New border tower owner is planning holiday apartments and a museum in Wittenberge

New border tower owner is planning holiday apartments and a museum in Wittenberge

The former Cumlosen border tower caused quite a stir at a recent auction in Berlin. Lutz Lange, an entrepreneur from Wittenberge, bought the property for an impressive 156,000 euros, which is more than 31 times the originally set minimum bid of 5,000 euros. The summer auction, organized by Deutscheimmobilienauktionen AG (DGA), brought together a total of 65 bidders, with only five bidders left in the running for bids of 10,000 euros or more. Originally, Lange planned to bid for 100,000 euros, but was prepared to spend up to 200,000 euros to secure the border tower, which was considered the auction's most popular item, as it was nordkurier.de reported.

The border tower has been empty for 35 years and Lange sees it as an important opportunity to combine tourism with history. Two to three holiday apartments are planned in the tower as well as a publicly accessible museum that will document the history of the border watchtower. The plan is to provide access to this attraction via the neighboring Hotel Alte Ölmühle in Wittenberge, whereby the border tower can also be used for boat and bicycle tours. A collaboration with the Blue Light Museum in Beuster under the direction of Ralf von Hagen is also being sought.

Investments and renovation plans

The estimated costs for the renovation of the listed tower and the associated annex are between 250,000 and 300,000 euros. Luckily, Lange can finance the auction sum of 156,000 euros without taking out any loans. Planning for the project will begin in the coming months, with the goal of construction starting in 2026. The aim is to complete it by the 2027 State Horticultural Show in Wittenberge in order to revitalize the region for tourism and to increasingly include the Hanseatic city of Seehausen with attractions such as the Tower Clock Museum and the Blue Light Museum.

Lutz Lange is no stranger to the industry; He previously converted the old oil mill in Wittenberge into a holiday resort and also acquired various wellness pools and Kletzke Castle. His expertise in the area of ​​monument protection will certainly also be useful in the renovation of the border tower. “I have started to intelligently link our projects,” says Lange, who sees the combination of historical aspects with modern tourism as one of the outstanding challenges.

In summary, it can be said that Lutz Lange's takeover of the border tower not only saves a piece of history, but also promotes the development of new tourist offerings in the region. The plans open up exciting opportunities for the local economy and cultural heritage.