One of Germany’s most unusual properties has found a new owner. The abandoned Baltic Sea platform “Ostervilm,” located off the island of Rügen, was sold at auction in Hamburg for €60,000. The winning bidder was an Austrian entrepreneur. The unusual offshore structure, often referred to as an artificial island, was purchased by Austrian company McCube, which specializes in modular prefabricated homes.
Former Military Facility Could Become Event Venue
McCube CEO Oliver Pesendorfer said he could envision transforming the platform into a cultural and event venue in the future. Weddings and other events on the artificial island are also among the possibilities being considered.
The approximately 250-square-meter platform attracted significant media attention ahead of the auction. The opening bid was set at €39,000. After 20 bids, the final sale price reached €60,000. According to the auction organizers, numerous interested buyers from across Germany inquired about the property in the weeks leading up to the sale.
Relic of East Germany’s Military Era
The platform was originally built in the 1950s and served as a degaussing station for the former East German military, the National People’s Army (NVA). Ships underwent technical treatment there to reduce their magnetic signatures, making them more difficult for naval mine-detection systems to identify. Today, the structure is in need of extensive renovation.
Pesendorfer initially planned to purchase the platform on his own. However, shortly before the auction, he joined forces with another interested bidder. According to their account, the two met just before the sale and spontaneously decided to submit a joint bid for the unique property.
No concrete plans for the platform’s future have been finalized. What is clear, however, is that the former military installation is likely to serve a very different purpose from the one it had during the Cold War.
