Society association
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The Society Association is the oldest citizens' association in the city of Essen . It was created in 1828 from a merger of the Verein zum Kronprinzen (formerly Societät ) and the recreation company . In 1937 another association of the Society joined with the Bürgerheim Society .
Almost all of the important men in the city of Essen were members of the association during the course of its existence. These include names such as Waldthausen , Baedeker , Grillo , Huyssen , Lührmann , Krupp , Funke , Dinnendahl , Zweigert , Wilhelmi and others. v. m.
founding
The first general assembly of the United Societies took place on March 29, 1828. The first board consisted of nine members.
- Director: Heinrich Heintzmann , Mining Authority Director
- Vice Director: Dr. Flashoff, pharmacist
- Schorn, director of economics
- Johann Gottfried Wilhelm Waldthausen , merchant
- D. Sack, master road builder
- Johann Wilhelm Waldthausen , businessman
- Friederich Waldthausen , Schönfärber
- FDW Flashoff, whitewater
- Röhr, city secretary
The latter four came from the former recovery company . The newly founded association had a total of 104 members. For comparison: Essen had around 5,300 inhabitants at this time. The house used by the Crown Prince Association at the end of 1823 initially also served as a hostel for the Association . This house, built in 1730, was on the corner of II. Hagen and Vereinstrasse.
As a result of the merger, the leading civil servants' groups were united with the liberal professions. The members came from the ranks of the Essen population. In addition to maintaining conviviality and exchanging ideas, political and business contacts were made. But they also made charitable tasks their own.
19th century
It quickly became apparent that the premises in the house on Vereinstrasse were not sufficient for the larger club. So it was decided in 1829 to build an extension. The club house was managed by a permanently employed castellan . In addition to a basic salary, he earned at the bar. He received a graft for drinks he had brought with him .
In 1839, the association had a covered bowling alley built and decided to say goodbye to candlelight and Tranlicht in favor of gas. Since the city of Essen did nothing about gas, it was decided to build their own small gas plant.
In 1853 the 25th foundation festival was celebrated. The anniversary heralded a new era. Essen changed from a small town to an industrial city. Krupp expanded its cast steel factory , coal ships shaped the picture on the Rhine and Ruhr . The railway lines were expanded and underground mining began.
In 1871, after the establishment of the German Empire , the association decided to build a new society house. For this purpose, the heirs of Sanitätsrat Dr. Konrad Mittweg in the III. Hagen an area adjoining the existing garden. The old members asked for the garden to be preserved. A number of mishaps occurred during the construction of the new house. At first they forgot to plan a castellan's apartment, and then the costs got completely out of hand. The old society house was sold to the Protestant parish. When moving in on June 1, 1876, the mood of the members was very limited due to the large debts and the construction defects that were emerging.
The financial situation was so strained by the overpriced construction that they even thought about skipping the 75th Foundation Festival. However, it was decided to celebrate anyway and hold back from eating. Despite the adverse circumstances, it should be a beautiful and lavish party. In the years to come, they didn't get much happier with the new house either. Further construction defects were discovered. Columns had to be drawn in subsequently to prevent the ballroom ceiling from collapsing.
20th century
At the turn of the century, the association gradually lost the social monopoly from the founding years. So in 1891 the Kruppsche Casino was founded. Another club was created with the recovery club. The new century began with an economic boom. The Ruhrland Museum was founded in 1902, and in 1904 the hall building was inaugurated . In the club house they struggled to make it at least artistically more beautiful. In 1924 the architects Heydkamp and Bucerius presented a conversion plan, which was met with broad approval from the members. The inauguration took place in 1926.
The time of National Socialism followed . According to the statutes, the society association was apolitical, which ensured the association's survival during this time. In 1937 the Verein merged with the Bürgerheim Society .
In 1950 the Society found its new quarters in a former Waldthausen villa at Hohenzollernstrasse 40. Initially for rent, the building was bought in 1959 by the “Aktiengesellschaft Bürgerheim”. An in-house restaurant takes care of your physical well-being.
Up to 170 members met in the clubhouse. In the past it was mainly bankers, entrepreneurs and medical professionals, but recently it was a colorful mix of professional groups. Even after 175 years, the Verein Gesellschaft was true to its principles - women were still denied membership. They only enjoyed hospitality on special occasions.
21st century
Due to the changed social significance and increasing economic difficulties, the rooms of the Waldhausen Villa were used by various institutions and associations. The remise on the property was renovated and the wine trade was spun off into Der Weinhandel Bürgerheim GmbH . This wine trade continues to operate successfully.
Nevertheless, the economic decline could not be stopped, which ultimately led to the insolvency of the "Aktiengesellschaft Bürgerheim", which operates separately.
The club members of the - still - active "Gesellschaft Verein" meet monthly in the traditional restaurant Parkhaus Hügel in Essen.
In 2011/2012 the villa was extensively renovated and renovated by the new owners. Despite the changed use, attempts were made to preserve the original character of the building both inside and out. Today it is used as a representative office building by Creditreform Essen.
literature
- Borchardt, Paul: The Society Association in Essen 1828-1928 , Essen: Girardet 1928, 121 pp.
- Fromlowitz, Gerhard: 150 years of the Essen Society, 1828-1978 - Essen: Hilpert, 1978, 40 pp.