Men Only
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World War II came to an end in Hamburg in May 1945. In the first weeks following the surrender, British occupation forces seized numerous buildings, including many stately villas on Harvestehuder Weg, which had remained largely undamaged. The Budge Villa was among them.
Under British administration, the house served a variety of purposes from then on. Initially, it was used as a boarding house, which provided temporary lodging for officers and enlisted men. For a short time, the villa even had to serve as a military hospital for wounded soldiers.
Soon after, however, the palace was converted into an exclusive officers’ club, the so-called “Westside Club,” equipped with two bars and a lunch room. British actors are said to have performed in the Hall of Mirrors.
Later, the British authorities used the palace as a hotel for high-ranking visitors to Hamburg. The neighboring buildings and properties were also incorporated into the British administration.
Today, there is little left in the Budge Palace to remind us of the early years after World War II. However, a remarkable remnant has been preserved in the stairwell: During restoration work, the words“male members only”were uncovered—as you can see here.
The officers’ club was operated by the NAAFI (Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes). Founded in 1921, the organization supplied members of the British armed forces with everyday goods and operated recreational facilities, sports venues, and dining establishments.
During renovation work on the parquet floor of what is now the Mendelssohn Hall, an original menu was discovered, providing further evidence of the era of the British officers’ mess.