Rudolf Mosse, a wealthy newspaper publisher, acquired what was then the manor Schenkendorf (now known as Schenkendorf Castle or Dracula Castle) in 1896. He and his family used the villa built in the "Italianizing style" as their country residence. Scientists, intellectuals and politicians met here to exchange ideas. B. Kurt Tucholski or Georgi Tschitscherin. After the death of Rudolf Mosse in 1920 and his wife Emilie in 1924, daughter Felicia inherited it. With her husband Hans Lachmann-Mosse, she continued to run the estate in the spirit of her father. In 1933 the National Socialists began to legislate the exclusion of Jews from public institutions. The Lachmann-Mosse family promptly emigrated and had to, among other things. leave their real estate in the hands of the Nazis. After the end of World War II, around 100 refugees and orphans were housed in the villa. The GDR transferred the illegally expropriated property to public ownership. It was first used as a children's home and from 1953 onwards for military purposes.