Tomorrow is Father’s Day here in the USA. I will honor my Dad and his direct paternal line, meaning his father, grandfather and so on. You can read my Mother’s Day blog here.
My Dad, Karl Franz Wilhelm Krings, was born 25 January 1924 and got married married 9 March 1946 to my Mom in Düsseldorf, Germany. He died 21 May 2006 in Bad-Neuenahr.
Dad circa 1946
Mom & Dad December 1968
Dad came from a large family family. He had seven brothers and sisters. Two of them died in WW2. He was a hard worker. He apprenticed as a sales clerk in a local clothing store called C & A in the 1940’s. In the 1950’s Dad wanted to be his own boss and became a local flower wholesaler. It was a hard job. He had to be at the flower auction house at six in the morning trying to buy the flowers at a good price, stayed there until nine or ten and then delivered them to the shops. In the evening the leftovers were stored in an air conditioned warehouse. After dinner, Dad still had to do bookkeeping. He worked twelve to eighteen hours a day, including some weekends. The neighbors had the audacity to wake him up on Sunday mornings to buy some flowers from him and of course my Dad would never say no.
Dad retired in 1984 and moved to Bad-Neuenahr, a smaller town where he would spend time with friends, go for walks and play Roulette at the casino. In 1994 we celebrated his 70th birthday.
Dad’s 70th Birthday with his siblings.
From left to right: Ursula, Dad, Trude and Richard
Dad’s Father and my Grandfather, Wilhelm Eduard Josef Hubert Krings, was born 25 September 1882 and died 19 May 1952 in Düsseldorf. He married my Grandmother, Maria Becker, 13 May 1907 in Wesel.
My Grandparents with their first child circa 1908
Grandpa’s birth certificate
His birth announcement in the local newspaper
Grandpa only had one older brother. A sister had died in infancy. He fought in Russia and France in WW1 and later had his own business.
From the 1926 Düsseldorf’s directory: – Krings, Wilhelm., Upholstery and decoration shop, Klosterstr. 112A; workshop: Kölner Street 50AU
Grandpa suddenly died at home in 1952. I never had the pleasure of meeting him. I was born many years later.
Grandpa’s Father and my Great Grandfather, Wilhelm Hubert Krings, was born 21 October 1840, got married to my Great Grandmother, Bertha Müller, 8 October 1869 and died 17 April 1909 in Düsseldorf.
His birth announcement from 1840 in the newspaper. His mother’s maiden name Götzen is highlighted. Wilhelm was a professional gardener as seen in the Düsseldorf directory from 1881.
Krings, Wilhelm, Gardener, Grafenbergerchaussee 8.
Wilhelm died 1909 in Düsseldorf. His death certificate is below.
Wilhelm’s Father and my 2x Great Grandfather, Andreas Daniel Josef Krings, was born 25 September 1808, got married to my 2x Great Grandmother, Maria Agnes Götzen, 12 August 1835 and died 28 October 1871 in Düsseldorf.
1808 Baptism in the Sankt Martin’s church in Düsseldor-Bilk.
He got married in the same church.
Andreas and his family were in the census taken in Düsseldorf between the years 1854-1860.
It contains the last and first names, professions, Andreas was a shoemaker and his wife Agnes had her own market stall. It also contained the family’s birth dates. One son, Johann, is crossed out. He probably already had died. Another child, Henricus 1838-1840, was not mentioned at all.
Andreas as well as his wife Agnes were in the 1855 directory for Düsseldorf. Her name was mentioned right under his name. They lived on the Duisburger Street 71.
Andreas was 63 years old when he died in 1871.
His death card mentioned that he had been widowed for seven years and that he had left two sons and grandsons behind.
Andreas’ father and my 3rd great grandfather, Joannes Winandus Josephus Krings, was born 10 March 1760 and died 2 May 1823 in Düsseldorf. He married my 3rd great grandmother, Maria Anna Josepha Weingartz, 27 June 1787 also in Düsseldorf.
Baptism 1760 and Marriage 1787
St. Lambertus Church in Düsseldorf
Newspaper announcement after the wedding.
Winandus died at the age of 68 in 1823.
Winandus’ Father and my 4th Great Grandfather, Nicolaus Krings, was born 15 January 1733 in Birgelen. This small village is located 33 miles east of Düsseldorf, near the Belgium border.
Nicolaus married my 4th Great Grandmother, Maria Clara Schadens, 26 January 1760 in Düsseldorf.
They had only one child together, my 3rd Great Grandfather. Nicolaus got married again in 1761 to Anna Catharina Fasbender. They had three children. Nicolaus died 9 August 1781 at the age of 48 in Düsseldorf-Bilk.
Nicolaus’ Father and my 5th Great Grandfather, Godefridus Crins, was baptized 22 March 1708 and died 18 August 1743 in Birgelen. He was married to my 5th Great Grandmother, Agnetis Leonards.
Godefridu’s Father and my 6th Great Grandfather, Nicolaus Creins, was born circa 1680 and he was married to my 6th Great Grandmother, Sophia Greven.
My direct paternal line ends with Godefridus for now. I have high hopes, that one day the church books will be online. The last name Krings was at one time spelled Crins and before that Creins. It really depended on how the people would pronounce their names and how the pastor would hear and record it. Some descendants might still carry the name Crins or Creins or another different spelling.
I was able to go back eight generations for my direct paternal line.
The first Father’s Day in the USA was celebrated 19 June 1910. In Germany Father’s Day is celebrated on Ascension Day. It’s always on a Thursday. The very first one was also celebrated in 1910.
I do hope you enjoyed this article.
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