Black construction or art?

Agreement reached in hobbit house dispute

Created: 09/05/2022, 20:49

By: Felix Herz

In Hohenthann there is a hobbit house - based on the model from the "Lord of the Rings" films.

But it caused a long dispute in court.

Hohenthann – About ten years ago, master carpenter Alois Riederer started building a house on his property in Hohenthann.

A special house: A hobbit house.

It looks deceptively like its role models from Peter Jackson's legendary film trilogy "The Lord of the Rings".

But it causes controversy.

In court, the artist Riederer fought to ensure that the hobbit house would not be demolished.

Now an agreement has been reached.

Hobbit house a black building?

Riederer fights for his life's work

The agreement in court can ultimately be assessed as a draw.

For years before that, the question was whether Riederer had built the hobbit house without permission.

The district office in Landshut subsequently asked Riederer to demolish the hobbit house – it saw deficiencies in the statics and fire protection.

Riederer, on the other hand, referred to an oral building permit that had been given to him.

He then subsequently submitted a written application – which was rejected, however, reports the BR.

Riederer has now appealed to the administrative court in Regensburg against the demolition request.

It ends with a partial success: the hobbit house can remain - under various conditions.

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Hobbit house can stay - with certain conditions

In court, the two parties agreed that the hobbit house may remain as an "impassable art object" that is not accessible to the public - for the time being.

Riederer is allowed to enter it - but only to keep it in good shape and to protect the statics from collapsing.

"For construction work and proof of stability, he is allowed to enter his natural house," writes the BR.

The hobbit house in Hohenthann - the long-standing dispute in court has now been settled.

The special house can remain standing under certain conditions – for the time being.

© Alois Riederer / Website holzkunst-riederer.de /Screenshot BR / Instagram / Mercury collage

Riederer accepts the end of the court dispute in a visibly emotional manner.

The master carpenter tells the BR that he wants to approach the conversion work on the statics with a cool head.

Because: The basic approval process for the hobbit house "only" continues - with an open end.

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