Home Genealogy People Places Anthes History page 2 Gravestones Documents When Antje was a year and a half old, Liselotte and her daughter joined Karl-Wilhelm in Lübeck, where he was in training. They went swimming and her husband swam out to a boat with Antje. He lifted Antje into the boat and she liked it very much. The next day while Liselotte was doing needlework on the beach she heard a great commotion. Antje had tried to walk out to the boat. Bystanders were very upset and scolded Liselotte for her negligence and she never did needlework on the beach again. Liselotte continued at the textile wholesale association until 1942, a year before her daughter Hilke was born. Liselotte's husband heard that land, with permission to build houses on it, was available in Wedel/Holstein, a suburb of Hamburg. When they went to investigate they learned that all but one lot had been sold. It was a 1,200 square meter plot (18% more than a quarter acre) and cost 1.30 Reichmarks per square meter for a total of 1,560 Reich marks. Although he had only 100 Reichmarks and a  stamp collection that he sold, Karl-Wilhelm said he would take it sight unseen. When they went to look at it, they found the entire area was a large asparagus field with nothing else on it. While Karl-Wilhelm was away on his military service Liselotte worked to pay-off the loan. In July 1943 during the fire-bombing of Hamburg, while her husband was away in the army, their apartment was badly damaged by British bombs. Liselotte took her children, Antje and Hilke, to live with her husband's sister Irmgard in Iserlohn in the Sauerland. Irmgard was married to a Lutheran Pastor, Heinz Lehrbaß, and they lived in the Pastor's residence for the remainder of the war. Her youngest daughter, Geesche, was born in Iserlohn. After the war ended, they returned to Hamburg in July 1945. The trip took four days partly by train, partly by truck and partly on foot. Antje walked with her father, Liselotte had Geesche in a baby carriage and carried Hilke. Antje was five years old and remembers walking across the Elbe-bridge into Hamburg and they had to jump over the bomb holes in the bridge. Now this trip would take about four hours by car. Refugees from East Prussia had moved into the ruins of their apartment and had made it barely habitable. Liselotte, Karl-Wilhelm and the children lived in this apartment until 1947, when they moved to Wedel and built a house on the plot they had bought before the war. Hamburg was virtually destroyed by bombing and the house was built largely of rubble Liselotte's father collected from Hamburg, ca. 30 kilometers away. Times were even more difficult than the last days of the war, with little food and other necessities available. Her husband obtained a job in the Health Ministry through a friend in his sailing club under the condition he joined the Social Democrat Party (ideologically similar to the American Demoncrat party). Later through the Health Ministry he learned that a concession for the "Kantine" (restaurant) at the Hamburg- Rissen hospital was available. He obtained the concession and operated the Kantine until his death. After 31 years of marriage Karl-Wilhelm divorced Liselotte for another woman. He kept the Kantine and their yacht "Lilo" and signed his share of the house and part of his pension over to Liselotte. After only eighteen months he left his second wife to live with a woman the same age as his daughter Antje. Generation 2 Carl Heinrich Reinhold Anthes was born on the 18^th of February 1886 in Hamburg- Rothenburgsort, Germany. He died on the 4^th of February 1966 in Wedel/Holstein, Germany. His parents were Reinhold August Heinrich Anthes and Mathilde Kusche. He married Ida Erna Agnes Christiane Burmeister on the 9^th of March 1915 in St. Johannes Kirche, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany. He was baptized on the 24^th of March 1889 in Hamburg, Germany and was buried in 1966 at Ohlsdorf Cemetery in Hamburg, Ida Erna Agnes Christiane Burmeister was born the 20th of July 1886 in Güstrow, Germany and died the 28th of January 1921 in Hamburg, Germany. She was the daughter of Friedrich Philipp Johann Heinrich Burmeister and Louise Wilhelmine Johanna Lemke. She was baptized on the 29^th of August 1886, in Güstrow Cathedral, Germany and her confirmation was on the 29^th of August 1901, in Schwaan, Germany. Ida’s father, Friedrich Philipp Johann Heinrich Burmeister was born on the 9^th of October 1857 in Mierkow bei Teterow, Germany. He died 1931 in Zaatzke bei Wittstock, Germany. He was the son of Christian Friedrich Johann Christoph Burmeister and Louise Sophia Johanna Ruckhöft. He married Louise Wilhelmine Johanna Lemke. He was baptized on the 18th of October 1857 in Mierkow bei Teterow, Germany. He was a Master tile maker and tile factory owner. Carl Heinrich Reinhold Anthes was known as Reinhold. At the age of 14, after only eight years of schooling, his father died and he obtained a job as a cowherd. About two years later, at the earliest possible age, he joined the dragoons. After a three- year training period he went into the service of his Rittmeister (a captain of cavalry in the dragoons) at his large estate. Reinhold's daughter Liselotte believes this was still as military service, but it may have been in a private capacity.  It was here in ca. 1904 that he met his future wife, Ida Erna Agnes Christiane Burmeister. Ida was about 18 years old and employed to care for the Rittmeister's children. Ida and Reinhold were married in 1915. Ida had a hole between two chambers of her heart that could have been properly diagnosed and corrected had she lived sixty years later. She went to an expensive "cure" in Bad Nauheim, Hessen, but with the state of medicine at that time it was to no avail.   In 1916, shortly after her daughter Liselotte was born, the condition worsened and for the last years of her life she was an invalid confined to bed. She had to send her three-month-old daughter to her parents in Zaatzke in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Reinhold nursed Ida and did all of the housework until her death on the 28^th of January 1921 at the age of only 35. Reinhold married his second wife, Anna Josephine Petersen, a few days more than seven months after Ida's death, and brought his daughter home from Zaatzke. He never spoke of Ida to Liselotte, nor displayed pictures. Liselotte believes this was to avoid undermining Liselotte's relationship with her stepmother. Liselotte did not know what her father did between 1904 and the time when World War I broke out in 1914. Since he had reached the rank of Feldwebel (sergeant), he was probable in the dragoons during this time. On 26 August 1914 two Russian armies invaded German East Prussia under the command of Generals P.K. Rennenkampf, and General A.V. Samsonov. Rennenkampf was successful at Gumbinnen on August the 20^th, but lost contact with Samsonov. The German Lieutenant Colonel Max Hoffmann made a battle plan used by generals Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff, to concentrate their entire forces against the isolated army of Samsonov near Uzdowo, slightly south of Tannenberg in East Prussia. It became part of Poland at the end of World War II. Reinhold arrived at his cavalry unit after the horses had already been assigned. Only three, that no one wanted, were left. The one he selected was not very good looking, but Reinhold developed a close relationship with this animal and always said it was a true friend that never let him down and stayed with him through "thick and thin". Reinhold was shot off of his horse in a cavalry charge in 1914 at the Battle of Tannenberg. His horse stayed with him while he lay wounded on the ground. Later, in the same battle, this same horse was shot dead from under Reinhold. He cried at the loss of what he regarded as his best friend. Reinhold was decorated with the Iron Cross 1st Class for gallantry at the Battle of Tannenberg. In World War II this decoration was handed out rather liberally, but in World War I it was awarded only for acts of extreme valor. Of all animals Reinhold loved horses the most, next birds and finally dogs. Samsonov retreated after losing about half of his army. The Germans captured 92,000 prisoners. On 29 August 1914 General Samsonov shot himself. By the end of the Battle on 30 August 1914 the Russians suffered another 30,000 killed or wounded, and the Germans suffered a total of 13,000 casualties. The Russians lost almost an entire army, 400 cannons and other material in this crushing defeat of its premature invasion of German Prussia. But the Germans had to divert troops from the Champagne district of France, where Willy Schumann was killed in battle and his grave cannot be found. Carl Heinrich Reinhold Anthes and Willi Schumann were both grandfathers of Antje Schumann, who was born 26 years after the battle of Tannenberg. Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn described the Battle of Tannenberg in detail, in his book “August 1914”. Tannenberg was the site of another historic battle on the 15^th of July 1410, also known as the battle of Grünfelde or Grünwald. This was a resounding Polish-Lithuanian victory over the Knights of the Teutonic Order. This battle ended the Teutonic order's expansion along the southeastern Baltic Sea coast and began the decline of its power. Polish and Lithuanian troops marched toward the order's stronghold, Marienburg, and the forces met between the villages of Grünfelde and Tannenberg. The Teutonic order defeated the Lithuanians, but Polish forces were not broken. After a 10-hour battle, the Teutonic order was crushed. Its grand master, most of its commanders, and 205 knights were killed. Many Prussian castles surrendered to the Polish-Lithuanian armies. Heinrich Reuss von Plauen defended Marienburg and did not surrender. The Polish- Lithuanian army withdrew in September 1410. When World War I ended, Germany was in a severe state of depression, with rampant inflation, and remained so almost to the beginning of World War II. Reinhold got a job as a postman, and later as an employee in the city of Hamburg Finance Ministry. He rose to Ministry of Finance Official, which guaranteed employment for life ending with a generous pension. To become an official at that time required becoming a member of the Nazi party. He retained this position until the end of World War II in 1945. After the war someone said Reinhold caused a Jew to lose his job denounced him. He retained his status as an official, but without pay and lost his pension. Reinhold claimed this was not true and fought this decision in the courts. Witnesses came forward to testify that Reinhold had attempted to help this person by strongly advising him it was dangerous to complain about the Nazis. It was testified that Reinhold had in fact helped a number of Jews. Finally after three years Reinhold won his case in the courts, was exonerated and his pension was restored. During the beginning of his three year legal battle Reinhold gathered rubble from the virtually destroyed Hamburg, as building material for his daughter Liselotte's house. Because of the housing shortage people with houses or apartments were required by the government to rent rooms. Reinhold rented a room to Dr. Leyers, who was there only about once a month. Dr. Leyers was an official of the Haruschco Versicherungsstelle für Prüfung und Treuhandstelle, which was closely associated with the Gerling Insurance Concern. Dr. Leyers and Reinhold played chess together and became friends. Dr. Leyers arranged that Reinhold obtained a job as messenger at Haruschco, but he could not rise higher considering his position as a denounced Nazi. After Reinhold won his legal battle and was exonerated, he rose to Prokurist in Haruschco. A Prokurist is a top-level company officer empowered to act and represent the company in any capacity, including signing documents financially committing the company. This was quite an achievement for a boy orphaned with eight years of schooling, who began as a cowherd. In 1949 Haruschco chose Reinhold to establish an office in Wiesbaden. Three months later, after the office was operational, he decided to return to his family in Hamburg. Reinhold retired from Haruschco in 1963 at the age of 77. He died three years later on 4 February 1966 in Wedel, just across the Hamburg border in Schleswig-Holstein, and is buried at Ohlsdorf cemetery in Hamburg. Generation No. 3 Reinhold August Heinrich Anthes was born on the 5^th of September 1856 in Frohnhausen, Germany, then in Prussia. He died on the 23^rd of February 1900 in Hamburg, Germany, of lead poisoning. He was the son of Heinrich Wilhelm Anthes and Emma Karoline Wilhelmine Theodore Dresler. He married Mathilde Kusche on the 1^st of February 1881 in Hamburg, Germany. Mathilde Kusche was born on the 25^th of September 1857 in Wandsbeck, Germany, now in Hamburg and died on the 16^th of August 1940 in Hamburg, Germany. She was the daughter of Heinrich David Kusche and Eleanore Sophia Elisabeth Bernhard. Reinhold August Heinrich Anthes was only one year old when his father died and his two siblings were much older. Like his father, his older brother and the husband of his older sister were all Lutheran Pastors. His father's will had the provision that they must care for their younger brother and provide for his education. Although the siblings inherited their wealthy Uncle Ludwig's estate, they failed to fulfill this obligation and this embittered Reinhold and his children against the church. Reinhold was not mentioned in Uncle Ludwig's will. Since he was much younger than his siblings and it is possible he was not born when the will was written. Reinhold left home after his mother died, with no professional training, intending to immigrate to America. He walked ca. 500 km to the harbor city of Hamburg to board a ship to America. But he met Matilde Kusche and this ended his journey to America. Reinhold and Mathilde were married in a civil ceremony on the 1^st of February 1881 and in a Lutheran ceremony at St. Georg's Church in Hamburg. Mathilde Kusche was baptized on the 18^th of October 1857, in Hamburg, Wandsbeck, Germany and buried in 1940 in Ohlsdorf Cemetery, in Hamburg. Seven years later, on 25 September 1888 Reinhold August Heinrich Anthes, his wife Mathilde Kusche and their four children were accepted as citizens of the free city- state of Hamburg. The certificate was signed by Senator M. L. Möring as chief of the Aufsichtsbehörde für die Standesämter. Reinhold worked as a type setter and died at the age of 44, on the 23^rd of February 1900, of lead poisoning. This was a common occupational hazard in the printing industry. For the last eight years of his life he was an invalid confined to his bed. His son was only six years old when he fell ill and knew his father only as an invalid. When the family asked Reinhold's siblings for help, one of whom was a Lutheran pastor and the other married to a Lutheran pastor, the only help offered was the advice: "Trust in God and all will be well." Reinhold August Heinrich Anthes was buried in 1900 at Ohlsdorf Cemetery, Hamburg, Germany. If Mathilde Kusche had lived forty more days she would have died at the age of 83. She lived long enough to know she would have a great-grand child, but not long enough to see Antje Schumann, who was born two months and sixteen days after her death. Children of Reinhold Anthes and Mathilde Kusche: 1- Bertha Christine Frida Anthes, born on the 24^th of September 1882 2- Reinhold Hugo Eduard Anthes, born on the 23^rd of May 1884 3- Carl Heinrich Reinhold Anthes, born on the 18^th of February 1886 4- Emma Anthes, born on the 8^th of April 1888 5- Matilde Anthes, born in February 1899 Generation No. 4 Heinrich Wilhelm Anthes was born the 23^rd of June 1821 in Idstein, Germany and died on the 19^th of March 1857 in Frohnhausen, Germany, then in Prussia. He was the son of Johann Adam Anthes and Polyxena Katherine Ernestine Löhr. He married Emma Karoline Wilhelmine Theodore Dresler on the 15^th of May 1847 in Weilburg, Germany. She was born on the 8^th of November 1828 in Haiger and died on the 20^th of November 1872 in Wetzlar. She was the daughter of Heinrich Carl Theodor Dresler and Maria Philippina Bernhammer. Heinrich Wilhelm Anthes was buried on the 22^nd of March 1857in Frohnhausen, Germany, then in Prussia. He was a Lutheran Pastor and resided in Frohnhausen, Germany, then in Prussia. Heinrich Anthes and Emma Dresler were married on the 15^th  of May 1847 in Weilburg, Germany. She was buried on the 22^nd of November 1872 in Wetzlar.  Children of Heinrich Anthes and Emma Dresler: 1- Reinhold August Heinrich Anthes, born on the 5^th of September 1856 in Frohnhausen, Germany, then in Prussia and died on the 23^rd of February 1900 in Hamburg, Germany of lead poisoning. He married Mathilde Kusche on the 1^st of February 1881 in Hamburg, Germany. 2- Eduard Anthes was Lutheran Pastor. 3- Bertha Anthes married Spiess, who was a Lutheran Pastor. Generation No. 5 Johann Adam Anthes was born on the 9^th of October 1788 in Kronberg, Germany and died on the 19^th of May 1843 in Kronberg, Germany. He was the son of Gottfried Anthes and Margaretha Elisabetha Henrichin. He married Polyxena Katherine Ernestine Löhr on the 10^th of October 1810 in Weilburg, Germany. He was baptized on the 12^th of October 1788 in Kronberg, Germany. He was a seminar teacher and organist. Polyxena Katherine Ernestine Löhr (previously spelled Lehr) was born on the 22^nd of September 1785 in Weilburg, Germany and died on the 10^th of May 1839 in Idstein, Germany. She was the daughter of Johann Peter Conrad Lehr and Anna Catherina Biedekäpper.  She was baptized on the 24^th of September 1785 in Weilburg, Germany. Children of Johann Anthes and Polyxena Löhr 1. Heinrich Wilhelm Anthes, born the 23^rd of June 1821 in Idstein, Germany and died on the 19th of March 1857 in Frohnhausen, Germany, then in Prussia. He married Emma Karoline Wilhelmine Theodore Dresler on the 15^th of May 1847 in Weilburg, Germany. 2. Ludwig Anthes  was a judge Home Genealogy People Places Gravestones Documents Previous