Historical heritage: Schlemmer Foundation brings Christmas joy to Bautzen!

Historical heritage: Schlemmer Foundation brings Christmas joy to Bautzen!

A significant historical tradition has now become part of the Bautzen archive network. The mate foundation handed over nine original invoice books to the city archive and the Bautzen state branch archive, which date from the time at the end of the 19th century. These invoice books originally belong to the foundation of the Bautzen Riemer master Johann Georg Schlemmer, who died in 1873 without descendants. Schlemmer left a considerable amount of money for charitable purposes in Bautzen.

in the life of Johann Georg Schlemmer were already significant benefits. Before his death, he donated 337 marks to support the children's work. In his will, he had extensive foundations anchor for charitable purposes. In 1867, the assets of the Schlemmer Foundation was more than 3,400 marks, the interest of which went to the poorest day laborers in the city annually. The help should be granted regardless of religion or origin and included aid for field workers, woodworkers and numerous old or crashed craftsmen.

requirements for the distribution of the funds

Schlemmer made clear exclusion criteria, which meant that certain groups of people were excluded from the help. Retired officials, musicians and people who were impoverished by their own fault could not claim the support. The distribution of the funds traditionally took place on Christmas Eve.

In 1915, the foundation's assets grew to over 15,000 marks. Not only help for old and sick people, but also the support of institutions such as the city hospital and other social institutions that were important for the community.

The head of the archive network, Grit Richter-Laugwitz, was pleased with the gift of the mate foundation: "The invoice books give us valuable insights into the city events of the 19th century and show how characting purposes were already right at the time." The ceremonial handover of the books took place on September 21, 2024 in the council hall of the town hall, with Mayor Karsten Vogt received the documents as a member of the Board of Trustees, handed over by the chairman of the foundation, Dr. Uwe Koch.

A look at the developments of Bautzens during the late 19th century shows that the city changed significantly at that time. In 1868 the city was officially renamed Budissin in Bautzen. In the following years there were significant progress in the field of education with the establishment of a German school present. The city events of that time also include the construction of new churches and cultural institutions that are still remembered today.

Overall, the gift of the mate foundation not only reflects the history of Bautzen, but also the commitment to the community and the various social projects that have an impact until today. This steady transfer and preservation of historical knowledge is crucial for the identity of a city and gives its history a permanent value. Further details on this topic can be found in a detailed report at www.bautzen.de .