Carl Luyken

Carl Luyken (born May 29, 1843 in Gummersbach , † May 22, 1917 in Wiesbaden ) was a German printing company owner, freemason and patron of his city.

Life

Carl Luyken was born on May 29, 1843 as the son of the printer's owner Friedrich Luyken and his wife Amalie, b. Trapp, born in Gummersbach . At the age of 15, he joined his father's print shop , which he managed from 1868 as a partner and sole owner from January 1, 1885 until it was sold on October 4, 1905.

In 1865 he met his future wife, Elise Jacobs, who, at the age of 18, joined Carl's mother in her pension. The wedding took place on May 16, 1868. The death of their first two children affects Carl and Elise very much. But these strokes of fate are not able to diminish their deep religiosity, which a tombstone of the children on the Luyken family grave with the biblical words: "I took you to myself out of sheer kindness" testifies.

Three more children are born to the couple: Fritz Luyken (lawyer), Karl Luyken (pastor), Herbert Luyken (doctor).

Carl Luyken was paralyzed by severe inflammation of the spinal cord in the summer of 1889, which is why he now uses a wheelchair. A feverish typhoid was born in early 1891, but with her recovery, the paralysis and back pain were also cured.

The initially not very profitable printing business is developing increasingly better as a result of the flourishing industry in Gummersbach and the family ties with the up-and-coming steam boiler factory L. & C. Steinmüller , also thanks to the use of the steam generator specially designed for the printing shop by Carl's brother-in-law Lebrecht Steinmüller .

With increasing prosperity, Carl Luyken gets more and more involved in the interests of the city of Gummersbach and its diverse club landscape. From 1883 until his death he was closely associated with the local evangelical parish. Out of gratitude for his health restoration, Carl then devoted himself even more intensively to many charitable projects in Gummersbach.

On October 4, 1905, Carl Luyken sells the printing company because none of the sons can or will take over it. The purchase contract guarantees that the name Friedrich Luyken will be retained as long as the printing company exists.

Carl Luyken's main fields of activity:

• From 1888 several lay judges at the district court,
• Employer representatives in the general assembly of the local workers' health insurance fund,
• 1889 election as representative in the Protestant parish,
• 1894 election to the municipal cemetery commission,
• From 1895 member of the presbytery of the Protestant parish,
• From 1898 chair of the building commission of the Protestant church community and management of the large-scale renovation work of the Protestant church ,
• 1900 co-founder and secretary of the national liberal association for the district of Gummersbach,
• 1901 donation of a fence for the church square of the Protestant church ,
• 1902 election as city councilor,
• 1906 co-founder of the Masonic lodge "Zur Oberbergischen Treue", whose master from the chair until 1917,
• 1907 interest-free loan (Carl wants to remain anonymous) in the amount of 25,000 Marks to the Protestant parish for the construction of the new parish hall,
• 1907 deputy arbitrator,
• 1909 member of the municipal building commission and deputy registrar,
• In 1911 he becomes a leading member of the committee for the construction of an electric tram,
• 1911–1917 work for the construction and operation of the municipal bathing establishment in Gummersbach ,
• 1913 deputy chairman of the supervisory board of Bergische Kreditanstalt.

Carl Luyken was honored in various ways during his lifetime, officially with the award of the Crown Order 4th class on October 25, 1908 during the ceremony for the inauguration of the new Protestant parish hall by Mayor Dr. Richard Barth: “Of the men who do outstanding work for the inner development of the city and the beautification of the cityscape, the city councilor Carl Luyken comes first. The award that Se. The Emperor awarded him today, expresses that his services are recognized! "

Deep gratitude towards the Creator, childlike piety, self-knowledge but also justified self-confidence speak from the parting words "to my loved ones" in the last sentences of his will from January 29, 1911:

“If someone lives up there beyond the stars, he will have mercy on me, whom he himself made weak and human. And if there is nothing up there, well, I want to rest from the struggle of this life, because I know that I have honestly fulfilled what seemed my duty and that I was happy with all my heart in all that beautiful that the world offers. Continue to be happy, live in love and harmony with one another and remember me kindly. Goodbye in the Eternal East. "

Carl Luyken dies on May 22nd, 1917 during a stay in Wiesbaden .

literature

• Kreisblatt for the Oberbergischer Kreis July 5, 1972 No. 7/1972 pages 315-318, contribution by Dr. Henrich Luyken, Gummersbach

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Masonic Lodge "Zur Oberbergische Treue" ( Memento of the original from December 13, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
2. ^ City of Gummersbach, old cemetery Gummersbach - historical and special features