In 1906 Anton-Emil and Martha Langer went for a walk to see the new railway station being built when they spotted a plot of land. Four years later the Reichshof Hotel opened at that spot – the first of its kind to introduce a flat rate including breakfast. In 1910 it was not only the biggest hotel in Germany but also featured modern technology: running water, electricity, telephones in every room, private bathrooms in 50 rooms, a car garage, and hydraulic elevators.
The picture shows the hotel’s lobby around 1912, two years after the hotel’s opening.
Image Source: https://hamburg-bildarchiv.de
