Stadtteilarchiv Ottensen

We walk together criss-cross through Ottensen, stopping at various points. Along the way, we learn about the defining phases of the district's history: from a village of farmers and craftsmen, it grows into an independent town through industrialization. This is followed by incorporation into Altona – and later, Altona and Ottensen become part of the Hanseatic city of Hamburg. All of this happens under changing rule: the Dukes of Schauenburg, the Danish King, and finally the Prussian state apparatus. The tour is aimed at newcomers who want to experience a compact introduction to the culture and history of the district as part of their arrival; at locals who are keen to discover their neighborhood from a new perspective; as well as at visitors and tourists who want to get to know the many colorful facets of our quarter.

We are very much looking forward to the artistic diversity that will be on display in our exhibition space (the "Kesselhaus" in the beautiful courtyard of the district archive)!Featuring the following artists: Anika Bornscheuer / Ellen Kutter / everything is alive / Isa Johannsen / Malte Schmidt / Max Hillenkamp /Mirta Jacobs / Pia Zielke / Tina Till / Ulla KutterThe opening hours of the exhibition from August 26-30 are as follows:WED: 7 PM - 10 PM (Opening reception)FRI: 12 PM - 6 PMSAT: 12 PM - 6 PMSUN: 12 PM - 4 PMAdmission is free.

The Stadtteilarchiv Ottensen, Buchhandlung Christiansen, and Wachholtz Verlag cordially invite you to the opening of the exhibition "Criticism and Commitment. Female Writers in Hamburg and Altona around 1900".The exhibition by Dr. Dirk Hempel and Wachholtz Verlag commemorates courageous female writers such as Ilse Frapan, Helene Höhnk, Anna Klapp, and Ida Dehmel, who broke with the conventions of their time around 1900. They lived self-determined lives, demanded education, professional careers, and equal rights for women, and critically engaged with patriarchal oppression and social dependence in their works.At the opening, actress Ute Hannig will read texts from "We Have No Fatherland" by Ilse Frapan. Afterwards, the editor Dr. Dirk Hempel will place Ilse Frapan and other female writers in historical and literary context: What role did these women play in Hamburg and Altona? Why were they forgotten? And why is it worthwhile to rediscover them today?Opening Reception: Wednesday, September 2, 2026Start: 6 PMLocation: Kesselhaus, Stadtteilarchiv Ottensen – Geschichtswerkstatt für Altona e.V., Zeißstraße 28, 22765 HamburgThe book "We Have No Fatherland" by Ilse Frapan, edited by Dirk Hempel, will be released on the day of the event and will also be available for purchase on-site.Free admissionExhibition duration: September 2 to October 15, 2026

The Stadtteilarchiv Ottensen and Wachholtz Verlag cordially invite you to the exhibition "Critique and Commitment: Female Writers in Hamburg and Altona around 1900".The exhibition commemorates courageous female writers such as Ilse Frapan, Helene Höhnk, Anna Klapp, and Ida Dehmel, who broke with the conventions of their time around 1900. They lived self-determined lives, demanded education, professional careers, and equal rights for women, and critically engaged with patriarchal oppression and societal dependence in their works.What role did these women play in Hamburg and Altona?Why were they forgotten? And why is it worth rediscovering them today?Opening hours: Mon, Tue, Thu: 14:00 - 18:00, Wed: 9:00 - 13:00 + Sun Sep 13: 12:00 - 15:00Exhibition dates: September 2 to October 15, 2026Location: Kesselhaus, Stadtteilarchiv Ottensen – Geschichtswerkstatt für Altona e.V., Zeißstraße 28, 22765 HamburgFree admission

The Ottensen Nail Factory J.D. Feldtmann makes nails with heads. From 1883 – for more than 100 years – the J.D. Feldtmann nail factory produced nails on Zeißstraße, which is now a listed building and considered an exceptional testament to early workers' housing. The historic houses, as well as the transmission-powered maintenance workshop and the wire nail and wire drawing machines, have been preserved and are demonstrated as an industrial monument.