Hanka Rackwitz (57) is now standing behind the bar: The former reality star, known to a wide audience from "Dschungelcamp" and "Sommerhaus der Stars", has taken over the "Dorfkrug" in Freist, Saxony-Anhalt. On opening day, nearly 40 guests were waiting at the door at twelve o'clock sharp, as RTL reports.
How she came to the Dorfkrug
Freist near Gerbstedt has just around 270 residents. The "Dorfkrug" has been part of the village for well over a hundred years. With a dining room, second guest room, hall, bowling alley and beer garden, the building offers plenty of space for a fresh start. The fact that Rackwitz ended up in the area at all was a coincidence.
As the "Mitteldeutsche Zeitung" reports, an acquaintance put her on the trail: "Hey Hanka, if you're looking for something, this could be something for you." She looked at the property and was immediately enthusiastic. She was welcomed warmly in the village, and mayor Jens Denner also communicated early on that the community was interested in a reopening. Her former partner Pierre, among others, is helping with the renovation.
Currently, Rackwitz lives in Mücheln, but she wants to move to Freist soon. "I'm a country mouse, after all I grew up in Schafstädt in the Saale district", she says about herself. She wants to make the "Dorfkrug" a meeting place where people can have a say in how the project develops.
Confrontation with old compulsions
The fact that she is now welcoming and serving guests marks a remarkable transformation for Rackwitz. After washing compulsions and fears had determined her life for over 30 years and she spoke publicly about it in 2017, she has left many of her problems behind. Nevertheless, everyday life as an innkeeper remains a challenge. "If I still had the compulsions, nothing I'm doing here would be possible", she explains to RTL. She has even wiped up strangers' urine. "Had to do it."
