Walter Hauenstein was born in May 1930 and grew up in Steffisburg, where he attended both primary and secondary school. This was followed by a commercial apprenticeship and further training as a heating draughtsman and project manager in evening classes. His boss, Walter Müller-Staub from the installation company of the same name, wrote the following in Walter's testimonial: "If he is leaving my company today, it is because of his ambitious spirit. With his reliability and ability, he will certainly master the tasks he has set himself and I wish him every success."

At the age of 23, Walter departed from the company and assumed ownership of the department store located on the square in Steffisburg. The store, which was over a century old, cost him 105,000 francs. Despite having only managed to save around 10,000 francs, securing bank financing proved challenging. However, a bank ultimately agreed to support him, stating: "Even if the financial basis isn't perfect, we are impressed by the good impression you've made on us."  

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Walter Hauenstein became a house builder

In 1954, Walter Hauenstein founded the company that laid the foundations for today's Hauenstein Group. Today, the Hauenstein Group includes Hauenstein Immobilien AG, Hauenstein Hotels, Hauenstein Coaching and Klinik Schönberg. He initially worked in the installation business and a year later entered the real estate sector as a house builder. The first detached houses in Steffisburg were sold at a value of CHF 48,000, which is unthinkable today. His aim was to enable people and families with modest financial means to acquire affordable but high-quality residential property. This is still the basic idea behind Hauenstein Immobilien AG today.

Walter Hauenstein realized 5287 residential units in his lifetime, making him one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the construction industry in the Bernese Oberland.

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Significant construction projects

A number of major projects were realized during Walter Hauenstein's era. For example, the Brändlisberg terraced houses in Steffisburg, with 83 apartments, which were ready for occupation in 1986. However, one of the largest construction projects was the former Astra site. From 1917, edible oils and fats were produced on the site in Steffisburg, which has since been called "Astra". Production was then discontinued in 1992. Apart from a few interim uses, the Astra site lay fallow for more than 5 years. The referendum in April 1999, in which 90% of Steffisburg residents voted in favor of the rezoning, was followed by an architectural competition. The winning project, entitled "Quattro stagioni", met the requirements and can be described as an architectural "big hit". The aim of the development was to breathe new life into the Astra site and create a housing estate that would bring the generations closer together. The ground-breaking ceremony for the development of the Astra Areal, which was built in two stages, took place in 2000. A total of four apartment buildings, seven terraced houses, two semi-detached houses and one detached house were built on the former industrial site. It also includes 19 apartments for senior citizens. An entire neighborhood for all generations was created.

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Launching into the hotel and catering field

In 1968, the city of Thun approached Walter Hauenstein. The Hotel Krone in Thun, with the butcher's shop next door and the Feuergässchen in between, was to be converted into a cinema. However, the town did not want this and asked Walter Hauenstein for support. After careful planning and lengthy negotiations regarding the preservation of original but poorly preserved parts of the building, the two buildings were completely demolished at the beginning of 1971. In 1972, the new Krone with reconstructed facades was reopened as an elegant 4-star old town hotel. Today, the Hotel Krone is no longer part of the Hauenstein Hotels.

The Grizzlybär country inn in Forst-Längenbühl followed in 1977, and today's Grizzlybär adventure land with its own animal park, miniature golf course, large playground, hotel rooms and parking spaces for motorhomes has become a popular excursion destination in the Bernese Oberland thanks to the support and further development of Hauenstein Hotels.

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In 1997, the former W. Hauenstein Immobilien AG, which later became Hauenstein Immobilien AG, took over the Belvédère Strandhotel in Spiez, which was no longer needed by the board of the Swiss master butcher after the construction of the ABZ. After extensive renovation and extension work, the romantic hotel was reopened. This was followed in 1998 by the Solbadhotel in Sigriswil, which has been run by the Wicki family since 2000. It was the last hotel to be acquired during the Walter Hauenstein era. This was followed in 2008 by today's Deltapark Vitalresort Gwatt and in 2007 by the restored Restaurant Burehuus in Thun, which was acquired in 2001.

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The visionary Walter Hauenstein

But Walter Hauenstein was never just a simple entrepreneur. He was also a visionary who believed in ideas and projects and was sometimes more or less successful with them. And he always did this alongside his installation and real estate company. Among other things, with Eschmann Plastic AG, he sold army troughs that could also be used as sledges. In the ski industry, he tried his hand at developing and manufacturing the first fully plastic skis called Rebell. He also saved the Kneissel ski company from bankruptcy, thereby saving 300 jobs. After retiring from the ski industry, he took over several gravel plants that were closer to the construction industry. He was always curious and enterprising, so he ventured into another sector - the travel industry. Later, he entered the fashion industry with Nabholz AG and Lahco AG.

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From Walter to Peter Hauenstein

Due to Walter Hauenstein's two serious illnesses, his son Peter took over emergency management on an interim basis in 1986 while he was studying to become a Bernese advocate. From then on, he accompanied the development of the company and its major projects. On the company's 50th anniversary in 2004, Peter officially took over the management of Hauenstein Immobilien AG and its business areas. Walter Hauenstein passed away in 2005, after which the company was continued by the second generation with Peter Hauenstein.

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