Lost letter from 1946: Insight into Krefeld's eventful past!

Lost letter from 1946: Insight into Krefeld's eventful past!

Lukas and Käthe discovered a historical treasure during renovation work in a Krefeld house: a lost letter from 1946. The letter comes from Marie Agnes Rolfes, the daughter of Johann and Christine Ramrath, who founded a pleated distillery in the city in 1907. The find occurred when the couple wanted to dismantle a built-in cabinet to exchange the simply glazed windows of the "Ramrath" house on Westwall 54. The work had become necessary to improve the condition of the house and to adapt it to today's standards.

Marie Agnes Rolfes describes the destruction of the Ramrath house in a bomb attack in October 1944. In urgent words, she describes how her family survived in the basement while her home fell under the bombs. Further personal experiences of the children and the escape from Krefeld are also discussed before they returned after the war. This letter, which was hidden as a time capsule behind the built-in cabinet in 1988, contains a daily newspaper, a mirror magazine, lucky charm, photos and coins in addition to the moving descriptions. Lukas found the memorials 36 years later and felt addressed immediately.

an important find for historiography

After the find, the couple informed Axel Brunner, the previous owner of the house. At first, Brunner was hesitant to read the memories, but finally decided to follow the content of the letter and reference to the history of the family. This decision led to a special meeting during the Advent season, in which all the old photos and finds involved exchanged. The encounter was not only emotional, but also a bridge -building experience for everyone.

Käthe and Lukas have decided to hand over the letter and the objects found to the Krefeld city archive in order to make them open to the public. In doing so, you make a significant contribution to historical processing and preserving the Krefeld story. The Krefeld archive pursues the goal of providing materials for the Krefeld past and the framework conditions that shaped the life of citizens in different epochs to make visible.

insight into the local history

The city archive also offers various publications that serve to research and understand local history. Many interesting volumes have been published in the series "Krefeld Archive - Sources and Research on the History of the City of Krefeld and the Lower Rhine", which deal with various aspects of the Krefeld history. Among other things, the broken protocols of the 17th century and the 18th century notarial certificates include.

The discovery of the letter from Marie Agnes Rolfes and the subsequent handover to the city archive are an important step to keep the history of Krefeld alive. This find shows how personal stories and memories can still reach and touch many people decades later. At a time when historical documents are often lost, this letter represents a valuable contribution that enables the coming generations to understand and learn the past. How The West is now viewed in a larger context and remains anchored in the memories of the city.