Hildesheim couple masters challenge: Grabenhaus in the Upper Harz!

Hildesheim couple masters challenge: Grabenhaus in the Upper Harz!

Anke and Ulrich Brockhaus from Hildesheim discovered their dream home in the picturesque Upper Harz, known for its dense forests and idyllic villages. While looking for what felt like a second home, they found a charming moat house that they wanted to use not only as a retreat but also as a holiday apartment rental. How News38 reports, the modernization of the listed building turned out to be relatively uncomplicated. But after the purchase, the Brockhausers soon found themselves faced with unexpected difficulties.

The purchase of the moat house brought with it various challenges that turned out to be a real hurdle. Issues such as an unreliable well and lack of access rights caused additional stress. “We had to look for the previous owners in order to acquire additional land,” explains Ulrich Brockhaus. However, they received no support from the municipality's data protection regulations. In particular, the unregistered three-chamber sewage treatment plant, which discharged wastewater without a clear destination, posed a major challenge.

Hurdles and challenges

But the Brockhausers didn't let themselves be defeated. For example, the well did not provide enough water to cover the needs of the household, which is why the idea of ​​tapping into the Altenau elevated tank arose. In addition, the requirements for renting out the holiday apartment were more complicated than initially assumed. For example, they had to ensure that sufficient extinguishing water could be provided for the fire department. These hurdles could have deterred many potential buyers, but not Anke and Ulrich.

“Despite all the difficulties, we never thought about giving up our trench house,” emphasizes Anke. With a lot of hard work, support from cooperative authorities and a huge amount of intensive research, the Brockhaus were able to overcome the challenges. The reward for their efforts came not only in the form of an accessible holiday apartment, but also through the positive feedback from the guests, which gave them the motivation they needed to continue on their path. “The time here shouldn’t just be filled with work,” says Anke Brockhaus.

The historical significance of the moat houses

But what exactly is a ditch house? These special buildings have an interesting history. Dr. Hugo Haase describes in his book “Artificial buildings of old water management in the Upper Harz” that the ditch houses once played a central role in the water management of the area. Like the Rose Grabenhaus, which lies above the Rose Pit on the Schatzkammerzug and is now used as a holiday apartment. Although there is no longer a ditch guard living on site, Harzwasserwerke GmbH ensures that everything runs smoothly.

The ditch keeper was originally responsible for checking and maintaining the ditches, particularly during extreme weather. This tradition shows how important water was for the region – and still is today. Guests vacationing at Grabenhaus Rose can look forward to a piece of Harz history while enjoying the picturesque surroundings. You can find out more about this on Trenchkeeper.

So the Harz remains not only a place of peace, but also a terrain full of history, challenges and wonderful memories that captivate both locals and visitors. The Brockhaus are the best example of how patience and persistence can pay off in the Harz Mountains.