Welcome to the audio tour through our historic town Otterndorf. 9th grade students from the local school Gymnasium Otterndorf have translated and recorded the English version of the tour for you.

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It may be hard to believe, but there are those who would say that “Unter den Linden” is for Berlin what the corner of Rathausplatz and Marktstraße is for Otterndorf: Here is where the old “Regierungsviertel” – or “government district” in English – was located. At the Rathausplatz, there are the town hall and the “Otterbrunnen” – the otter fountain – which is a small monument referring to the name of Otterndorf. Across the road there is the old seat of the district administrator, the administrative district office.
In 1708, the merchant Henrich Schröder from Uetersen bought the house, which lies in today’s market street, from the Kruse family. At the time, the Schröders had a very good reputation in Otterndorf, held a number of public offices and were known for donating generously to charity. After Henrich Schröder had sold the house to his son, his son had it demolished and rebuilt with a pretty brick in 1754. After her husband´s death at the end of the 18th century, widow Schröder gave the house to the Royal and Electoral Chamber of Hannover, who were looking for an appropriate residence for their director of the court. This way, the house went into the state’s possession by the end of the 18th century. Later, it became the seat of the district administrator.
However, the history of this house does not end here. The front of the house you see today is only a reconstruction of the historic original. Due to increasing traffic, the road had to be expanded and the gable of the district office stood in the way. So it was taken back in order to widen the street. Luckily, problems of this kind are now mostly solved differently and Otterndorf now is bypassed by bigger streets.
Today, the administration and the archives of Cuxhaven are located in the former administrative district office.