Altertumsverein Grünstadt

Bookplate by the Grünstadt Antiquities Association, 1911

The Altertumsverein Grünstadt is a history association with a focus on the Grünstadt and Leiningerland region in Rhineland-Palatinate .

The Union

The full name of the association is “Altertumsverein Grünstadt-Leininger Land eV” and has its seat in the old town hall of the city of Grünstadt (Hauptstrasse 84), where it operates the “Museum in the old town hall”. He has made the maintenance and research of local history his task.

history

Leininger Geschichtsblätter, head of the first edition, October 1902

Beginning of the minutes of the founding meeting of the ancient society, Grünstadt, 1903, written down by Pf. Stephan Lederer

Membership card of the Altertumsverein Grünstadt, 1903

The Altertumsverein Grünstadt goes back to the historically very interested Emil Müller (1864-1918), Protestant pastor in the district of Sausenheim . He came from Frankenthal-Eppstein and served from 1890 to 1901 in Quirnbach near Kusel , where he published the local history book "From the history of the village of Quirnbach" as early as 1896. When Müller was transferred to Sausenheim in 1901, he immediately began to be historically active in Grünstadt and the surrounding area. From October 1902 he published the "Leininger Geschichtsblätter".

Around the same time (also in 1901), Dr. Stephan Lederer (1844–1923), from Wachenheim an der Weinstrasse , the Catholic. City parish Grünstadt. Lederer was also very interested in local history; he had already done research at his previous place of employment in Rodalben and there published the book "Documentary history of Christian religious practice in the Graefenstein office", which was reprinted in 2010. In Rodalben today the "Dr.-Lederer-Haus" is named after him, the seat of the Johann-Peter-Frank-Museum and the district adult education center.

Under the leadership of both clergymen, a circle of friends of history grew together and the plan matured to found an association for the care and research of local history. They met for the first time on March 26, 1903, in the Jakobslust Hotel. The constituent meeting of the “Altertumsverein Grünstadt und Umgebung” took place there on April 22nd, 1903. Müller took over the chairmanship and continued to publish the "Leininger Geschichtsblätter", Lederer became the club's secretary and secretary. When it was founded, 55 members joined. The protocol written down by Pastor Lederer begins with the words: “Founding of the antiquity association for Grünstadt and the surrounding area, on Wednesday, April 22nd, 1903. Protocol: Today, April 22nd, 1903, we gathered in the inn zur Jakobslust in Grünstadt a number of gentlemen from Grünstadt itself and from the surrounding area, to found an ancient society. "

The objective was set out in § 1 of the statutes at that time:

“ The antiquity association for Grünstadt and the surrounding area sets itself the goal of cultivating love for closer and wider homeland. He tries to achieve this goal by collecting, preserving and interpreting smaller or larger historical monuments, especially those from Grünstadt, the Leininger Tal and Eistal , and then also by organizing lectures that are appropriate and beneficial to the purpose of the association. "

- Articles of Association § 1, printed on the back of the old membership cards

The fruit of the association's work in 1904 was the first printed city history “Grünstadt und Umgebung”, published by the association's chairman, Emil Müller .

Emil Müller moved to Münchweiler an der Alsenz in 1908 , but remained loyal to the Grünstadt association and continued to edit the "Leininger Geschichtsblätter" until its publication in 1915. In 1911, the famous Jewish historian and rabbi Max Freudenthal , who grew up in Grünstadt, wrote a contribution for her on the history of local Jewry. 1926–1934 the “Neue Leininger Blätter” existed as a follow-up publication, which was co-edited by the association member and local researcher Hans Feßmeyer . Dr. In 1906 Lederer was transferred to Fußgönheim . He was followed in 1907 as a club secretary and secretary, the Catholic. Grünstadt pastor Leopold Wolf (1848–1911) from Lambsheim after. His grave is preserved in the local cemetery.

From the summer of 1903 this "old" antiquity association operated a museum in what was then the district hospital, today's town hall (Kreuzerweg). Franz Ebitsch (1850–1923) from Kersbach in Upper Franconia , rector of the Grünstadt Progymnasium , served as director until 1916 . In 1903 he was a member of the founding team of the antiquity club. In 1918 the local school principal Friedrich Ernst (1874–1943) became the club's chairman. He came from Munich , had published a two-volume history of the Progymnasium Grünstadt in 1927 and 1929 and wrote numerous articles on the city's history. According to the record book of the Altertumsverein available in the Museum Grünstadt, Ernst was asked in April 1934 to incorporate the association into the newly formed “Working Group for National Education” . It was a sub-organization of the Kampfbund for German culture led by Alfred Rosenberg and later became part of the "National Socialist Cultural Community" (NSKG). Since Friedrich Ernst refused to do so (according to the protocol, he was “unable to be induced ” ) the city administration under Mayor Fritz Klein took away the museum keys and terminated the lease for the museum. He then resigned voluntarily on May 15, 1934 and his previous deputy, teacher Friedrich Volk, temporarily took over the office. Since he complied with the request, the keys were handed over again, the lease renewed and even more rooms were promised. Volk entered into the minutes that it had been his endeavor in everything to prevent damage to the association and the people concerned. The sidelined Friedrich Ernst was appointed honorary chairman of the Altertumsverein Grünstadt on February 19, 1936.

He was succeeded by Friedrich Volk, who, after returning from captivity, wrote a final report of the association, which was dissolved by the occupying powers in 1945, and handed over the remains of the museum's collection to the city of Grünstadt. During the Second World War, the association ceased and the museum was closed towards the end of the war.

On the initiative of the town councilor and chairman of the culture committee, Eugen Sommer , the local culture association was founded in 1949. The history was also maintained here and a “Local Museum” working group was created.

The “Heimatmuseum” working group broke away from the cultural association in 1984 and founded the “new” “Altertumsverein Grünstadt-Leininger Land eV” was. Friedrich Volk, last chairman before the forced dissolution, was present at the re-establishment. The collection was continuously enlarged and the association now operates the "Museum in the old town hall of Grünstadt".

gallery

Pastor Emil Müller , initiator and co-founder of the ancient society Grünstadt
Pastor Stephan Lederer , co-founder of the Grünstadt Antiquities Association
Emil Müller, first city history of Grünstadt, 1904
Leininger history sheets 1907
School principal Friedrich Ernst († 1943), long-time chairman of the association
Old town hall Grünstadt , seat of the association and museum
Board members of the antiquity association in front of the museum, 2018; on the far right chief physician Günter Herrmann