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Origin and history

Villa Stempel is a mansion built in the early 20th century in Strasbourg, in the Krutenau district. Commanded in 1902, its construction was completed in 1903 under the direction of architects Frantz Lütke and Heinrich Backes. This building, representative of the Jugendstil style (Art Nouveau German), also incorporates neo-Baroque and orientalist influences, especially in its interior decorations. The main living room has a painted ceiling inspired by Wagnerian themes, while the lobby has a sine-like style. Despite the damage suffered during the bombing of 25 May 1944, which altered its earlier facade, the villa retains its architectural character, thanks in particular to its central lantern.

The heritage interest of the villa lies in the richness of its second work: stained glass, woodwork, ironwork, fireplaces, wooden staircases, and original tiles. The painted decorations of the neo-baroque salon and the oriental hall, as well as the coloured glasses, testify to a rare stylistic eclecticism. The complete protection of the monument, obtained by order of 9 April 2008, also covers fences and elements of its architectural identity. Located at 4 rue Erckmann-Chatrian, the villa embodies the early 20th century Strasbourg artistic heritage, marked by Germanic influences and a desire for decorative innovation.

The historical context of its construction reflects a period of prosperity for Strasbourg, then under German administration (1871–1918). Sponsors of bourgeois villas, like this one, often belonged to an industrial or commercial elite, anxious to display its status through a refined architecture. The mix of styles (Jugendstil, neo-baroque, orientalizing) illustrates the European artistic currents of the time, while the damage of 1944 recalls the destruction suffered by the city during the Second World War. Today, the Stempel villa remains a valuable testimony of this hybrid heritage, at the crossroads of French and German cultures.

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