The building was constructed by the Feldschlößchen-Brauerei Owner Böttcher in 1886. In 1904, it was acquired by the German party SPD, which held the first conference in the building in the same year. It was expanded by the SPD in 1909. The big hall and a concert garden were built, and a part of the main building was converted into a hotel with 21 rooms and 60 beds. The whole complex was modernized again in 1927 and got electrified. After the takeover by the National Socialists, the property was confiscated. The building reopened under the name ‘Klub der Jugend und Sportler Fritz Heckert’ in 1946. When the GDR came to an end, the Volkshaus changed owners to the city administration of Chemnitz.
In the years 1999 till 2002 the club ‘Kraftwerk e.V.’ managed the building and organized many concerts and parties in the hall. The most successful events were the ‘Dark Storm Festival’ and the ‘Splash Festival’. During this time many bands like Die Krupps, Crematory, Front 242, Das Ich, Witt, Goethes Erben, In Extremo, Die Ärzte, Fettes Brot, VNV Nation, Project Pitchfork and Helge Schneider played on the stage. The building was abandoned in 2003 and put under monument protection. In the year 2012 a lot of the attic burned down due to arson. An illegal party was hosted in the Volkshaus in 2015. They brought lasers, a bar and a DJ who played music inside, all powered by a generator which was set up in the yard. Over 300 people went to the party which was later stopped by the police which was called by the neighbors.
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