Inhalt

Historischer Rundweg - Board 13

Old Senior Forest Warden’s Residence

This massive house from 1692 has an imposing spiral stair-case and block-framed windows with arches.

The two-storey brick-building with its adjoining outbuildings was built more than 300 years ago in the former fiefdom “Alte Herrlichkeit” and belongs to the oldest and most significant lived-in houses in the town. The whole complex was entered into the heritage buildings list of the Municipality of Weeze in 1983. Especially the main house shows very little substantial changes and has maintained its original look. It depicts a typical and in all well-kept picture of rural architecture in the Lower Rhine Region.

Forest Warden’s House

The mighty and high brick-building used to be a forest warden’s house for the Count of Wissen’s forestry administration. The semi-cellared house was badly damaged during the War. In 1947 it was repaired: The damage to the exterior walls was fixed and the destroyed part of the roof renewed. At the time five small flats with a total area of 200 square metres were created in order to generate living space. The Second World War destroyed 85 % of the town of Weeze. Up until the 1950’s housing was very scarce and, as a result, these small flats were very coveted. After consultations with the State Curator the new owner decided in 1973 to extensively renovate the house and to design it with two big flats, one on the ground floor and one on the upper floor.

Block-framed windows and spiral stair-case

The big block-framed windows with their arches should be pointed out here. On the north side there is a two-storey complex, which over the course of time has undergone extensive conversions and now serves as an adjoining stairway to the upstairs flat.

In the hallway on the ground floor there is a very carefully designed steep oak spiral stair-case with rich slip newels and a banister designed from ornamental panels.

August Remmets (1818-1896)

For many years the Mayor of Weeze, August Remmets (1874 – 1896) lived in the house. He also administered the Mayoral Office in Kervenheim for a total of 21 years, from 1874 to 1895. The married couple of August and Eugenie Remmets celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at the end of the 19th century in the old senior forest warden’s house, something that was very pompous for the period. The celebration was attended by many townsfolk of Weeze. In the presence of a large portion of the population a fireworks display was held on the “Kamp”, today’s Remmetsstrasse, in honour of the jubilee couple. August Remmets, who is remembered today by the street named after him, died on February 1st, 1896 on his last day in office as the Mayor.

Alte Herrlichkeit (old fiefdom), plot 60, Owner: Ahltien Eichmans, excerpt from a map of the Cleves Land Registry, here fiefdom Wissen, folio 4, 1731/32.

Alte Herrlichkeit (old fiefdom), plot 60, Owner: Ahltien Eichmans, excerpt from a map of the Cleves Land Registry, here fiefdom Wissen, folio 4, 1731/32.

Old Senior Forest Warden’s House, view from the north, 1970’s.

Old Senior Forest Warden’s House, view from the north, 1970’s.

Old Senior Forest Warden’s House, view from the south-east, 1970’s.

Old Senior Forest Warden’s House, view from the south-east, 1970’s.

August Remmets (1818-1896), long-time Mayor of Weeze and Kervenheim (1874-1895), lived in the Old Senior Forest Warden’s House. Portrait.

August Remmets (1818-1896), long-time Mayor of Weeze and Kervenheim (1874-1895), lived in the Old Senior Forest Warden’s House. Portrait.

Old Senior Forest Warden’s House, spiral stair-case in the hallway, 2014.

Old Senior Forest Warden’s House, spiral stair-case in the hallway, 2014.