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[107] The Lion - “House on the Sunny Slope”

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The Löwen – “House on the sunny slope”

Around 1900, the Löwen was one of the first inns in the area when Hirsau transformed from a monastery to a climatic health resort. After World War II, it was converted into a recreation center for war-damaged children. By 1977, however, demand had declined so much that the tradition as a restaurant was revived by a dedicated entrepreneur.

The Löwen

New train connections from Pforzheim and Stuttgart in the 1870s brought crowds of visitors to Hirsau, most of whom stayed in guesthouses or private rooms. Around 1900, there were several inns that could be reached by horse-drawn carriage. The Löwen was one of the largest, with around 30 guest rooms. In 1931, King Alfonso XIII, the grandfather of King Juan Carlos, was hosted there during his trip to Germany. After World War II, the Löwen was temporarily confiscated by the occupying forces. In 1952, the Caritas Association bought the hotel to set up a “children´s evacuation home” for war-damaged children.

Children´s convalescent home “Haus am Sonnenhang”

Mother Superior Theogenes, a trained kindergarten teacher, distinguished herself through her active involvement in construction projects. Numerous extensions and conversions were carried out, such as the creation of a recreation room. As the Catholic parish did not have its own church until 1955, it used the chapel set up in an adjoining room of an inn with separate access. Every Sunday at 8 a.m., there was a church service, which the children attended via the guest room. In 1958, Sister Assumpta came to Hirsau. She represented the home to the outside world, led local children to communion, and directed a mixed children´s choir, the “Klosterspatzen.” Many fondly remember her easygoing manner. The success of the home was measured by whether the often malnourished children gained weight and developed a healthy skin color. In the post-war period, educational methods were not always free of inappropriate harshness. This has hardly been investigated to date, although contemporary witnesses have described incidents. The Caritas Association is therefore seeking to address this issue. As social conditions improved, the number of children in the home declined steadily. In 1977, the home was closed and put up for sale.

Once again the Gasthaus zum Löwen

In 1978, Nevenka Stojkovic bought the home and once again set up a guesthouse with overnight accommodation. This was a high economic risk and required a great deal of entrepreneurial spirit. Back in 1966, “Nena” came to Germany from Croatia and worked at the Rössle in Calw. There she acquired the skills she needed to run her hotel successfully and passionately for manydecades. Her credo was: The main thing is that the guests are satisfied! Guests appreciate not only the excellent hospitality, but also the family atmosphere.