has remained unchanged for 800 years. Next to
the knight’s helmet you find traditional cooking
utensils, symbols of the esteemed trade that
they once practiced. The "Reichs-Küchemeister",
or "Master Chefs of the Empire", were in charge
of enforcing the law in the free imperial town
of Rothenburg, Such was their status that they
were answerable only to the emperor himself.
They held the latin title "magister coquinae",
i.e. "Master of the Culinary Arts". Their office
as "Master Chef of the Empire" was awarded to
them in the imperial "Golden Bull". Their most
influential member by far was Lupold von Norden-
berg, part of whose bequest to the town is the
Dominican Monastery, which nowadays houses the
much admired "Reichsstadtmuseum" ("Imperial
Town Museum").
The history of the house is just as rich: as one
of the oldest patrician houses, it was built
by the noble Brodsorg family in the 12th century.
Their heraldic figure still adorns the house’s
main entrance. In 1540 the future emperor Ferdinand I. stayed in this building and in 1546 Emperor Charles V.
Chronicle of our house
1919
Pastry chef Ernst Attmanspacher buys the Café Köppel.
1920
Opening of the Café Toppler-Diele with own pastry
bakery and dancing facilities.
1942
Son Ernst and his wife Else take over the Café
and extend it into a restaurant.
1945
January-February:
The Café-Restaurant and the kitchen are used
as canteen for the nearby emergency military hospital.
31st March:
The Café-Restaurant burns down to the façade
due to the bomb attack; only the back part of
the hotel remains. Else Attmanspacher with her daughter Emmi and the staff start to get rid of
the debris in the house.
September:
Reopening of the Café Toppler-Diele.
October:
The Café-Restaurant is confiscated by the
Americans and turned into a club for 6 weeks.
November:
Reopening of the Café-Restaurant. Until then only
the ground and 1st floors had been used. In the
following years the burnt-down house is rebuilt.
1948
The name is changed into Hotel Reichs-Küchen-
meister. New owner Emmi and her husband
Hermann Kleinschroth. Little by little all floors
are remodeled as hotel-rooms.
1955
A city farm is bought for parking and garages
(and for holiday apartments in 1990).
1961
Hermann Kleinschroth buys property 15 km from
Rothenburg, to build 4 ponds to raise carps for the
restaurant.
1981
Daughter Barbara and husband Wolfgang Niedner
take over the hotel.
Continuous renovation of the rooms with bath-
rooms, of the restaurant and the public bathrooms.
1986
Sauna and whirlpool area is built.
1987
Opening of the wine tavern “Löchle”.
1990-1992
Purchase of the former Victoria Cinema and
renovation into guest-rooms, garages and private
apartments.
1995
The small “Löchle” is built in the St. Michael’s
Cellar.
1992 until present
Continuous renovation of rooms, restaurant, …