The Hoppegarten race course, right on Berlin’s doorstep in the state of Brandenburg, was Germany’s most important horse racing centre until 1945 and even today is still considered to be one of the most beautiful in Europe.


In Germany however the sport of horse racing itself actually leads a rather marginal existence – betting revenue has dropped off. But not in Hoppegarten. At the turn of the century in the classy Hotel Adlon in Berlin, racing patrons began passing round a top-hat at the end of the season to make up the money lost in horse racing.


Racing days at Hoppegarten became international events and real crowd pullers.