this year.
Vebowag managing director Michael Kleine-Hartlage explained in response to a GA inquiry that the project is still in its early stages, with some questions still unanswered. "Vebofutur supports the project in principle," Kleine-Hartlage said. He added at the same time that this should not however be "at our expense". The city of Bonn could not comment on the issue on Friday due to illness of the employee entrusted with the issue.
Debate about future use
At the end-of-year event and general meeting of the association "Rettet die Amerikanische Siedlung Plittersdorf" (Save the American Settlement Plittersdorf) on Friday, December 16, starting at 6 p.m., the future of the American Club will be discussed in the Stimson Memorial Chapel, Kennedyallee 150. First, there will be a report on life in the American settlement, followed by a panel discussion with representatives of the Montag Foundations. Non-members are also welcome.
Original text: Maximilian Mühlen Translation: Carol Kloeppel
