Ferdinand’s Wheeling and Dealing
Klopp Family Tree
Chart I – II
On the basis of daughter Victoria Luise’s birth in 1910 at Kriewen (today Polish Krzwin about 15 km southeast of Koscian) one can safely assume that after two years Ferdinand managed to lease another dairy or mill. Never resting he finally succeeded in squeezing his eldest brother and family out of the house in Wolmirstedt. However, he did not use the property for himself, but rented it out, until he eventually sold it to the neighboring print shop Adolf Grenzau between 1912 and 1914. In 1914 the Ferdinand Klopp family dwelled in Elsterwerda, Brandenburg, where his fifth daughter Else Meta was born. It was rumored that Ferdinand bought agricultural property in that region.
Elsterwerda, Brandenburg – Photo Credit: wikipedia.org
At the beginning of WWI in 1914 Ferdinand was drafted into the army. With the rank of a sergeant he earned the Iron Cross. On a photograph of October 10, 1915 he is described as a pilot of the Third Company, Aviation Department 6 in Großenhain. Whether he was actually promoted to the rank of an officer could not be determined by the author of the Klopp family chronicles, Eberhard Klopp.
Großenhain – Photo Credit: wikipedia.org
At the end of WWI Ferdinand was in possession of considerable amounts of money due to any of the following circumstances. Mother Emma was known for her financial generosity, the army may have provided funds as part of the decommissioning process, Ferdinand may have received compensation for his lost properties in West Prussia, which now had become part of Poland, last but not least the sale of his Wolmirstedt house may have added a significant amount to his bank account. A decisive factor in his systematic and hard-nosed isolation of his eldest brother Friedrich can be traced back to his insane penchant for revenge by the impulsive and irascible Ferdinand.
‘Coffee’ Mill at Elbeu – Photo Credit: wikipedia.org
In Elbeu, where he – so it is said – acquired ‘estates’ in 1919, the sixth and last daughter, Rosel, was born on November 16, 1919. As a matter of fact, Ferdinand and his younger brother Wilhelm (1886-1937) got together on a joint business venture. Wilhelm, who likewise returned for his lost properties in the eastern provinces to Wolmirstedt and had bought a new house in Elbeu, arranged for the purchase of the inn ‘Brauner Hirsch’ (Brown Elk). The author of the Klopp Chronicles, which I am translating at least to a large part in this blog, stated that on his visit of the region in 1990 he viewed a derelict guesthouse run by the GDR trade organization (HO) on the road to Magdeburg. In 1932 the pub had become the scene of a ‘brotherly’ altercation, which resulted in a murder charge and will be the topic of next Thursday’s post.
The Peter and Gertrud Klopp Family 
Absolutely fascinating Peter… What a colourful story and it gets better…a murder charge next…? Ah Happy Families…lovely photos to support your story and thoughtfully written as ever… Thank you my friend! I am interested in the shifting of borders between Germany and Poland over the years and how it affects everyday life i.e. We have 2 words for potato in Polish, ziemniak and kartofel… That says it all! What an amazing family history and a lovely old mill… 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Kartoffel is the German word for potato. Did you know that I was born in Znin and spoke Polish, which I learned from my father’s secretary in Zlotniki. You may wish to check it out on the earlier chapters of my autobiography ‘The P. and G. Klopp Story’. Oh yes the tragic story of the shifting borders. The Soviet Union kept the eastern parts of Poland after the war and drove out the Polish people living there and settled them in the eastern provinces of Germany east of the Oder River and drove out in turn millions of Germans, my family being one of them. But at least there is peace now in the entire region and people are free to travel.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Crumbs…how fascinating Peter, I will check out your earlier chapters, i dziekuje bardzo za te ciekawe informacje mój przyjaciel! My polish is pretty rusty now as I do not use it that often anymore, although I spoke nothing but Polish at home between the ages of 1 to 5 and was sent at 11 to a Polish convent boarding school in Northampton where we did Polish language, history, geography, and formed a touring polish choir and dance group that toured all the big Polish communities and entertained with singing and dancing. I have family living still in Poland mainly in Augustów, north east Mazurian Lakes right on the Russian border. It is very beautiful. My mother’s family were from Lwów, and were deported by the Soviets to Siberia.They got out when the Polish free Army was forming in southern Russia and then Kazakhstan etc with the help of the British. My parents met in the Polish army, got engaged in Egypt and married in Loreto, Italy after the battle of Monte Casino. After the war they came to Britain, leaving family in a soviet controlled Poland…Much movement and heartache here and my parents did not like talking about their experiences in Siberia, but they relished the camaraderie within the army, making life long friends. Oops, I have got carried away now…yes indeed peace in the region now, after so much turbulence. Fascinating…I could talk/ write for ever…😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your reply reads like the summary of a great autobiography, biography and family history yet to be written. I know nobody more qualified than you, dear friend. This is something you should seriously consider doing, a task in itself satisfying and rewarding, but once accomplished your family will be forever grateful to you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you my friend. I will certainly mull over it. You are doing a superb job of your family history and that is apparent in the writing and photos. While I am here, thank you for your comment on my designer shopping post. I seem to have lost your comment, strange,…one click and it disappeared! Glad you liked the broccoli. At times I find technology most challenging!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was an interesting post, but it sounds like next Thursday’s one may top it for excitement!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Be prepared for a haul, Bun. This is only the fourth child out of 16 of my dear grandmother Emma, of whom my father was the last. Thank you for your continuing interest!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sixteen children? Wow! My grandmother was part of a family of eleven, which I thought was pretty impressive, but your father’s family has that beaten easily.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really like the places of which you put some beautiful photos and of course the story is always interesting, Peter, regards from Hamburg, Mitza
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Mitza! I am so happy to have found your wonderful, meaningful blog. There is so much trash out there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I totally agree with you. I like quality in reading, eating, living etc. and that’s why I want to post quality, too. I learn a lot myself from posting, be it English or facts about the towns I photographed. Thanks for your kind words, have a nice weekend, regards from snowy Hamburg, Mitza
LikeLiked by 1 person