Bogensee is a small lake near Wandlitz in the German state of Brandenburg, located about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) north of the Berlin city limits.

The premises were dedicated to Goebbels by the Berlin city administration on the occasion of his 39th birthday in 1936; he had an extended country home erected at the site until 1939, including a private cinema, a bunker, and adjacent SS barracks.

Co-financed by the UFA film company, the building became a popular venue for movie actors like Zarah Leander, Emil Jannings and Heinz Rühmann.

Temporarily seized by the Soviet Military Administration after World War II, the former country house was included into the newly established academy of the East German Free German Youth (FDJ) association.

A wide building complex was erected from 1951 onwards, according to plans designed by Hermann Henselmann in a Stalinist style.