Verlon letter reveals Krefeld family history from 1946!

In the case of renovation work in a Krefeld residential building, Lukas and Käthe from Krefeld discovered a historic letter that was hidden as a time capsule behind a built -in cabinet. The dismantling was necessary to exchange the simply glazed windows of the "Ramrath" house on Westwall 54. The letter dates from 1946 and was written by Marie Agnes Rolfes, the daughter of Johann and Christine Ramrath.

In the content of the letter, Marie Agnes Rolfes describes the destruction of the Ramrath house during a bomb attack in October 1944 and the survival history of her family. In addition to the letter, there were also a daily newspaper, a Spiegel magazine, lucky charms, photos and coins in the time capsule. Lukas found this time capsule 36 years after hiding the letter. The previous owner of the house, Axel Brunner, was initially hesitant to read the letter, but finally decided. After the find, everyone involved met during the Advent season to exchange old photos and finds.

transmission to the city archive

Käthe and Lukas have decided to hand over the letter to the Krefeld city archive in order to make it accessible to the public. According to information from the Krefeld city archive , this extensive materials for researchers on the history of the city of Krefeld and the Lower Rhine. The Association for Local History Krefeld e.V. publishes the series "Krefeld Archive - Sources and Research on the History of the City of Krefeld and the Lower Rhine", which aims to make the framework conditions that influenced the life of the Krefeld citizens in various epochs.