It is not only important to increase the population. The new settlers also must gain a real patriotism and an impression of their own value. Necessary is the complete bourgeois liberty."
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"The most places are still occupied, though with natives.
(...) The colonist had done the preparations and had broken up the waste land. But this could have been done more simply and less expensive.
It is not only important to increase the population. The new settlers also must gain a real patriotism and an impression of their own value. Necessary is the complete bourgeois liberty." |
The special position, which the colonies occupy in the period of promoterism, is melting away. From 1859 till 1867 the colonists become owners of the let land and are equalised to the native farmers. Moreover there are agricultural reforms in the Danish state, i.e. the abolition of bondage (1805) and the privatisation of common grazing-land in the villages. The aim of these measures is to set free private initiative and to increase productivity.
But the expected economical boom is long in coming. In the first instance many farmers are going bankrupt, because they are too small to
face the economic competition. Under these circumstances it is unimportant to the small people to which state they belong to.
During the 19th century this attitude is changing. The model of the French Revolution affects the whole of Europe. Everywhere the call for abolition of absolutism becomes more and more distinctive.
Indivisibly connected with the demand to bourgeois freedom is the increasing consciousness to belong to a nation, which is different to other nations, for example by language. This awaking national consciousness must lead inevitably to conflicts in the Danish "global state".
In the year 1848, when all European dynasties have to give way to
the demands of their subjects, the wave of revolution reaches Kiel, the
capital of Holstein. A provisional government comes into being and has
the task to prepare the union with the democratic German Empire, which
is under construction in Frankfurt as the new capital.
The provisional government in Kiel can only succeed, when they undertake the initiative and when a sudden military counter-blow is excluded. That means Fort Rendsburg, which represents a military key position, must be taken in the same moment, when the things in Kiel take its course.
The capture succeeds without blood-shed using a new mean of transport: the railway. With a regular train the rebels go from Kiel via Rendsburg, directly into the fort and take the unsuspecting Danish garrison by surprise.
After initial military successes the decisive battle arrives in July 1850. By Idstedt the revolution-army of 27.000 volunteers of Schleswig-Holstein faces the Royal army of 38.500 Danish. The battle is lost and the revolution fails in the north as well as in the rest of Germany.
14 years later a new slaughter happens in Schleswig-Holstein. But this time no enthusiastic volunteers are involved, carrying along the revolutionary black-red-gold banner, but regular Prussian and Austrian armies, which make war upon Denmark.
In the end Schleswig-Holstein becomes a province of Prussia and the question of the capital is decided in favour of Berlin ... in the first instance for the next 80 years. The country is invaded by Prussian officials, soldiers and paragraphs. And in the heads of many patriots it finally dawns on that national self-determination and Prussian militarism must not be one and the same thing.
Anyway, for the working people the power-political tricks of the ruling are less important than the daily bread, which is more a luxury than a basic food in those days. The situation is improving only in small steps according to the increase of agricultural production.
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1839 : Introduction of artificial fertiliser by Liebig
First steps using calcareous soil as fertiliser give rise to modest successes.
But the decisive breakthrough can just be achieved at the end of the century using industrial produced fertiliser on the basis of nitrogen-, potash- and phosphate minerals. |
Johann Jürgen Reble (* 1835 in Friedrichsanbau), oo 1855 in Kropp to Wiebke Kruse (*1831 in Norby)
Left: the oldest photo from the family album, a paper print (ca. 10 x 10 cm), no date, in a typical brown tone with the inscription on the back "Albert Stade, Photograph, Kropp (Schleswig)".
It is passed on that this photo should show Johann Jürgen and
Wiebke in festive dress with Bibles or Hymnals in their hands. But proceeding
on the estimated age of the couple, the photo ought to have originated
between 1860 and 1870. The problem is, that the technique of paper prints
was not invented before 1871.
Therefore it's more probably that the above
photo shows their son Johann Reble and their daughter-in-law Catharina Kruse at the marriage in 1882.
1872 Johann Jürgen Reble becomes "Parzelist" in Kropp, i.e. owner of plots.
The house "In de Kniep" (photo to the right) build
in the Centre of Kropp, unfortunately no longer exists, torn down in the meantime in favour of business houses.
Three children:
Hinrich, Johann and Peter
1.Son Hinrich (1857-1941), married with Eva Grewe,
becomes
estate manager of diaconate property in Kropp (s. Photo with French horn)
Four children: Both sons emigrate
to Canada, Hans-Peter (1906?) and Johann Hinrich ("John") 1909.
The latter becomes synodical Bishop in Canada,
further details see: list of descendents).
2.Son Johann (1856-1934) marries 1882 Catharina Kruse (1854-1945).
In the same year they acquire a property in Alt-Bennebek (Sprillbek). The photo shows them on the "Altenteil" (= old-home).
Six children, here together at the Silver Wedding Anniversary of their
parents. From left to right:
1.Catharine, 1887-1954, married Philippson
2.Christine (Stine), 1896-1972, has one child by a Russian prisoner-of-war,
who returns after 1918 to his homeland. The son they have together is also tragically buried in Russia, as soldier in the second World War.
3.Johann Peter, 1885-1953, also emigrates to North America in 1909,
together with his cousin "John". He lands in Minnesota U.S.A.
(further details: list
of descendents )
4.Heinrich, goes to Hamburg
5.Jürgen Hinrich, 1890-1930, (see below)
6.Wiebke, married Greve
The second oldest son, Jürgen Hinrich takes over the farm.
The photo to the left shows him together with his wife Elise Lass, 1919 at their wedding.
Two children: Heinrich *1922 (father of the author, continuation see next chapter) and Katharine *1923.
Because of illness and early death of Jürgen Reble in the year 1930 the homestead comes into financial difficulties and also because of the general economic crisis. Therefore in 1930 it had to be sold; end of agriculture and end of this chapter.
Next chapter "Vanished hopes"
actually only in German = Wie gewonnen, so zerronnen
A rough translation may be generated with google.translate
The English version will be continued with the year 1945
see Reconstruction from ruins