Leonhard glasses

Phillip Leonhard Gläser (born February 1, 1797 in Siegen ; † March 28, 1875 there ) was a German industrialist, politician and philanthropist .

Life

Leonhard Gläser, whose ancestors moved to Siegen in the middle of the 17th century, had inherited several looms from his grandfather, the textile manufacturer Eoban Gläser , which he operated very profitably. This made him one of the richest citizens of his hometown. Since he himself was handicapped, hard of hearing with speech difficulties and of small stature, he saw his life's task in giving the economically distressed the feeling of equality in order to make their lives easier, which was characterized by the simple existence of the mostly poorer population in the 19th century time.

On June 2, 1851, together with some like-minded people, in Siegen, the association "Eintracht" came into being. For this he bought the so-called "Eintrachtgelände" on the edge of today's Siegen city center. He immediately had the large property planted with bushes, flower beds and trees for future free time in the park, where there was soon a carousel, swings, gymnastics equipment and a barrel organ.

In a statute of June 4, 1851, the future purpose of the site was the "promotion of good morals and education and the mediation of a closer acquaintance with the citizens of Siegen through social intercourse, brought about by arranging common amusements. Thus raising the general welfare through public honoring recognition civil and domestic virtue " .

After the opening in August 1852 on the large Eintracht area, supplemented with a zoological garden, the rifle club members and the gymnastics club were able to use the amusement park from 1853 on. Concerts, theater plays, lectures, poetry readings became an integral part. After just ten years, the Eintrachtverein had 735 members, three quarters of all Siegen family fathers.

After his death, Leonhard Gläser left his hometown Siegen die Eintracht with a property value of 45,000 gold marks and cash capital of 90,000 gold marks. The annual interest from this "shall be allocated to the local mutual aid-oriented associations." Leonhard Gläser left this distribution of both foundations to the city of Siegen.

With the ceremonial opening of the Siegerlandhalle , 110 years after the founding of Eintracht, something had been realized which the founder Leonhard Gläser had always strived to add a festival hall to the Eintracht area. In Siegen, a street with his name and a hall in the Siegerlandhalle were later named "Leonhard Glasses Hall". In 1963 a memorial stone with his portrait was unveiled in the garden in front of the Siegerlandhalle.

Individual evidence

1. ^ "Social reformers and meddlers", derwesten.de of January 2, 2009
2. ↑ Siegerlandkurier January 31, 2010  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.