The chronicle of the Kartoffel-Kiste
Welcome on venerable ground. In the year 1770 the black-smith Henrich Pottmann from the village Duissern built this house. He was the first settler in the „Duisserner Heath“. In connection with Frederick the Great's colonisation efforts another 12 families from Hessen-Darmstadt settled down in this area in the same year.
Since 1770 the Pottmann-estate is a place of hospitality at the Lower Rhine and thus, according to the city archives, the oldest inn in Duisburg. Please look around. The frame-work and the support beams are still from ancient times. Feel comfortable in this lodging of our ancestors and enjoy today our hearty potato-dishes in the Lower-Rhine style.
We are sure you would like to know why we choose the rather unusual name „Kartoffel-Kiste“ (potato-crate). Well, in this house the potato takes a place of honor among all the dishes. Based on the motto: The potato belongs on the table and not in the cellar.
Something historical about the potato, dear guest! Did you know that Frederick the Great, called „Old Fritz“, initiated the potato in Germany? Cheers to the Old Fritz for this deed! He was not afraid of any trouble and using all kind of tricks to convince the stubborn Westfalian farmers of the necessity to cultivate the potato after the terrible years of war.
Let me tell you the following anecdote: One day, when Frederick the Great was on an inspection-tour around this area and noted that the farmers did not carry out his orders to grow potatoes, he asked one man of his suite to give him a bottle. „This is potato-schnaps“ his majesty said to the farmers and the bottle went around. From that moment on, Old Fritz had won.
The farmers licked their lips delightful and finally decided to grow the tuber. And since you cannot only distill Schnaps from the potatoes, the biggest part of their harvest went into pot and pans. Also in our house, dear guest, you cannot only drink potato-schnaps and fresh draught beer, but also enjoy hearty potato-dishes.