Berger Hochkirchen Manor

The four-winged manor complex Gut Berger Hochkirchen dates back to the 13th century and was built by the Lords of Hochkirchen as a moated castle. The current estate consists of a residential building from the 17th to 18th centuries and farm buildings from the 18th to 19th centuries. On the north side, a part of the formerly surrounding moat is still preserved. After agricultural operations ceased, the farm buildings visibly deteriorated around 1980. In 1982, the architect, city conservator, and cathedral master builder Hugot submitted a building application for the Eschweiler Bergwerks-Verein to convert the barn and cowshed into apartments for senior staff. In 1984, the Aachen press reported on the completion of the conversion work.

Reiners described the history of Haus Berger Hochkirchen as follows:

A family took its name from the estate. In 1232, Ritulf von Forst donated the Hochkirchen estate to Burtscheid Abbey, which then sold it back to the Hochkirchen family. This family later acquired the properties of Schurzelt and Sörser-Hochkirchen and, to distinguish it from the latter, named the first estate Berger-Hochkirchen. In the 16th century, it belonged to Frambach von Bock, Teutonic Order Commander in Biesen, from whom it passed by inheritance to Reiner Bock von Lichtenberg and Anna von Hochkirchen. Their daughter then brought it to her husband Kaspar von Kortenbach. In the 17th century, the estate was owned by the Holtrop family, in the 18th century by Count Goltstein, who was followed by a Mr. von Guaita. In 1820, Mrs. Ruland acquired the estate. The current owner is Mr. Joseph Feiter at Haus Hochkirchen." According to Königs, the "Mr. von Guaita" was the mayor of Aachen; he elaborates: "Johanna Maria Kahr, a sister of the builder of the manor house on Großer Bau, bore three daughters to her husband, the mayor and needle manufacturer Kornel Chorus d. J. (1701-1774). Their eldest, Maria Anna Katharina, married the needle manufacturer Joh. Baptist Franz Xaver von Guaita in 1763. This marriage produced Kornel Maria Paul von Guaita, who guided the fortunes of the city of Aachen as Maire from 1809 to 1814 and as Lord Mayor until his death in 1821. Lord Mayor von Guaita united a considerable amount of real estate in his hands through inheritance.

An incomplete list of his properties from 1818 includes:

1. Berger Hochkirchen. Municipality of Laurensberg ... He sold both manor farms, Berger- and Sörser Hochkirchen, in 1820 shortly before his death." Veitmann documented the ownership of the estate in the 17th century. In the records of the Imperial Chamber Court in 1609, he found the complaint of Johann Gerhard v. Holtrup (Holtorf) against Wilhelm Ortmann, later against his widow Maria v. Schalosen (Schuertzlich, Schizzel) concerning the lease. According to the land register, Countess von Goldstein must have been among the owners of Berger-Hochkirchen around 1775.