Sophie Henschel

Sophie Henschel (born November 11, 1841 in the Rothenhof domain ; † February 5, 1915 in Kassel ) was a German manufacturer and patron .

Life

Sophie Henschel was born in 1841 as Caroline Elisabeth Francisca Sophie Caesar on Gut Rothenhoff in the Minden-Lübbecke district. She grew up with nine siblings. After the early death of her father, she and her mother moved to Kassel in 1851. Here she met the entrepreneur Oscar Henschel (1837-1894) at a ball , whom she married on June 21, 1862. Henschel was the owner of the Henschel & Sohn machine factory .

Since she always took an active part in company policy and all operational decisions, she was able to take over the company after the death of her husband and manage it for 16 years. In addition to the entrepreneurial activity, she created many social corporate institutions. At the beginning of the 20th century she was one of the richest women in the German Empire .

She was committed to social issues in the city and founded a district group of the Fatherland Women's Association here in 1869 , as its chairman until her death.

She was awarded the Wilhelm Order , which she received from the hand of the Empress.

children

Her marriage to Oscar Henschel had three daughters and one son:

• Erna (1863–1921), married to Ernst von Kieckebusch (1845–1913), Prussian colonel
• Luise (1865–1951), married to Alexander von Keudell (1861–1939), District Administrator in Eschwege , President of the Hesse Chamber of Agriculture
• Elisabeth, married to Paul von Schelling
• Karl (1873–1924), entrepreneur, married to Hildegard Marie Julie von Scheffer

Others

• “She had a clear eye, a warm heart and an open hand for all tasks in the field of urban development, public welfare and art. What she has done in works of merciful help to many of our fellow citizens is far more publicly known than ever. ”This is how the city of Kassel paid tribute to Sophie Henschel's services in the obituary notice.
• Sophie Henschel emerged as the winner by a clear margin from the readers' appeal by the Hessische Allgemeine in 2003 (choose the best Kasseler).

literature

• Ortrud Wörner: Sophie Henschel (1841–1915). Locomotive manufacturer and benefactor . Euregioverlag, Kassel 2004, ISBN 3-933617-19-7 , ( The region meets - the region remembers ).