Looking for more information about our grandmother's ancestors Bertha Griem, my brother Richard and I visited Elfriede Siehl, born Griem, in March 2004 in Kasseburg. Elfriede Siehl is a daughter of Franz Heinrich Adolf Griem, a cousin of our father. From Elfriede Siehl we received the family chronicle of the families Möller / Griem, which their grandfather Heinrich Griem set up in March 1943 at the age of 85 years. Heinrich Griem describes his memories and Karl Schlüter from Hamburg wrote all this down. From this family comes our grandmother Bertha Griem. I have tried to put these memories in a chronological order and thematically to describe the peasant life at that time. What you read in the following are original texts from this family chronicle, sorted in this sense. The formulations were left as Heinrich Griem chose them at the time to give the reader an impression of the language around 1940.


Heinrich Griem
the author of this article
History of families

Möller/Griem

Todendorf on the moor

told by Heinrich Griem
born on October 24, 1858

written down by
Carl Friedrich Schlüter
Arndtstraße 17
Hamburg

In March of 1943

About family history

Not only the name customer, i. the interpretation of surnames has in recent decades more and more penetrated into larger circles, because it creates linguistic-historical, cultural-historical and folkloristic values; but also the family and clan history has conquered wide circles. Wide circles form gender associations. A new profession, the clan researcher, has formed. In Hamburg, the headquarters for Niedersächsische family studies with some 1000 members. She maintains a very valuable library and a reading room, there is advice and information. Local groups of this association are in Schleswig-Holstein and in Hanover.

Ludwig Finckh writes in his book of ancestors: "The clan research has emerged from the dust of scholarship in blood and reality and summarizes the living people together in a ring." She explores the course of the blood in the inheritance and helps the strengthening of future generations, all fateful It binds great-grandchildren to the motherland, connects the old homeland with the present, and creates new paths from person to person Without this research, our future is dark and meaningless, shedding light on the secret inner laws our actions and carries their blessing in itself.

„Probably the family that consciously and intelligently shapes their lives and masters their destiny!“

From the research path

One of the first and best sources of the budding researcher is, of course, the church books. In times when the clergy generally became literate and the paper was, as it is said today, "tangible" to have at every place, it was decided at a meeting in Trent 1562-63 to create general church books and keep them running. The introduction itself, however, happened very slowly, one can say, many place only after 100 and more years. The 30-year war may be to blame. A few years before this war 1597 begins the Süseler church book, 1632 Eutin, 1677 Eichede.

The introduction of the parish registers has made it possible for some families to trace their family or clan back 300 or more years. If the church books fail, the other documents such as church meetings, purchase contracts, earthworks, legal names, debt and pledge records, tax lists and other family papers are often good helpers.

The farther one traces back the centuries, the sparser in the documents the family names with the exception of some of the old noble families. Before 1200 there are hardly any surnames in our area. Around 1300 we received from Todendorf "Schachtrade". The name Schacht is probably the oldest, if not a Thode was the founder of the village. The time before 1200 is mostly dark for family research, only tribes and peoples are about 3000 years back in their totality to explore through the general history, then we rely on the results of spade research, which may go back 20,000 years. Then everything goes into the general history of humanity.

About Todendorf

Todendorf's hallway is divided holsteinischer Art by about 120 km Knicks garden-like. From the former Saxon-Slavic border forest, which extended from the Elbe to Kiel, there are still 6 beautiful forests. The soil is good and easy to work. Fields, meadows and bogs alternate. 5 main roads radiate from the village center to the neighboring villages, along with the Überlasswegen there are 22 to 25 km routes in the village. These many ways are necessary because almost everyone lives on his property and his land is located around the farm. Todendorf is thus a very modern scattered settlement in contrast to the high-rise villages, where the country is often far from the house.

In 1263 Todendorf was already a village merchant of the ruling lords, it was sold for 50 marks to the cathedral chapter to Hamburg. Hamburger we remain until 1576. Then we became grandfather-Gottorp subjects until about 1772, meanwhile we were in 1753 subjects of Tsar Peter of Russia. This is evident from a document in which the Czar confirms to the sexton Hitzig the Gerechtsame to Hökerei combined with tavern.

In 1644 Todendorf was looted and destroyed by the Swedes. There were 12 hooves at that time, while around 1300 only 8 hooves are called. So much had been cleared in the meantime. The government, it is believed, found no farmers, the village could colonize. She arranged it for a crown privy and leased it. The names of the tenants are known in part. The tenant Nicelsen suffered after 1760, it is known by oral tradition, twice the rinderpest in his livestock. The government found no right tenant more and saw, also due to current trends, forced to divide the estate into leaseholds and single highest bidding in the office to sell Trittau. This auction of the village took place on 22 and 23 October 1766. The Gölmteich but was only sold in 1784 on December 17 in 19 leaseholds. This land lease of the estate Todendorf is now the time in which our family history Möller / Griem begins. At that time also the today's village picture was created.

Johann Gerhard Möller, born on 18 March 1711, died 1773, was originally from Jersbek, parish Bargteheide. He served as a soldier in Stade and met his future wife Rebekka. This Johann Gerhard was busy on the estate Todendorf as a gardener and was released with the dissolution of the goods. He was offered to choose 40 tons of the best land and become a farmer. He did not do it at first. Maybe he lacked the means or he thought the whole structure was too heavy, the reasons are unknown.

After some time, by persuasion from many sides, he decided to do so. He bought from Joachim Mink, who had acquired the large Heisch Koppel and his country was probably a lot, 20 tons on the moor and built on the current courtyard a small house. In addition, a deed of 14 July 1770 has been found, stating that:

"Osterhoff from Hammoor, leaseholder to Todendorf as a seller on the one hand and Johann Gerhard Möller as a buyer on the other hand, agree with knowledge of the Office, what follows: Osterhoff sold in Grethenvieh 4 tons and on the Kretelkoppel 4 tons of land, which he from the 6th distribution of the dismembered estate Todendorf acquired to Johann Gerhard Möller for 9 Reichstaler and 16 Schilling together thus 18 Reichstaler 32 Schillinge. In addition, every year a Konon of 1 Reichstaler 33 schillings per ton on May and Martini to pay. ";

So Johann Gerhard bought 4 years after the distribution of Todendorf good still 8 tons of land added. Both sign the contract by hand on July 14th. Johann Gerhard and Osterhoff both have read and write. In another document also the neighbor Christoph Hinrich Suhr has signed by hand.

After Johann Gerhard had happily come into the possession of a land office, a small house was built by the spouses on the current courtyard, simply made of half-timbered construction, with layers of clay and loam and, of course, thatched roofs. The design was like this at the time: the manholes were braided into the stud work, and on Sundays the women threw this wicker work with a mixture of clay, chaff, or cote. When this was well-smoothed and dried, which took several days, the clay slabs were whitewashed with slaked lime. The truss remained raw wood or it was also over-limbed. At that time it was still the case that all village people helped to build the houses. Money was tight. So it happened that the women did the light work on Sundays. A house so well looked friendly and nice and it suited our landscape. This house was about 75 years old. Here Johann Möller moved with his young wife Rebekka and managed the newly acquired job.

His son CHRISTIAN Anton Moller inherited the position. Christian married on 25 October 1776 the Virgin Ann Stienke, b. Pöhlsen from Gut Lasbek. From this marriage sprouted 9 children, 4 daughters and 5 sons. Christian died young, soon after the 8th child was born. After his death, the 9th child was born. However, 8 children died at an adolescent age.

Ann Stienke managed the farm with her 9 children alone after the early death of her husband as well as possible. She was an ambitious and industrious farmer's wife and popular in the village. They were just called "Anstienken". Small sums of money she acquired by a modest horse trade. She bought a young skinny horse, groomed and fed it well, and after a while she had it sold by her brother Pöhlsen on the Bargteheider Markt. But since the landing site was still small, they had to bring cheap food. This happened because she went with her children to the moor or the Knakenort and obtained there Bülten or other green fodder. Considering that this had to be done on a daily basis, it was a constant burden to drag this with the children.

Her eldest son JOHANN Hinrich Möller, born on 5 February 1785, inherited the position. Johann's brother was mentally a bit burdened. In order to secure a good living for this brother forever, Johann decided not to marry. In 1826 this brother died and Johann soon looked around for a capable housewife. He was assisted by all the relatives, she was eager to find a suitable wife.


Maria Möller with her
daughter Anna Maria

Johann was already 42 years old when he married the 21 year old Virgin Mary, born Wrage from Nahe. Johann's sister, called by Anstienken "Dortenmütten" (after Dora) was married to a farmer Voß in Nienwold. She mediated the marriage between Johann and Maria Wrage. But since the age difference between the two was very large, it was still worried whether it was probably the right woman for Johann. To experience this, something like a bridal show was made. One day Maria Wrage came with her father on a chair carriage, 2 beautiful white horses in front, in Todendorf to visit. As a matter of precaution, Johann had also invited his neighbor Pöhlsen as an expert. At his age, he probably did not dare, well thought, better is better. Pöhlsen got to know his neighbor, formed his opinion and said: "Johann, if you can get her, than you should take her!" Pöhlsen was certainly also for the youth. And it should also be said here that despite the great age difference, the two spouses have always understood each other well. The future mother-in-law, Anstienken, also wanted to be sure and started a secret trial. "Maria," she said, "Can you get me a bucket of water from the well, we have a dick on it?" "Give it to me", said Maria, and quickly pulled up the bucket. Thus Maria was recognized by Anstienken and therefore by the whole family.

Maria had gone through a difficult youth and always said: "If I see that I have my safe bread, then I married. One can therefore assume that Maria was very happy when she drove back in the evening with her father from Todendorf to Nienwold, probably already as a happy bride. The wedding was probably in 1827. The two spouses have started a busy life. When the land drainage arose, John was one of the first to pipe his land. A work that lasted for years.

He demolished the house built by his grandfather and built a new house in 1846 that still stands today in its timber frame and stud frame, although it has since been rebuilt. The framework was taken from oak wood, rafters and beams from Föhrenholz. The wood had to be brought by horse and cart from Lübeck. Master carpenter Tiedemann from the Mannhagen built it.

One day, John was offered a 4-tonne meadow in the vie. As purchase price he should pay 4 shillings per ton. Johann bought the meadow. The purchase price was created by the seller and buyer equal in beer.

On the present Rustenbachschen owned property formerly a farmer named Retting, who created a brickyard. This has been shut down in 1910 and 1914 canceled. Retting got into financial embarrassment and borrowed 400 marks from Johann Möller. After the term of payment had expired, Retting did not have the money together. It was agreed: Retting should cede to Möller a piece of land of 4 tons, and indeed a piece of the Kretelkoppel located in front of the Möllersche Hofstätte. That's how it happened. The ton of valuable land located at the house cost only 100 marks.

In Johann Möller's time, marbling occurred, i. the field was strewn with a calcareous clay. With a load of marl, which was recovered from a pit, 2 - 3 rods (1 rod = 20 square meters) were scattered. One dug the marl a year before and left it dry, so that it could be spread well. Well fermented land kept a farmer's time, i. 25 - 30 years ago, while a manure fertilized with good manures lasts only about 5 years. Was hoggled before the winter grain, but not in front of the winter potatoes, because they are then slightly scabby. Digging, driving and throwing the marl is a tedious, time-consuming task. A ton of land, with a stamping of a load for 3 rods, requires 80 carrots of marl. Of course, one sought to ensure that the marl was located in the paddock or nearby.

From the marriage with Maria Wrage sprouted two children. A son who died of cramps at an adolescent age, and daughter Anna Maria Möller. Johann Möller died in 1864 and his wife Maria in 1888. Their life's work for the benefit of the descendants was:

  1. the drainage of the entire site
  2. the new building of the house
  3. the purchase of the Vie-Wiese
  4. the purchase of Kretelkoppel
  5. as an inheritance after the death of Maria Möller, the children of Maria each received 2,000 marks, together 10,000 marks.

Since there were no male heirs, the place inherited the daughter Anna Maria Möller. But first it has to be said that the couple Johann Möller was very popular throughout the village and in the surrounding area. For a neighborly help, they were always ready, at christenings Johann had to bring the midwife and Maria made other help. She was also appreciated for her good cooking.
The heir Anna Maria Möller married the farmer in 1857 Hinrich Griem, born 1825, from Oetjendorf, son of the landlord Martin Griem to Oetjendorf.
(Setzwirt = If a Hufner left a widow with underage children and married the woman again, usually a setting economy took place, which between 21 and 25 years of the legitimate heirs ended.)
This was a grandson of the Griem from Grönwohld, who had the later Heinrich Christierstelle in possession. He was 2nd son and therefore could not inherit the property (Setzwirt Oetjendorf). Hinrich Griem got a big suitcase of his own linen from his parents' house. Plus 2,000 mark cash and 2 dairy cows. The family in Oetjendorf was 8 heads strong, 2 sons and 6 daughters.

The marriage sprouted 5 children:


Heinrich
October 24, 1858

Fritz
November 12, 1860

Adolf
February 17, 1863

Martin
November 5, 1865

Berta
Mai 21, 1871

Hinrich Griem was very zealous in agriculture. He also built in 1870 a new Altenteilskate and about 1875 a cattle wing on the house. He was the first in the village to sow artificial manure and thereby greatly increase the yield of his land. He also gave an example to the other farmers and thus brought about a general increase in the yield of the village and beyond. He kept good and strong horses. He gave his children a good upbringing, the eldest the land office, and every child 5,000 marks at the end of his days. Heinrich Griem was very zealous in agriculture. He also built in 1870 a new Altenteilskate and about 1875 a cattle wing on the house. He was the first in the village to sow artificial manure and thereby greatly increase the yield of his land. He also gave an example to the other farmers and thus brought about a general increase in the yield of the village and beyond. He kept good and strong horses. He gave his children a good upbringing, the eldest the land office, and every child 5,000 marks at the end of his days.

The economic conditions at that time here briefly in overview:

  • a pregnant cow cost 18 thaler (1867)
  • an egg cost 2 pfennigs (1875)
  • one pound of butter cost 70 pfennigs (1880)
  • a young 4-year-old horse cost 400 marks (1890)
  • a cow 5 - 6 years old cost 210 marks (1890)

Hinrich Griem gave his son Heinrich in 1890 the landing place. He retreated into the Altenteilskate he had built and spent 5 more years in contemplative peace. His wife Anna Maria had already died five years before him, she died in August 1890.


Heinrich Griem and wife

The old farm
Hoelten-Klinke

Heinrich Griem , born on 24 October 1858 married in the November 1890 Catharina, nee Sengelmann, Todendorf district Hölten-Klinke, born on 6 November 1861 to Todendorf. Her sister, the eldest of the two daughters, had a right to the job, but she renounced her inheritance in favor of Catharina. After three years in 1893 Sengelmann handed over the job to his daughter and to me, his son-in-law. Both properties came into one hand and were managed by the head office. Total ownership increased by 17 tonnes. Together, both properties are now 45 tons.

From recording

My mother was a bright woman and quickly determined. She was not averse to novelties, she liked to spend a few pennies, if others had said: "Watts sound, that's not necessary, it's money ruts!"
One day a man in our house, who said that he could "take away", as it was then called in the countryside, the art of taking pictures, my mother would have said: "Oh, you do not 'cause I'm going to get away with it, both boys, Heineri and Fritz, take it on.' She thought something of her boys and probably meant that we would be able to enjoy it for a long time and then only if they get bigger, we know how they looked.

In my memory, we were taken in the garden on the doorstep. A table was put out. Mother made sure we first put on our good stuff first. At that time we only wore blue linen over the week with woolen cloth and instead of a cap we had an Ackermann, that was a Michel-hat with a clunky top. I was probably 12 years old then, so it will have been in 1870. A time when the countryside was hardly taken up. People with the Knipskasten were still very rare in the 90s in the village. But it should also be said on this occasion that in 1879 a man went through the villages and took up the schools. A picture of the Todendorf Lüttschool is in our village book. The Hammoorer and Mollhagener schools were also recorded at that time, unfortunately we still lack the image of the Todendorf "Grootschool". Maybe it has a Todendorfer who lives outside. Anyway, the photo is a rarity, we can still be grateful to our forward-minded mother that she let us scan (so it is said today). We have always liked to show the picture and are looking forward to it today.

On the back of the photograph by Heinrich and Fritz Griem stands "Lewetz, Hamburg Wandsbeker Chaussee 105". This business first appears in the Hamburger Einwohnerbuch 1869. As his apartment was Uhlenhorst, Bleicherstraße (now Leipzigerstraße 9) indicated. There he probably has a small branch. In 1870, 1894 and 1902 the shop is still in the same street but under a different number. In 1909, the business is no longer specified, even his name has disappeared from the city, probably extinct. The matter is of some importance in so far as it can be used to determine when the first photographs were taken in Todendorf and in the countryside.
Lewetz will have taken his chest as an enterprising young man and gone to the villages, probably to increase his earnings. Maybe he was from the village himself. This company was made possible mainly by the fact that on 1 September the Hamburg-Lübecker-Eisenbahn was opened in 1865. At that time you could quickly drive from the old Lübeck train station in Hamburg to Bargteheide in 39 minutes, which means that you will be in Todendorf in about 2 hours, also from Ahrensburg. Lewetz reached Todendorf in about 2 hours and probably visited the whole villages. Also the picture of the aunt in Oetjendorf is from him be made. It will have been Lewetz who took down the Hammoorer, Todendorfer and Mollhagener schools in 1879, and perhaps other schools in the area as well. In 1839, photography was first invented in Paris, so it came pretty quickly to our death village.
So you can see how useful it is to write history, which cultural values and research can be identified. I've also thought about who might have made the school picture in Todendorf, because I'm on it myself.

Our peace oak

On a beautiful October day of the year 1872, when I was 14 years old, the peace oak was planted and consecrated in our village. Our teacher H. Buck said to us one day: "Children, soon a pond of peace will be planted in memory of the great war we have won. The pastor comes and consecrates it and we have to rehearse a song for it."
The song: "Freedom I mean" was rehearsed 3 voices, I sang the 2nd Voice. But we did not sing freedom, but peace that I mean. On the village square, where the oak was to be planted, a pulpit-like elevation had been built out of grass sods (planks), planted with small firs on the upper edge. On the ridge stood Pastor Rulfs and we stood in front of the pulpit. But all around were many, many villagers. Pastor Rulfs gave a heartfelt speech and we sang our song after the oak was planted. We were probably 20 singers.
After a reminder of the weaver Heinrich Stohmer, Krummstück, the young oak, a slender tree, was taken from the hunting 11 of the ox clutch. In the evening a treat with ball took place at the innkeeper Hans Schmüser.

Training

In my early years I had beekeeping for a while and had good success with it. The yield from my few baskets was 128 pounds of honey in a year. Unfortunately, I had to give up the bees but unfortunately because of overload by the KLinge soon.

When I was in position in Wandsbek near Ahlers around 1878, young, healthy, strong and skilful, one day the cattle dealer Johann Westphal asked me for a favor. Veterinarian Stoltenberg had come to prune a full-grown big boar. There had been a lot of people converging on this occasion, but no one had the courage to tie and hold the boar; none dared approach the beast, not even the veterinarian Stoltenberg.
I agreed and thought about how to bring the boar to bed. Westphal was more for taking than for giving, he would have fed me with thirty pfennigs. So I demanded 3 marks for the dangerous and hard work that he had to grant me, although it seemed difficult for him to fall.
I took a strong reep, made a noose and slowly scratched the boar backwards from back to head. With persuasion, I managed to bring the noose in the mouth, behind one of the big tusks. That was luck. He could not get rid of the noose now. I hit the reep a few times around a thick pillar, which stood in the middle of the stable, so that the animal was tied up. Now I made a strand on all four legs and asked 4 men to kill the boar. As he lay, I immediately threw myself on the head of the animal, so he was powerless and the vet could quietly do his surgery, after he had previously properly and properly tied the legs.

My Thaler I had earned quickly, that was a big piece of money back then. This piece has remained in my memory for almost 65 years.

Pleasures

In my youth, I was cheerful and quite danceable and my wife was too. We liked to go to the usual balls in the village, in the neighboring villages or on the Bargteheider market. At that time one could deny the costs with a Thaler with good consumption.

Another very nice conversation and a lot of joy were offered to us the card evenings, which were held fortnightly together with our women. The men as well as the women played, each sex for themselves, the popular solo game. The evenings started at 8 pm and at midnight it was over, a pleasant coffee break in between. All won money came into a cash register. For this money in the summer was a trip to Blankenese or Hamburg or a tour with its own wagon through the neighboring villages or the like made. The money was always used up. Once we made a sleigh ride over Ahrensburg and Hoisbüttel. There we had a coffee break with Wagner. Ms. Wagner was a Todendorfer from the Appelstelle (Peemöller Rönnbaum), then the journey continued via Bargteheide, where Ms. Filter had a longer stay. On the whole it was a fun ride, it seemed to me that on the last stretch I heard the bells ring twice.

The card evenings included:
1. Circle: Stahmer Krummstück, Musikus Sengelmann, Musikus Wulf and me.
2. Circle: Fritz Buck Hofplatz, Stahmer Krummstück, August Gehrken Ochsenkoppel and I

Agricultural

In the rising time after 1870 agriculture developed more and more. The fallen and the fighters of the 70s war brought Germany to power. We have the good time to thank you until 1914, expressed by the name Bismarck. Since the mid-80s, but especially in the 90s, this was already expressed in the villages. Agriculture, along with trade and promoted by the developing sciences, flourished. Grain cultivation, fodder and fruit growing developed rapidly due to the larger consumption of artificial fertilizer. In these years, more and more pig farms developed. The big cities, almost shot out of the earth, had a very considerable additional consumption. The peasants in 1890 also treated themselves to more ham than in 1870, as confirmed by our fellow villager Brunswig, who traded ham for over forty years. (De Buurn freet de meisten Schinken nu sülben up!, he said many times). There were pig farms all over the villages. People who did not understand it at all started fattening pigs.

Around 1895 I also began to fatten pigs (on sale). In summer, as soon as the cowshed was empty, I moved in immediately and did it for years with 20 - 25 piglets from Tremsbüttel, because there was good breed. Then, in the course of the summer, I kept on buying to have them ready for slaughter at various times. In order to achieve the top price, I sold my pigs not to our dealers, but straight to the livestock commissioner himself. I also drove the fat pigs on the axis to Hamburg. Westphal and Schleef & amp; Son were mainly my customers. The maid business was very lucrative, I delivered last year, and for years, 90 - 100 fat pigs. Each around 250 pounds and more. The amount of concentrated feed was correspondingly high, consisting mainly of Russian barley, 1 bag of 150 pounds. Of this I needed a load every fortnight, 37.5 talents. The sack, 150 pounds, cost 9 marks at that time. The 6-week-old piglets cost 10 to 12 marks. The price of pigs (live weight) ranged between 55 and 65 marks. Sometimes I also got 75 marks, but there were also times when I had to sell for 28 marks, because I could not even eat them. The price was below cost. On the whole, it was a worthwhile business with a good surplus.

In 1907 Eichede and the surrounding area still had no hearse in the Kirschspiel Eichede, although it had long been a necessity. I bought together with Peemöller Rönnbaum (Appelbur) a car in Hamburg. The duty of this company is that you must be on call at all times, whether good or bad weather, whether sowing time or harvest time. There are two classes planned, in the first class the horses get tufts and black blankets and cost 27 marks. The 2nd class cost 24 marks. I drove the car myself for the first years until 1922, now Peemoller drives it. The argument is two-thirds that does not drive. Every quarter is settled. The car is at Peemöller under the shed. We have the second car in almost 36 years.

In Todendorf formerly existed a mobile guild. In this I took over after leaving Teacher Buck the secretary post. That was in 1900. This insurance had to pay high compensation during the time of the many fires and could barely exist. They wanted to join a larger insurance and demanded from the nearest insurance company bylaws. Wilstedt was the cheapest, because there was a security deposit. We were immediately closed and I came straight to the board. My job was to collect my territory twice a year. It took four days each time and that was actually my vacation, was my relaxation. As a representative of Todendorf I collected the villages Barkhorst, Eichede, Grönwohld, Lütjensee, Mollhagen, Oetjendorf, blasting, Todendorf and - soon it would be forgotten - also from Lasbek. From 1900 to 1937, I served this post. Three times a year we had to go to Wilstedt for a guild meeting. We liked to do that, because it was a happy reunion and we were often quite happy with free food, drink and smoking.

As a church elder, I was an honorary employee in Eichede for 18 years, it was the time of the First World War. I still remember that the bells had to be delivered. In the new acquisition of replacement bells in 1920/21 the contract was awarded to Lübeck. In the determination of the inscription of the new bell, my name was also written down, so that he was cast as church elders. Apart from my name, Adolf Stolten, Heuer and Peter Kruse were also cast in. I can now imagine that with every ringing, my name also echoes or sounds over the corridors. The sessions were held in the pastorate. We negotiated about the church as a building and about administrative matters.

Improvements to buildings

One year after taking over the position, I completely redesigned the interior of our house. From the old smoke house without chimney I have made a contemporary house. It was a kitchen furnished, as well as a front. The parlors got instead of clay-wood floors. A smoke chamber was created and the cattle wing was extended by a piece to the south. Next, a grain shed was built with Wagenlass. There go in 55 grain kernels. Even the old Kate was completely redecorated inside.

We have in our garden 3 beautiful glass cherry trees. We were unable to cope with the yield. In the cherry season we picked two to three cherries in the morning and in the afternoon I drove to Bargteheide, where I got rid of them. I sold not by weight, but by Kummen. A sum for 10 pfennigs. That brought a lot of money. Apples were occasionally sold as the yield was.

I cut off and cleared the scrubland planted by my grandfather Johann Möller. I sold the slender ash wood to Groß Borstel to a bandleader for big money and drove 6 loads on the axle. The day before, I brought a car to Meisterlien, near Ahrensburg an der Chaussee, and picked up a second the following day. From there on the fixed road I was able to drive two loads together. I sold the alder wood and branches to the Köhler Züchtig in Tremsbüttel. This (coal miner) littered it on our paddock. This was probably the last time that was geköhlert in Todendorf.

1891: The modern agriculture with its better cultivation of the soil, in addition the emigration of the rural population into the cities, which became ever stronger, caused a lack of labor in the country. There was more and more to buy machines, whether you wanted or not. I saw the advantage of the machines and got the first horsepower with a threshing machine. I bought the machine in Winsen an der Luhe, it was sent by train. The goiter cost 120 marks and the threshing box 500 marks. Soon after I bought a mower with hand rest and in 1903 also a seeder. Horses and beet cutters soon followed. A shredder with flywheel had already bought my father for 75 marks. With all these auxiliary machines we were helped first.

Our spinners from ancient times were last consumed (1930 - 1938), which they used; because spun in the last 50 - 60 years, not more or, at the beginning of the 80s, very little. You could buy the linen much better and finer, even cheaper, ready. Today, if one is lucky and once again inherits a piece of linen of one's own or negotiates otherwise, one recognizes the great quality and durability of such pieces.

The heir must also say something. It's a nice thing to inherit something, to get something you did not do anything for. However, there is often a dangerous explosive in such a matter; but who will be among the incompatible?

But especially in the countryside, on the field there are sometimes precious things to inherit valuable from our ancestors. I mean the prehistoric legacy of our ancestors. Many of these finds have been carelessly thrown aside or degenerated out of ignorance. In Todendorf, more in Hammoor, many valuable finds have been made, which brighten our early days. The findings were artistically and culturally very valuable. As an owner you also pay attention to these inheritances, they are now even the property of the finder, if they are not just unique rarities that the state has to take into custody. So also note every small find and discuss it with a professional, whether he has historical value. In Hammoor in 1848 a beautiful bronze sword was found, but lost again.

The farm Schmüser

Once there was a chance to swap my two places Moor and Klinke with the second best place in the district of Stormarn. The job vendors were dissecting August Schmuser's job, i. to sell piece by piece. These people were also called job slaughterers. The place has a size of 106 tons, all beautiful land with 1/2 meter topsoil, plus beautiful meadows, all located around the farmstead. It was the center of the former estate. The farm buildings had stood there. The location was also associated with a restaurant and bar, which brought significant income. August Schmüser had touched around 1890 30,000 marks. Each child had received 5,000 marks from him. The Schmüser family has been on the spot since 1766. It is unfortunate that such a long-established family has to leave the property, especially as the children were not lacking.

The old farmhouse, a large thatched roof house, well built, still with old window glazing on the large hallway and thick oak beams, burnt down in 1908. Schmüser was able to rebuild only makeshift, because already lacked the funds. A place of goodness already needs a large house and barn room.

The freight brokers first tried to get rid of the job as a whole and offered it to me. I could have used them well with my livestock and equipment inventory, my children were so far that they could step in with little by little. We, my wife and I, had worked our way out of the worst by working hard and did not want to start all over again. We sat quietly and had our livelihood. It would not have been wrong for the family and the beautiful place would have stayed together.

From the road construction

At the time when the brickowner Wilhelm Rustenbach was community leader, the Chaussee Hammoor-Mollhagen was built in 1904/5. This once again gave the village people reason to get excited. "That will cost a lot of money again, who should pay for it? Is that necessary? "The whole village was excited. It was said: Rustenbach only does it to sell his stones better.

The road was built but and the cost in the village as well as no one noticed something. But all village people had many advantages, including the small and micro owners. They had a much better bike path, not to mention the footpath. All saved time, tires and footwear. The larger owners did not need to mend ways, ride gravel for miles and spare their horses and vehicles. The working time is certainly better to use at the landing site. It would have been very bad if the road had not been built, because then the car makers would have had no pleasure in their car, so dirty it would have become on the bad ways that they had nowhere to be seen.

It's the old thing, something new is always being fought. So it was with the Meierei too. Today it is no longer possible without Meierei. The same experience has had our neighbor village Hammoor too. Only with the Meierei and a few years later it was the farmer Vogue Dwenger as well, when the Chaussee Bargteheide-Hammoor should be built. This I remember very well (the writer), because the little Dwenger complained to my father in the restaurant about the fact that he had so many opponents in the village.

From home remedies

The art of doctors was little used before. A doctor had to look after a whole parish and often even more. Often one also shied away from the costs. Small people did not want to be guilty. In wind and weather, in winter, on bad roads without a long-distance call, it was also cumbersome and time-consuming to notify a doctor.

It was the time of home remedies, teas, miraculous herbs, ointments and plasters, reviews, pills and the remnants of superstition. But there were always people who worked part-time as healers. In Papendorf was a man who straightened sprains and exposed limbs. Bartels in Gölm set heads. My grandmother used to sit 15 to 16 heads on her back from time to time. She thought this was necessary for her goodness. The process was as follows: The man took a glass bell with a diameter of a 5 Mark piece, held it over a spirit flame to bring out the air, then put it on the skin. The emptied bell pulled up the skin, causing a blister of blood. This was cut open with a tool and the blood removed. After that, some ointment was wiped over and soon healed.

Others kept a number of leeches and used them as soon as they were full-blooded. The leeches were then doused with cumin or beer to make the blood go away. Then they were usable again for new work. The leeches were stored in a bowl of water.

What was said by the doctors, also applies to the veterinarians. They were also little used. Their fields of activity were probably even larger. The former owner of the Rustenbach site in Todendorf-Kramm was regarded as an efficient veterinarian. He was very good at treating sick animals. At Kramm served for many years as a servant Hans Knack, who had probably as a healer predisposition. Over the years, he acquired some knowledge from his master and later worked in the village and in the area as an animal-sanctuary. He earned a reputation as such. Hans Knack again took his son Hans Knack, Schumacher on the fly mountain, the veterinary science, which was also considered efficient.

Marital status

Heinrich Griem had 7 children with Catharina, born Sengelmann.

 

1. Erna Röpke, born Griem, born on September 24, 1891

Immediately after school, he learned to cook in the Alsterschleuse in Poppenbüttel near Jungklaus. The Alsterschleuse was a popular summer resort for Hamburg excursionists. Erna then became a housekeeper for the farmer Röpke from Vinzier. Later she married Max Röpke. The farmer's place covers about 90 tons. From the marriage with Max Röpke sprouted three sons, two of them are now soldier.

 

2. Olga Hittendorf, born Griem, born on April 6, 1893

Also learned cooking at Jungklaus in Poppenbüttel. Then came as a housekeeper to the farmer Lüth to Schieren at Segeberg. Later she met her husband through her brother Franz in the hospital Betanien in Hamburg. Married Hermann Hittendorf from Bork in Westphalia. The marriage sprouted two girls. The first child died of dental cramps after nine months. The second girl Sylva is now landowner's secretary on the estate Rixdorf in Plön.

 

3. Herta Becker, born Griem, born on 15 July 1895

Learned cooking in the Baltic Sea Dahme. Then came to Lüth in Schieren as a housekeeper. Married the gardener Harald Becker, Kiel. The marriage sprang two children Werner and Thea.

 

4. Franz Griem, born on 20 March 1897

Learned agriculture on her father's soil. Visited the agricultural school at Segeberg at the expense of the state. Married as a young man on the possession Koops to Kasseburg's eldest daughter and became owner on the spot Maria Koops.

5. Adolf Griem, born on 16 January 1899

First learned agriculture on the fatherland Scholle and after still at Lüth in Fahrenkrog county Segeberg. Has participated in the 1st World War. Remained until the takeover on the spot in Todendorf. Married 1928 Marie, born Diestel, Todendorf. The marriage sprang two children, a son Joachim and a girl Mariechen from now 12 and 7 years. He managed the headquarters since 1928 according to ancient customs with diligence and prudence in the sense of his ancestors. The cattle wing, which had become dilapidated in the course of time, he has completely renewed and has provided him instead of the pans with a synthetic slate roof. During the Second World War, he joined France from August 1939 to October 1940. In 1938 he was also there when the train went to the Sudetenland.

 

6. Martin Griem, born on 24 January 1903

Studied tree nursery with his uncle Martin Griem in Halstenbek and then worked as an assistant in Wedel. During World War I he had to return to Todendorf to support his father. On May 25, 1928, he took over the inheritance of his mother, the site Hölten-Klinke and married Annita, born Voß from Good Lasbek. The father-in-law has a large sheep farm of about 120 sheep.

 

7. Thea, born Griem, born on 11 December 1905

Studied cooking and then spent several years in Hamburg in Busch. Then came home and met and married Emil Voss at Martin's wedding. She lives now on Good Lasbek. The husband runs a large slaughterhouse and sheep farm.

Family history

The siblings of Heinrich Griem

1. Fritz Griem, born on 12 November 1860, learned in Bargteheide at the master Luther that joiner trade from 1875 to 1878. Went later to Hamburg and worked there with the master bush and son in the Convent road. At the age of 20, he sets out on a journey with his four comrades. This five-member society wandered up the Rhine, saw the mouse tower and the Rhine castles as far as Mainz. In Mainz, the company entered into work with a great master who had 120 people in work. Auxiliary machines were already operating in the shop. Here they stayed for a year. Fritz Griem acquired a trust there and was sent with his comrades together to Antwerp to set up furniture for the World's Fair. Later, they all worked together again in Brussels for a year. From Brussels we went to Zurich, where we worked for a long time (it is said that they collected amber on Lake Geneva and also brought some pieces with them.) Whether this was Lake Geneva or Lake Zurich remains unclear Society in Geneva but not).

Their plan was to travel to Jerusalem via Italy. When they arrived in Venice, they could not cope with the language and gave up this plan. They traveled back and worked again for a time with their old master in Munich. They left again here and immigrated to Berlin, where they again took work for a long time to fill up their wallet as always.

From Berlin, the company went home. The whole journey took four years. So Fritz Griem came back Christmas 1884 and celebrated the party in his parents' house in Todendorf. He could tell a lot, every night neighbors and people from the village came to hear. It can be assumed that the whole journey was made according to the custom of that time on Schuster's cattle. Soon after his return, Fritz Griem opened a carpentry shop in Hamburg-Barmbek, Stückenstraße. He took over carpentry work, received large orders and soon had 17 companions. Unfortunately he had to pay a hard lesson as a master. In the wild times, he fell into the hands of swindlers. He did not get a penny of money for a whole construction job and had to give up his business because of the debt.

Well, on occasion he met his apprentice Arps from Izstedt. Both had worked together on Convent Street. The workshop on Conventstrasse was able to take over Arps. Arps suggested that they take the business together, which was the case. They stayed together for a few years. Fritz married Anna, born Meier, from Hamburg. The carpentry had but too large expenses because of the two owners. Fritz resigned and, through the intermediary of his father-in-law, accepted a job for a clerk in Martini Street. Now he had a quiet life after a long, exhausting years. In 1925 he retired. Two years later he died. He left behind a son (Heinrich), currently Chief Financial Secretary in the Sudetenland. The daughter married the son of a gardener in Hamburg.

Family Adolf Griem 2. Adolf Griem, born on 17 February 1863, came after school at the same time in the plumbing apprenticeship to Master Voß in Reinfeld. But had to give up teaching after 17 weeks because of illness. His bed was in the basement and was very humid, resulting in permanent illness. After paying 100 marks distance, the master released him again. Adolf then stayed for 2 1/2 years on the paternal property in Todendorf. For this, his brother Heinrich spent 2 1/2 years in the foreign country to Wandsbek and this place changed the brothers after 2 1/2 years. Adolf stayed there for 4 years at Ahlers, now economy fright. Adolf then became a soldier at the Infantry Regiment 99 Strasbourg i.E .. After serving, he took position at Kraus, Hamburg Heidenkampweg, Petroleum Sales, as a coachman. He drove the car number 17 from 32 cars, which he drove until his departure in 1937 when he was 74 years old.

Adolf married Johanna Nefken from Todendorf, died 1931. The marriage spit out a daughter, Bertha, who is married to Wilhelm Kaphein, an employee at the HEW Hamburg. This daughter is now Adolf Griem, 80 years old.

 

3. Martin Griem, born on 05 November 1865, could not learn a business right after leaving school, due to weakness of his head. Took position in Wandsbek at a large merchant Möller position. There had to entertain the large garden, where he felt like the gardening profession. After 2 1/2 years he entered, on the advice of his father and breadwinner in the gardener apprenticeship at the Harlie art nursery in Hamburg-Barmbek. Because of his many previous knowledge and his advanced age, he learned only a year. Immediately after the apprenticeship he took up position in the nursery Matthiesen in Halstenbek and stayed there for 2 1/2 years. He was not only entrusted with the tree work, but also carried out the bookkeeping. Matthiesen won him a lot of trust and after a quarter of a year offered to buy Matthiesen the nursery from 13 tons of land. Matthiesen was also Certainly under pressure, he said something to the alcohol. Matthiesen demanded 22,000 marks and then sold for 20,000 marks. Martin Griem joined the nursery on February 1, 1891. A year later he married Clara, born Ruge, from Tesdorf, daughter of the farmer and restaurateur Ruge. The marriage sprang two daughters Alma and Agnes and the son Magnus.

4. Bertha Griem, born 21.05.1871, married to Fritz Scharnberg to Trittau, farmer there in the district Bells pool. Married in 1893 and died after a few years in 1900 at the Diphteritis. Her eldest son Gustav is now owner of the farm in Trittau. The second son is an employee of the wholesaler Ströh in Oldesloe. A daughter Bertha is married to Dwenger (Hammoor).

Life Overview

The times of my childhood and my youth are very different from today. 70, 80 years and more have gone there and left their mark. Progress in all areas, the environment has changed completely. In agriculture, the work has not become less but rather more; but it certainly has become easier with physical exertion. Devices and machines help us better than before.

The forks, for example, once had thick, short prongs that were also edgy, they were heavier and unwieldy. Now they are made of steel, slender, handy curly, with longer round prongs that penetrate easily into the fabric and go out easily. This makes for hours of work already from power saving. The shovel was once bulkier, heavier and rougher in the area, rust much easier. It was the same with Escher. Wooden blades are hardly known, they were mostly used to shovel grain. Now the grain is delivered soon after the harvest, so it does not need to be moved.

Actually, little has changed on the harness. The bakery box has disappeared completely. Cutting it was a laborious, time-consuming job that needed to be done after hours. The chipper cutting machine now has electric drive. The many stick and turnip beets are no longer bumped with the s-shaped hand chopper, but cut with the machine. Grain and grist mills also have electric drive. The mills are turned off during the war.

Consistently, all businesses that can do it, have fluent water in the kitchen. Cattle are served by self-drinkers. Even with the big laundry running water is a great help. In the last few years, it has become common knowledge that the big Hamburg companies Welscher and Tesdorp-Dahnke send their cars to the villages, the Hamburgers wash the laundry for the farmer. Who would have thought that 80 years ago? At that time, the buxom country girls washed the hamburgers' laundry. The filling of the large wash tank and the emptying is no longer hard work today.

The own Göpeldreschmaschinen are displaced by the Lohndreschmaschinen, which push off everything in few days. The bushwood and logs are crushed with the machine. It should be remembered that in my childhood until the 80s, the whole grain had to be knocked out with the flail during the winter.

In my childhood there were still wooden plow trees, the plows were einscharig. Then came iron plow trees with 2 and 3 droves, of which the two-shelled ones have best introduced. For some years before the war, there is the reversible plow, which has the advantage that you can plow a very even piece of land without which furrows. In this case, then the tail (the Wenner) did not kick so hard. As in the past, the harrows still have wooden beams next to the iron beams, the tines are made of steel instead of iron, and the harrows did not change much.

Seeders were previously found only on farms and large land agencies. Now almost every farmer sows grain and also turnips and other seeds with the machine. Other auxiliary machines have been added. The Potato Planting Machine: A plow with a pin wheel that makes the holes. The potatoes are thrown by hand into the holes and these are looped with the reverse harrow. The potato hacker has 5 tines and is pulled over the land with a horse. The horse must be guided so that it does not crush too many plants. The potato crop happens with a plow that has a two-winged pack. Then one has now the potato harvester, who raises the potatoes with a group and with a wheel throws them on the surface. The Roder must be pulled by two horses. The amount of spin is so high that 8 collectors have to do to pick up the potatoes.

For years, every better farm has a mower with a self-tie. Of course, now in war, the yarn is very close. The beet chopper needs a pre-chopper, which loosens the areas between the rows and lifts the weeds out. Between the plants must be tightened with a hand chipper. This machine is a reisser that makes three rows simultaneously. He can be pulled by a horse.

Progress is also the manure management. We have a brick septic tank and a metal jumbo wagon for two horses, which holds 1000 liters. The pit is set up for 50,000 liters, so we can make 50 loads.

The concrete ceiling of the pit is at the same time the floor for the newly built chicken coop. The poultry breeding is indeed significantly increased in the past. We used to keep 20 chickens, now it's probably 100 pieces. Even with the next generation of poultry, the incubator starts, which works conscientiously with chickens, ducks and geese. One hears, however, that many machines are overheated and thereby burns the brood. The plant of the village as a scattered settlement makes it quite suitable for poultry farming, everyone lives on his property and does not bother his neighbors with it, the poultry plague has everyone from their own livestock. The chickens, for example, live more freely, can search for herbs and creeping at will; which gives the eggs a great deal of flavor. The Todendorfer eggs are therefore popular in the whole area far beyond Hamburg and famous. The fact that everyone lives on his property also saves a lot of time driving away.

The cattle stock has nearly doubled in the past, besides the manure which is doubled in quantity by it is still consumed considerable artificial fertilizer. Without artificial fertilizer, agriculture is unimaginable. Potassium phosphate for field and pasture land and after growth nitrogen as topical fertilizer.

The pig breeding as a sales whine, which was a profitable business before the First World War, is no longer common today. The amount of domestic slaughter has increased as a result of the higher level of life. People doubled since 1870. You do not sell as many hams as you did then, you eat them yourself.

The state of clothing of mankind has raised quite considerably in the past, as has the furnishings of the home. Who used to know a carpet in the room, it was sand strewn. As curtains you knew only short traps with Klunker. Instead of the blue linen coats and preferably wooden slippers, one wears fashion dresses and fashion suits, barely distinguishable from city clothing. Instead of the short pipe or the cigar, the farmer smokes cigarettes today.

In retrospect, we can say: the improvement of the equipment, the many help of the machines, including the above-forgotten tractor and engine plow, despite the increase of cattle, poultry, increase the fertilizer economy and also the amenities that the farmer plowing, sowing, mowing and Harken, the work has become not less but more, but also more profitable. It is more versatile and needs to be reconsidered. Prudence and oversight demand a much higher mental activity, no less of physical labor. It must not be forgotten that the machines themselves must also be serviced. The worries and troubles are still enough today. The spiritual enjoyment, however, is higher in value. At present there is a great lot of people, peasants and peasant women must be the first in everything, the war affects the whole life of the people.

Conclusion

We are now nearing the end of our work. In 3 x 4 1/2 hours we have done it. We have brought together almost 2 centuries of family history and yet it has remained only a piece and that can not be otherwise. Everything is brought from an 85-year-old head, because the ancestors have almost nothing written down.

Let's switch on here, that ANTON Möller did not know about the art of writing. He drew his hand-drawn cross and confirmed it; for around 1778 only a quarter of all Todendorfers could read and write. How should they keep records. It would not have been much different with Christian and Christine. However, from Johann we have copies that show a good quick handwriting.

Now back to our work. She had to be made quick because of limited time. Therefore, it was unavoidable that all sorts of careless mistakes came in. The process was like this: Heinrich told a piece and we then considered together how it is best written in writing. Finally, everything was written down with the pen. (Johann had to write with the goose quill, which he bred himself, or with the turkey feather, he probably knew hardly a steel spring.) Many a sentence could have been built differently, it would have had to be cut and filed; but by the way had to be done village book work of other kind, reports are taken by tourists, etc .. Everything was taken part-time, interspersed with the news of the grisly war.

Before we conclude another word to the contemporaries and to the descendants. Our guide has started this village book work and family history and inspired in the villages. He wanted to give workers, peasants and civil servants as well as artisans what our upper class has had and cultivates for centuries: intellectual property and attitude, to awaken pride, to be and to be something. He wants city and country people to be the same, that everyone retains their individuality, none is less, put an end to the stupid peasant, who is not taken for full by the city dwellers. The entire country people are responsible for the preservation of the city, the revitalization of the blood and food. Every farmer, cat, artisan or worker should have his story, so that he is self-evident for a long time and can benefit and benefit from the experiences of the ancients.

On the farm is the old oak

As a symbol of strength and perseverance, under which many owners may have played child and later in the storm of life and weather found an example and remained firm and strong when the temptation approached it. It did not need to blush before the story, nothing is wasted or sloppy.

Now write about the cooing of the pigeons, the laying of the chickens, the lambing of the sheep, the calving of the cows or the foal of the horses. There is to report from the grain, from the meadow growth, from the garden and also from the weather. The old teacher in Hammoor faithfully wrote down the weather from 1798 to 1832 in his chronicle. He has also reported about bees and fires, about war in the world. Just do not be scared, no chronicle has suffered because too much was written.

Above all, do not forget the housewife, who is always diligent, industrious, caring, who takes care of everything, who keeps everything invisible, who, when it's all over, sits down and mends the stuff of the brats. There is no time to be ill. She has to look after all, she does not forget.
But the housewife can also do her part, as Marie b. Diestel already in 1940 communicated to the village book, as around the year 1900, the cake baking by Mrs. Riss came to Todendorf. Many Todendorfers have become little sweetmouths through this cultural achievement.

Do not wait and think there is still time. Our grandfather is also just starting, as he was over 85 years old. At least every month you have to enroll. The notebooks with day and year denote.

If you think, now comes the end, then still something is missing. You also have to look over the whole farmer's place. Sometimes dark clouds pull over the village and over our house together, a thunderstorm seems to come up, it becomes quiet and uncanny, a feeling of fear sets in. The friend Hein has come and takes you a soul from your midst. But already shows a bright streak, it clears up. Somewhere from the chamber one hears a thin moaning voice, the sun is shining again, everything has become light, warmth is on the minds. You hear it clearly, this bright little voice. A little child has arrived, perhaps even a heir to the throne.
And again, joy and life is on the whole farm and the years go on, decades, centuries. The change remains, but attitude and nature must be constant.

The peculiarity of our Low German tribe is the Low German language. We have the duty to protect and care for them. She is as good as the High German, but much older and much more beautiful and heartfelt as tribal. Try to translate this chronicle into Low German and you will see how beautiful it is, how much better it fits our nature. Buy good Low German books: Storm, Reuter, Fehrs, Kienau, Bringmann, etc., they are all so cheap.

Just as the field is plowed, planted, sown and harvested, this family estate is also to be looked after; if the harvest does not always turn out as desired, that's fate, we have to hope and be satisfied.

All this is written down to the ancestors in honor, contemporaries and descendants. Now let the house Griemsche home and refuge at any time.

Todendorf, in March 1943 in the 4th year of war

signed Heinrich Griem