Oberbehme Castle (Kirchlengern)

Oberbehme moated castle was first documented in 1450, although a levy list from Herford Abbey already mentioned a knight's estate Behme in the 12th century. In 1426, the estate came into the possession of the von Quernheim family. In 1734, Friedrich von der Horst zu Haldem acquired the property from the von Cornberg brothers. The following year, 1735, Freiherr von der Horst ceded the buildings of Oberbehme to the von Quernheim family of Niederbehme and erected new estate buildings in Steinlake, thus creating the Steinlacke estate. The rights of Oberbehme were transferred to Steinlacke. In 1826, Arnold Friedrich von Laer purchased the estate. His son Carl managed the property until shortly before World War II. During the war, the estate was administered by his daughter Maxa von Laer, who played a role in the development of the agricultural enterprise after the war.