Fighter Pilot and Hereditary Estate Farmer

In 1929 Hermann left his administrative post and tried to become independent. To this end, he leased 25 km southeast in Großdammer (today Polish: Dambrowka Wielkopolska) the agricultural domain of castle owner Baron von Britzke.

If you stood in front of the completely preserved castle, you would see the affiliated estate manor with the slightly altered building on the right at the same level as the castle. The manor has been given a new roof and serves now as the administrative headquarters of the state-owned power company. During the years in Großdammer, son Dietrich Klopp was born in June 1930 at the hospital of Schwiebus (Swiebodzin).

In the early 1930s, the castle owner on account of his gambling addiction lost his entire property. The beneficiary and new owner was supposed to have been a Jewish merchant. Hermann was directly affected by this unfortunate change in ownership. In 1932 the house and the estate had to be leased again to the new owner by the name of Vempner.

Forced by this turn of events, Hermann acquired a new property in Breitenburg, Pomerania (today Polish: Gologora) in the county of Schlawe (Schlawno). The village is located on the right of the highway from Bublitz (Bobolice) to Sydow (Zydowo) between Lake Kamin and Lake Papenzin. It was built on a hill and can be reached today by turning right from the highway on a paved road. At the village entrance, one can view the antenna arrays of a radio station. For a certain segment of the lake, Hermann obtained fishing privileges. Here son Ulrich Klopp was born in July 1933. The estate Breitenberg lies immediately behind the village entrance on the left behind the first houses, which surround a large village pond. On the east bank stands today the building, which is still being used as a school.

In Breitenberg, Hermann continued to depend on Vempner’s lease payments in Großdammer. Since the latter failed to honour his financial obligations, Hermann was soon hampered by financial difficulties. He took out a loan, which he could not pay off on its due date because just then in the summer of 1935 his entire crop in his barns was consumed by fire.

To be continued …