In last week’s installment of my Luxembourg source project, I
presented the obituary of Balthasar STROESSER; this week I present
that of his wife, Anna KAYSER. It, too, was found at the digitized newspaper archives at the Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg.
I find it
interesting to note historic political forces at work in these
articles expressed through the subtle means of language. Baltasar’s
obituary, in 1939, is in French, and the entire newspaper is
bilingual. Anna’s, just a few years later in 1941, is in German, as
is the entire newspaper. At this time, Luxembourg’s press was under
the control of the occupying Nazis.
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| This was trimmed from the original at Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg. |
Transcription:
Es hat Gott dem Allmächtigen gefallen unsere innigstgeliebte Mutter, Schwiegermutter, Schwester, Schwägerin, Tante und KusineFrau Witwe Balthasar STROESSERgeb. Anna KAYSERzu sich zu nehmen. Sie starb plötzlich und unerwartet in Esch/Alz. Am 4. Dezember, gegen 3 Uhr nachmittags, wohlversehen mit den hl. Sterbesakramenten im Alter von 61 Jahren.Das Begräbnis findet statt am Sonntag, dem 7. Dezember, um 3 Uhr 15, ab Sterbehaus Luxemburgerstrasse 40 nach dem Friedhof Lallingen.Der Leichendienst findet statt am Montag, dem 8. Dezember, um 10 Uhr.In tiefer Trauer: Herr Eduard Stroesser; Herr Marzel Stroesser u. Frau geb. Mia Kieffer; die Familien Nik. Roth-Kayser, Jos. Kayser-Stemper u. Kinder, Frau J. P. Kayser-Kayser, Frau Seb. Kayser-Dams u. Kinder, Pet. Heymans-Stroesser u. Kinder; die Familien Kayser, Ries, Bock und alle Anverwandten.Esch/Alz., Rambruch, den 5. Dezember 1941.
Translation:
God the Almighty has taken our beloved mother, mother-in-law, sister, sister-in-law, aunt and cousinMrs. Widow Balthasar STROESSERnée Anna KAYSERShe died suddenly and unexpectedly in Esch/Alz on December 4th, about 3:00 P.M., well provided with holy Last Sacraments at the age of 61.The funeral will take place on Sunday, December 7, at 3:15, from the mortuary [21 July 2015 correction: place of death--Thank you to the Unknown commentator below!] 40 Luxembourg Street to the Lallange cemetery.The funeral service will take place on Monday, December 8, at 10:00.In deep mourning: Mr. Eduard Stroesser; Mr. Marzel Stroesser and wife born Mia Kieffer; the family of Nik. Roth-Kayser, Jos. Kayser-Stemper and children, Mrs. J. P. Kayser-Kayser, Mrs. Seb. Kayser-Dams and children, Pet. Heymans-Stroesser and children; the Kayser, Ries, and Bock families and all relatives.Esch/Alz., Rambrouch, the 5 December 1941.
Like that of her
husband, Anna KAYSER’s
obituary provides a wealth of information. We learn not only the date
and place of her death and burial, but are able to fill in more
information on other members of her family.
The Edy STROESSER of
Balthasar’s obituary has become Eduard STROESSER, and Marcel STROESSER has become
Marzel STROESSER, one through the use of diminutives and one presumably through
the change from French to German. We see that since his father’s
death in 1939, Marcel has married someone named Mia KIEFFER.
The
various KAYSER families listed are presumably Anna’s
siblings and their spouses. The HEYMANS-STROESSER family is her
sister-in-law’s
family, as I mentioned in last week’s post.
Anna
KAYSER’s
mother’s maiden name,
according to Balthasar and Anna’s marriage certificate, was RIES,
which explains
the presence of the RIES family in the list. I don’t
know who the BOCK family was, however. Nor am I likely to solve that
mystery any time soon, as Anna is not in my direct line, so I am not
inclined to spend much time in the search.
Another obituary, this one in the Luxemburger Wort, provides much the same information.
Another obituary, this one in the Luxemburger Wort, provides much the same information.
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| Trimmed from the original at Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg. |
Transcription:
Am 4. Dezember verschied in Esch-Alz., im Alter von 61 Jahren, wohlversehen mit den hl. Sterbesakramenten, unsere innigstgeliebte Mutter, Schwiegermutter, Schwester, Schwägerin, Tante u. KusineFrau Witwe Balthasar STROESSERgeb. Anna KAYSERBegräbnis in Esch-Alz., Sonntag, den 7. Dezember, um 3 Uhr, ab Luxemburger Straße 40, nach dem Friedhof Lallingen. Leichendienst am Montag, den 8. Dez., um 10 Uhr.In tiefer Trauer: Herr Eduard Stroesser; Herr Marzell Stroesser und Frau, geb. Mia Kieffer; die Familien Nik. Roth-Kayser, Jos. Kayser-Stemper, J. P. Kayser-Kayser, Seb. Kayser-Dams, Peter Heymans-Stroesser, Kayser, Ries, Bock und alle Anverwandten.Esch-Alz., Rambruch, den 5. Dezember 1941.
Translation:
Died on December 4 in Esch-Alz., at the age of 61 years, well provided with the holy Last Sacraments, our beloved mother, mother-in-law, sister, sister-in-law, aunt and cousinMrs. Widow Balthasar STROESSERnée Anna KAYSERFuneral in Esch-Alz., Sunday, December 7, at 3:00, from Luxemburger Street 40, to the Lallange cemetery. Funeral service on Monday, December 8, at 10:00.In deep mourning: Mr. Eduard Stroesser; Mr. Marzell Stroesser and wife, born Mia Kieffer; the families of Nik. Roth-Kayser, Jos. Kayser-Stemper, J. P. Kayser-Kayser, Seb. Kayser-Dams, Peter Heymans-Stroesser, Kayser, Ries, Bock and all relatives.Esch-Alz., Rambrouch, December 5, 1941.
Like her husband, Anna KAYSER appeared again in the newspaper a while later, when her family gave thanks for sympathy and condolences.
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| Trimmed from the original at Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg. |
Transcription:
DANKSAGUNGDa es uns unmöglich ist, allen unseren Verwandten, Freunden und Bekannten persönlich zu danken für die vielen Beweise herzlicher Teilnahme beim Tode unserer unvergesslichen Mutter, Schwiegermutter, Schwester Schwägerin, Tante und KusineFrau Witwe Balthasar STROESSERgeb. Anna KAYSERsprechen wir hiermit allen unseren tiefgefühlten und wärmsten Dank aus.Besonderen Dank für die vielen schönen Kranz- und Blumenspenden.Die Sechswochenmesse wird durch Stillmessen ersetzt.Die trauernde Familie.Esch, den 15. Januar 1942
Translation:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSSince it is impossible for us to personally thank all our relatives, friends and acquaintances for the many proofs of heartfelt participation in the death of our unforgettable mother, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, aunt and cousinMrs. Widow Balthasar STROESSERnée Anna KAYSERwe speak here all our heartfelt and warmest thanks.A special thanks for the many beautiful wreath and flower contributions.The six-week Mass is replaced by still Mass [?]The grieving family.Esch, January 15, 1942.
This article of acknowledgement is rather less informative than that of Balthasar STROESSER. None of the survivors are mentioned by name.
You will note that in my translation I was puzzled by the phrase “Die
Sechswochenmesse wird durch Stillmessen ersetzt.” The six-week Mass, or Sechswochenmesse being replaced is apparently the one mentioned in Balthasar’s obituary, but the “Stillmessen” replacing it failed to appear in my German-English dictionary. Google Translate called it a “still fair,” which made no sense at all.
I am somewhat familiar with Roman Catholic funeral customs, having been Catholic my entire life, but I must admit I have never heard of anything that I could imagine translating into “still Mass.” A preliminary search on the internet also leaves me clueless. I wonder whether it is something that Vatican II changed, or if it is perhaps a local custom.
Sources:
“Frau Witwe Balthasar STROESSER,” Escher Tageblatt, 15 Dec 1941, p. 6, col. 1; digital images, Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg (www.eluxemburgesia.lu : accessed 21 Oct 2012), Digitized by the National Library of Luxembourg, www.eluxemburgensia.lu.
“Frau Witwe Balthasar STROESSER,” Luxemburger Wort, 5 Dec 1941, p. 6, col. 1; digital images, Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg (www.eluxemburgesia.lu : accessed 15 Nov 2014), Digitized by the National Library of Luxembourg, www.eluxemburgensia.lu.
“Danksagung: Frau Witwe Balthasar Stroesser,” Escher Tageblatt, 15 Jan 1942, p. 6, col. 1; digital images, Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg (www.eluxemburgesia.lu : accessed 15 Nov 2014), Digitized by the National Library of Luxembourg, www.eluxemburgensia.lu.
“Frau Witwe Balthasar STROESSER,” Luxemburger Wort, 5 Dec 1941, p. 6, col. 1; digital images, Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg (www.eluxemburgesia.lu : accessed 15 Nov 2014), Digitized by the National Library of Luxembourg, www.eluxemburgensia.lu.
“Danksagung: Frau Witwe Balthasar Stroesser,” Escher Tageblatt, 15 Jan 1942, p. 6, col. 1; digital images, Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg (www.eluxemburgesia.lu : accessed 15 Nov 2014), Digitized by the National Library of Luxembourg, www.eluxemburgensia.lu.
Hi
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to add a little comment since i was just translating a luxembourg obituary notice. In the post for Anna KAYSER, it is printed "ab Sterbehaus Luxemburgerstrasse 40 nach dem Friedhof Lallingen."
In your translation you put "from the mortuary 40 Luxembourg Street to the Lallange cemetery."
However Sterbehaus if broken down is Sterben Haus which is House of Death, ie the house the person died in, which is not necessarily a mortuary. In most cases it would be the home of the person. So i think the translation should be;
"from the place of death, 40 Luxembourg Street to the ..."
This is also good for a possible indication of the person's last address.
Hope this helps.
Thank you very much! I am very much an amateur and have absolutely no formal training in German, so I greatly appreciate corrections and comments. (Especially when they are made so politely!) It does indeed help, and I will make the appropriate adjustments in my files.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had some formal training as well, my English is fluent, French passable, but my German 'ist nicht sehr gut'. I thank you, I wish i had found your site awhile ago before i threw myself into this quagmire of Luxembourgian ancestory!
ReplyDelete