For many of you, a trip to Lake Starnberg is one of the absolute highlights of the weekend, but a very special construction sign on the shore is currently the talk of the town. None other than TV legend Günther Jauch has purchased the historic estate of the humorist Loriot (Vicco von Bülow), who passed away in 2011. This has brought great relief to the Ammerland district of Münsingen, just under 40 kilometers south of Munich. Instead of yet another modernized concrete villa, you’ll find the loving preservation of a genuine piece of Bavarian cultural history here.
How Günther Jauch Is Preserving the Legacy of His Friend Loriot
The property’s construction sign now officially bears the name of the “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” host, who acquired the villa from the last surviving daughter of Rose-Marie von Bülow, who passed away in 2024. Jauch, who shared a long-standing friendship with Loriot, is having the main building—in the Pomeranian country house style—carefully modernized. An outbuilding is being expanded, while a local architect and regional craft businesses are ensuring a smooth renovation process. The estimated single-digit million sum that the host is said to have paid for the house, including the studio, is thus going directly toward preserving its historic charm.
Completion planned by spring
It’s already well known from Potsdam that Günther Jauch has a knack for historic and landmark-protected properties. There, he had the famous Villa Kellermann restored. As you can imagine, the TV host is already winning over the locals on Lake Starnberg. That’s because he’s already introduced himself to the neighbors in a classic and personal way. If the winter passes without severe frost, the modernized villa could be ready for occupancy as early as next spring. This will keep a piece of cultural history alive on Lake Starnberg—much to the delight of the municipality of Münsing, which once named Loriot an honorary citizen.
