Klaus-Dieter Wille Conrad von Rappard Life stages of a Westphalia ...

Reprint
Klaus-Dieter Wille
Conrad von Rappard
Life stages of a Westphalia nobleman between
Brandenburg and Switzerland
The Herold, quarterly magazine for Heraldik, Gcnealogie and allied sciences.
Vol. 16./ 2004, issue 16
THE HEROLD - Issue 16/2004
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Conrad von Rappard
Life stages of a Westphalia nobleman between Brandenburg and
Switzerland
Von Klaus-Dieter Wille
In 1915, the 23 rd Volume of the "Brandenburgia" the essay "Conrad von
Rappard - the founder of the Mark Brown Coal Mining industry "was written by NN
Niebour, who understood the life of this man. Eighty years later drafted Magdalena
Schindler and Walter Bettler a paper on Rappard’s daughter entitled "Clara von Rappard
- between nature and fantasy artist (1857-1912). The work was published in 1997 by
Schlaefli AG in Interlaken, Switzerland.
Both publications were found to be interesting sources of work that the author of
this paper publishes over the ownership of the former manors of Brandenburg. These
manors emerged into the spillage of the city of Berlin. It turned out not to only those
publications, but also in the later relied literature different data over Conrad von Rappard
and his life are included. It offered therefore to follow up again the way of Conrad von
Rappard leading from Westphalia over Brandenburg-Prussia to Switzerland, since a
number of additions and corrections to the these contributions appeared necessary. In
addition, the information provided there has been completed, taking into account his
professional activity and personal relationships on his time living in well-known
personalities from the genealogical and historical expanded view. For his last decades in
Switzerland have been reconstructed with the help of there existing church records and
publications in the communities Matten / Interlaken and Wabern /Bern.
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Rappard was now understandably a well educated and also an extremely innovative man,
who restlessly investigated new ideas, both in economic as well in technical and scientific
fields.
His professional life could be summarized in few words: be a lawyer in Berlin and
Altlandsberg, mining entrepreneur in Brandenburg-Prussia, Delegate to the Frankfurt
national assembly, lord of the manor on the Teltow and in the Uckernark, scientist in
Wabern / Bern and founder of tourism in the Bernese-Oberland, Switzerland. The short
listing of Rappard’s life-stations would never justify his biography, because his career
reflected a so complex picture that is both political as well as economic, and not least the
development of tourism in the Bernese-Oberland in the 19th Century.
The family from which he came out, according to tradition, their origins to a
Swiss nobility belonging to the family returned, his father Johann Heinrich Rappard
(*1410 [1415]) from Rapperswyl / Canton of St. Gallen. 1 Their “Adel”- recognition in
Prussia in 1791 was for Johann Konrad Rappard (see below), the later President of the
Royal Prussian “Seehandlung” Wilhelm Rappard (* Cleve 1 Sep 1758, † Pinne 22.Jun.
1828) and their cousins, the royal Prussian War- and Domaincounsel in Cologne, Jacob
Gerhard, the Dutch Lieutenant Colonel George and the Royal Prussian Assistant council
and County judge in Hamm/Westphalia Bartold Friedrich Wilhelm Rappard. 2
Conrad von Rappard born Unna / Westphalia 19 Aug 1805 was the third child of the
future Upper Accounting Council on the Court in Potsdam Konrad Gerhard von
Rappard (* Königsborn / Unna 28 Mar 1778, † Bonn 2. Sep 1863) and his wife, Ottilie
von Pilgrim (* Bonn 02 Jul 1781, † 06 Aug (Mar?) 1873). His grandfather the Royal
Prussian Commissionsrath Johann Konrad von Rappard (* Cleve 02 Jun 1740 ,
†Königsborn / Unna 6 Sep 1830.), ∞ Duisburg 22 Dec 1771 Margaret Brinkmann
(*Rotterdam 17 May 1748 ), operated brine wells and salt works. 3
Despite close familial relationship with the mining and metallurgy turned Conrad von
Rappard early in his career to studying law from 1823 to 1827 at the universities of
Berlin, Bonn, Halle, Jena and graduated from Heidelberg. From this time, especially
from the years of his membership in the compound of fraternity Corps Westfalia came
the now scarred facial injuries that drew the character of the head life- long.
By the end of the study Rappard was in the judicial service to Berlin, first as a trainee,
later as Chamber Court Judge. From 1827 to 1832 he served as Auscultant 4 in Potsdam,
later at the Municipal Court in Zehdenick 5 and to 1834 as a district court magistrate on
1
from the Swiss Family Book, p. 227 / 228, Zurich 1945, the family von Rappard is associated with a
family of pastors, missionaries and scholars of coming from the lower Rhine
Lower Rhine area who derives their home of William Rappard-of Bellinchaeven († 1546) , and whose
descendants later shared in the branches of Dorsten, Wesel and Cleves.
2
Gotha Genealogical Paperback, noble houses, 1912, page 739 ff and 1925, p. 706 ff
3
as Footnote 1
4
Non-voting assessors
5
Today Oberhavel
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Poznan 6 . His last legal position was in Altlandsberg 7 , where he worked from 01 January
1838 until 1842 as rural and urban judge. 8
The year 1838 brought him for several reasons, fundamental changes. The
diverse interested and well educated man opened a quiet love of literature that let him by
28 January 1838 to a membership in the Association of Poets, "The tunnel over the
Spree" 9 , and in which he under the stage name "Robert Burns" actively took part in club
life. That same year, on 19 August 1838, he married Franziska Richter ( * Mauche / Old
Kloster, Kreis Bomst, Posen 7 Nov 1819 ,†Berlin 21 April 1874) 10 , and in the same
period he developed along with three Altlandsberger citizens, the Chamber Court Judge
Paul Pfotenhauer, the medical doctor Dr. Runde, and the domain ex-actuary Carl
Kohnheim a new Concept for lignite mines near Frankfurt / Oder. 11
Obviously, mining here were crucial to family relationships, probably but also
the support of his sympathizers and not least the research work of him of the head of the
Engineering school in Berlin, Karl Friederich Klӧden (*Berlin 21.May 1786, †Berlin 9
Jan 1856) 12 Additionally, he was encouraged for his enterprise by the later known
Oberberg-Captain Ernst Heinrich Karl von Dechen (* Berlin 25.Mar 1800, † Bonn
15.Feb 1889), whom he knew from his time in Westphalia. It is interesting that even in
1756 not far from Frankfurt / Oder at Petershagen district Lebus coal mines have been
discovered. The mines extending up to Templin, Sieversdorf and Bossen were exploited
until the Seven-Years War (1756-1763), but are then abandoned due to water intake. 13
The fact that coal in Brandenburg was present and that Klöden pointed
already1829 to useful deposits of brown coal in the Rauener Mountains 14 , mainly in
Schlangengrund and in the Teufelsee area, encouraged Conrad von Rappard to test the
area.
Since 1840 the Metallurgical Inspector Franz Noggerath in the Mark Districts
Sternberg, Lebus, Oberbarnim, Beeskow-Storkow, and Niederbarnim looking for
mineable deposits, and after the discovery of the camps, Rappard succeeded in winning
entrepreneurs and businessmen for the degradation of brown coal so that the trenching
could begin in 1841. They were, however, not the first since the first exploration trial was
operated by the master mason F. Schilling who posed a request on 26 April 1841 at the
6
Until 1919 to Prussia, then to Poland, from 1939 to 1945 as "Warthegau” incorporated to Germany after
that then to Poland
7
Today, county Märkisch-Oderland
8
JK Gähde: History of the City Altlandsberg, p.192 Halle 1857
9
Founded in 1828 at the home of the writer and satirist Moritz Gottlieb (actually Moses) Sapphire (* 08
Feb 1795 in Hungary) Berlin, Friedrichstrasse 164, as "Berlin Sunday club", then in 1829 in "Tunnel over
the Spree” renamed. “Meeting place for art-interested doctors, officers, actors, and writers to exchange
views and critical discussions”. (See Karl Voss: Guide for lovers of literature –Berlin 1915, p. 61 and 114.
Frankfurt / M., Berlin, Vienna, 1980)
10
personal communication from Mr RA Peter Bettler, Interlaken, Switzerland, October 2003
11
N.N. Niebour: Conrad von Rappard - the founder of the Mark lignite mining. In: Monthly Bulletin
Local history of the province of Brandenburg "Brandenburgia", Berlin 1915, vol 23, p. 45 - 55
12
Marriage in Berlin with Johanna Heyl 1809 (81784, † 17 Apr 1857) nobel 1833
13
F.W.A.Bratring: Statistic‐Topographic description of the complete Mark Brandenburg, p 120, Berlin 1968
14
Today District Oder‐Spree
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Royal. Mining Authority in a Rüdersdorf . 15 Rappard’s consortium was awarded in
January 1842, the permit for the initial drilling on its allocated Schilling Field ", and in
August Rappard took over the entire mining area. It was awarded to him on 2
December 1842 under the name "Klöden" by the Royal Mining Authority.
First shaft was "Fanny" with a depth of about 40 meters. Then came the mine fields
"Paul" (his first tunnel was called "Beust tunnel"), "Ludwig", “Hermann" and "Carl
Friedrich." 16
Upon the establishment of the first lignite mines in Eastern Brandenburg, their
three varieties coal were sold as cartilage for 7.5 Silbergroschen, conveying coal for 5
Silbergroschen, and coal form for 2 Silbergroschen per Prussian Tonne (= 260 kg)
mainly to breweries, bakeries, lime and Brickworks 17 and the mines "Robert" and
"Adam" in the Rauener Mountains, which he had obtained the mining permit for in
1843, which in turn Berlin industry and households served, Rappard company was first
to secure financial basis. Along with the expansion of the mining areas, construction of a
railway from the mine "Paul" (summer 1842) to the River Spree and the planning for a
second rail link to the Lower Silesian Märkische Train, the available provided funds
disappeared, Rappard saw himself forced by the end of November 1842 to ask royal
government for a loan of 30,000 crowns.
Although no one in the government denied him his mining qualities, were his
application was rejected, but with the remark that he later might ask for another
representation. Until September 1843 Rappard had brought together with the help of
business friends and relatives a capital of 98 000 crowns and applied once again for a
grant from the Government. Through the intercession of the Mountain Council and
Royal Prussian Berghauptmanns Karl von Oeynhausen (Gut Grevenburg b. Steinheim,
Bistum Paderborn * 4 Feb 1795, † 1. Feb 1865), a loan of 60,000 crowns was granted
1844 under favorable conditions, so that Rappard could continue to operate the brown
coal mining. The national importance has been identified by now from the government
in Berlin. But she sent as a precaution in April 1844, officials to visit the mine, and their
report then stated that 55 miners mine 300 tons of coal a day, that was shipped with the
13 servants of 26 horses to the railway at the Spree. Shortly thereafter Rappard founded
the Rauener Mine Association, which he later this year sold for 290 000 dollars with the
option, that he continued to be involved on profits. 18 .
Niebour and Schindler / Bettler report on the year 1844, that Rappard after his
active mining activity acquired the estate Osdorf in the district of Teltow. According to
the Estate and Mortgage Book of Teltow 19 However, the acquisition of the goods was
settled a year earlier instead, and Rappard let on the same period the estate to his brother
15
Wolfgang Looschen: Grubengold unter den Rauener Bergen. In: Brandenburger Blätter (Beilage der
Märkischeen Oderzeitung), Nr. 152, Frankfurt / Oder 17 Nov 2000
16
As Footnote #11
17
Ralph‐Günter Wedde: Brennstoff für die Industrie. In Brandenburgische Blätter (Beilage der Märkischen
Oderzeitung ) Nr 147, Frankfurt / Oder 12 May 2000
18
Same as footnote 1
19
Grund‐ and Hypotheken‐Acten des kӧniglichen Kreisgerichts in Berlin von den Rittergütern in Teltow,
Bd. 2 Blatt 481
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Bldd 2: Kaufontrakt über das Gut Mariafeld in
Feldmeilen/Ziirichsee zwischen Caspar von Tobel und
Conrad von kRappard und Heinrich Simon vom 15. April
1850
Hermann Guisbert von Rappard (*Potsdam 10
Aug 1814, † Ringenberg/Wesel 17 Jan 1902).
It also carried a church registration, in which it
is stated: 1843 stated banns in Britz Mifoiec
Jul.Cabt.c.- The retired Lieutenant Mr.
Herrmann Guisbert von Rappard born 10
August 1814 in Potsdam manor of the estate
Osdorf , single with the Virgin Mary Antoinette
Auguste Schoenbeck copuliert to Potsdam. -
The bridegroom is the legitimate son of the
royal Upper Government Council, Mr. Conrad
von Rappard. The bride, born in Potsdam on
31 July 1819 is the legitimate daughter of the
royal equerry Mr. Anton Joachim Eduard
Schoenbeck. - Both wedding couples agree to
the marriage. - The identical duplicate stated:
Britz 4 January 1844. - Wood Pigeon,
preacher - Westphal, Küster" 20
A year later, the same church register
the birth of a son of Hermann Guisbert von
Rappard : "Tuesday the Nineteenth of March
1844 at 9 AM and Wednesday the Eighth of
following May,baptized Conrad Ernst Otto
Anton von Rappard. Father: the local manor,
retired Lieutenant Mr. Herrmann Guisbert von
Rappard, Mother: Marie Antoinette Auguste,
born Schoenbeck.
Godfather: 1 Upper Councilor Conrad
von Rappard, 2 Agriculture and municipal judge Conrad von Rappard, 3 Equerry Anton
Schöinbeck, 4 Heater Eduard Schoenbeck, 5 Miss
Conradine von Rappard, 6 Miss Bertha von Rappard, 7 widow pharmacist Ida
Schorlemmer, born Schoenbeck, 8 Ms Julie heater Schoenbeck, 9 Mr. Secretary Robert
Buhsler (?), 10 Mrs. Upper Regierungsräthin von Rappard 21
Bild 2: Kaufkontrakt of the estate “Marienfeld’ in Feldmeilen / Zürichsee between
Caspar von Tobel and Conrad von Rappard and Henry Simon from 15 Apr 1850
At the same time Rappard acquired the manor of Glambeck west of
Angermünde 22 , where he, as Niebour writes, lived and agriculture have given soil.
Despite of his new activity he could not ignore the mining operation. In 1848, he was
20 Churchbook Grossbeeren / Osdorf
21 Same as Footnote 20
22 Today district of Uckermark
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awarded with the Pits "Conrad's Glück" and "Stanislaus" in Freienwalde 23 , later mines at
Alt-Ranft 24 . His close contact with the city of Angermünde and to the citizens of
Glambeck, which he promised the yield of the mine, as well as the successful road of
improvements on his estate. This helped him to prominence, which, as a little later turned
out, was fate.
Without his intervention the hitherto almost non-political man in the district of
Angermünde was elected to the Frankfurt National Assembly and the Prussian National
Assembly in Berlin. He also became a member of the delegation, which on 03 April
1849 appointed Friedrich Wilhelm IV "People's Emperor", and later a member of the
Stuttgart Parliament. In Frankfurt Rappard joined the left-liberal "Westend Hall", in
which he, although loyal to the emperor, gave expression to his liberal political
convictions without being radical. And here he made friends with the leader of the
Frankfurt Left Wing August Heinrich Simon (* Breslau 29 Oct 1805, † Murg 16 Aug
1860, drowned in Lake Walen / Canton of St. Gallen).
Simon, as Rappard’s lawyer, was the most colorful figure in Frankfurt. As a
trainee in Brandenburg he had shot an opponent in a duel, in 1828 and was convicted to a
lifetime of imprisonment. After his transfer to Glogau / Silesia in March of the following
year the unexpected reprieve followed in 1830. Four years later, to 1841, he worked as
an assessor at the Berlin court and then from 1844 as Stadtgerichtsrat in Breslau 25 .
During the short time in Frankfurt (1848/49) Simon and Rappard joined Likeminded
people. This group included the lawyers Adolf Schoder (* Stuttgart 2 Dec 1817,
† Stuttgart 12 Nov 1852) and Albert Christian Schott (*Sindelfingen 30 Apr 1782,
†Stuttgart 6 Jun 1861), the journalist Jacob Venedey (*Kӧln 24 May 1805, † Oberweiler
8 / 9 Feb 1871) and the well known German Aesthetics Professor Friedrich Theodor
Vischer (*Ludwigsburg 30 Jun 1807, †Gmunden14 Sep 1887), whose political
commitment to the liberal Rappard should be fatal.
With the failure of a “German Reich Constitution” promoting Parliament and its
subsequent dissolution in May 1849 were the reservations of the Prussian Government to
the left-liberal ideas prescribed Members by no means forgotten. This should have felt
also by Conrad von Rappard. Because of treacherous machinations the High Court of
Treason issued an arrest warrant against him, although he was by now retired from
politics and had settled on his estate Glambeck. He escaped arrest only because he was
warned by Minister Otto Theodor Freiherr von Manteuffel (*Lübben 3.Feb. 1805,
†Krossen 26 Nov 1882)
Rappard, fled after the administration of his possession had transferred to his wife
from Prussia in the summer 1849. Across the North Sea islands Norderney and
Helgoland his way led first to London, then with the help of his nephew Ulrich Otto
Friedrich von Rappard (*Münster 27.02.1824, † Kalisch 7 Jan 1877, ∞ Landsberg / OS
17 Sep.1858 Elise Gordon (* Landsberg / OS 4 Jul 1840, † 1917)) to Paris. Meanwhile,
23 Today district Märkisch Oderland
24 Today district Märkisch Oderland
25 Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, S 371 f, Berlin 1971
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he was impeached in Berlin. In Paris Rappard was then worded on the life imprisonment
sentence 26 .
To escape the clutches of the Prussian agents, he moved in the same year to
Zürich / Switzerland, where he was staying with Professor Alexander Kapp (* Soest /
Westphalia 28 Jan,1800, † Zürich-Fluntern 9 Oct, 1869) married to his oldest sister
Ottilie (*28 Mar 1803, † Zürich-Hottingen 16 Oct 1872). 27
In 1858 Conrad Rappard acquired from the civil rights the naturalization of the
community Gerlafingen / Canton Solothurn, and here he met his friend and fellow
August Heinrich Simon. For fear of political persecution, they exchanged several times
during the next few months their homes until, at the end of their odyssey through the
cantons in March 1850 they acquired from the “Meilener Löwenwirt” Kaspar von Tobel
for 8,750 Guilders the estate “Mariafeld” in Feldmeilen on the right bank of Lake
Zurich 28 . The new ownership led Rappard to ask his wife, together with the three
remaining minor sons 29 to move to Switzerland: But they refused to follow a “rebel" one
and also denied him access to his assets. 30
Only one year Rappard remained in “Mariafeld”. In the spring of 1851 he went to
Paris, while his Friend Simon and his family and his cousin Marie Gaertner and their two
children, still owned till September 1851 the right to housing on the estate that had gone
over by 2 - 3 July 1851 to the couple François and Eliza Wille, born Sloman. 31 Rappard,
now free from any political activities, had during his stay in Paris turned to the natural
sciences and the acquaintance with the Professors Quartefage, Milne, Edward and
Valenciennes, but especially with Emile Blanchard (*1819, † 1900), who through
numerous publications 32 about insects had awakened his interest in the world of small
26 Same as footnote 11
27 Kapp, who was on record for the first time in Zurich on 20 Sep 1858, opened later that year at”
Inneren Rennweg” a "female boarding school," that led the name " Kapp'sches Institute (daughters)". 1863
was incorporated in Zurich) in the community Witikon (since 1934 .naturalized in Zurich) From his
marriage to Ottilie von Rappard they had the following children: 1 st Agnes (* 02 Jan 1828 in Witikon, †
27 Mar 1888 in Bonn), 2 nd Cecilia (* 5 Jun 1830 in Witikon), ∞ New York Dr.Victor Precht and 3 rd Otto
(*22. Nov 1842 in Witikon), ∞ 6 Sep 1879 Margaret Marlin (* Magdeburg) - Personal information from
Dr. Robert Dünki, Zurich Stadtarchiv May 2004
28 Bill of sale miles 15./20. March 1850, kindly donated by Dr. Jürg Wille, June 2004
29 1) Konrad Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Louis von Rappard (* Alt-Landsberg 08 Jul.1839, † Naumburg /
Saale 25 Dec 1915), Dr. phil., ∞ Berlin 29.Sep. 1875 Sophie Friederike Charlotte von Winterfeld
(divorced) geb. Klemme (* Berlin 26 Aug 1843 † Naumburg / Saale 10 Jun 1915)
2) Wilhelm von Rappard (* Alt-Landsberg 09.Jul.1840, † Kӧsen / Naumburg a.d. Saale? 15./14Apr 1894),
kgl. Preussischer Major z. D.
3), Adolf Berthold Louis Otto von Rappard (*Fürstenwalde 01 Jan 1843, † Gotha 19 Feb,1918),
Grossherzogl. Hessischer Kammerherr, royal Prussian Rittmeister a.D., ∞ Langensalza 23.Sep. 1869 Olga
Marie of Mandelsloh (Langensalza 03.Oct 1849)
30 Brian Simon: Conrad von Rappard and Heinrich Simon. In the exhibition catalog of Clara Rappard
Freilichtmalerin 1857 - 1912, p. 53 Schloss Jegenstorf / Canton Bern, Summer 1999
31 Jürg Wille: Home and owner history of the estate Mariafeld. In: Heimatbuch Meilen, 1963
32 his main work: Metamorphoses, moeurs, et instincts of the insects (insects, myriapods, arachnids,
crustaces).
Paris 1868
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and micro-organisms, found the entrance to the scientific zoology. On the basis of the
Institute’s existing rich collection of spiders, he studied at the beginning of his third
career, the spiders of the “Jardin Des Plantes” 33 , where he discovered, as the first, their
physical bodies (combs, brushes and armature) under the microscope.
1852 Rappard separated permanently from Simon and took the study of zoology,
comparative anatomy and microscopy. His own research in the field of Marine life led
him to France, Italy, Holland and England, where he fished on the coasts with his own
design trawl microorganisms to determine them then under the Microscope scientifically.
With a thesis on the sea cucumbers (synaptic) from the South Pacific, he was promoted
in the same year as Dr. Phil. PhD, at the same time one of the microorganism he
investigated and described his name ("Synapta Rappardi"). 34
This year is not only the separation of Simon with whom he founded shortly
before the institute “August Menzel & Co” 35 But also the acquisition of Pit "Hedwig" at
Meilen on Lake Zurich. But also that of the Brandenburg time for Conrad von Rappard
had come back by the bankruptcy which was still under his influence standing Rauener
Mining Association. Which gave up the pits because of financial difficulties was as well
questionable as the excavations in the district Lebus / Mark Brandenburg 36 he organized
one year later, because his former business partners would hardly remain in contact with
a condemned out of fear of reprisals
Another incision in Rappard’s privacy brought the year 1854. His marriage
ended in divorce, he himself moved to the Lake Brienz / Canton Bern, where he acquired
in 1855 the Hotel Giessbach for 70,000 Francs from the heirs of the deceased
schoolmaster John Kehrli († 1854). On the romantic and still today frequently visited
mountainside Rappard set up a Pension house with 60 beds and supported by the
Bernese high school teacher and Pyrotechnic Prof. Johann Rudolf Hamberger (* 1821, †
Oberried at Lake Brienz / Canton Bern, 1897), ∞ Berta Durheim (Bern 1824) 37
illuminated the Giessbach cascades into the lake with “Bengali Lights”.
At this point, you must first point to the conflicting statements of the two at the
beginning referred publications. Niebour writes that Rappard came to the Giessbach in
1864 (?), while Schindler / Bettler report it to 1856, after his time in Wabern. Cited in the
exhibition catalog, the purchase of the Giessbach House is finally set to the year 1855,
which means that the purchase occurred before the time in Wabern. Research in the
community Wabern / Bern 38 revealed that the guest house Giessbach was purchased
in1855 and that Rappard had been established in Wabern shortly before. This is
33
in the southeast of Paris, today Botanical Garden and Museum of Natural History
34
In the year 1852 is not only the separation of Simon, with whom he shortly before the Institute "Menzel
& Co" was founded in August microscopic
35
Muysers Carola (eds.): Exhibition Catalog "by Clara Rappard," Castle Jegenstorf / Canton Bern, summer
1999, p. 54. The fact taken from the catalog could not be reconstructed. Apparently, the Institute was also
in “Meilen” and was taken over by Rappard and Simon on a short notice.
36
Same as footnote 11 and 35
37
personal information from Mrs. Dorly Hamberger, Oberried at Lake Brienz, Switzerland, August 2004
38
personal communication from Mrs. Martha Häberli Cultural representative of the community Kanitz /
Bern, August 2003
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confirmed also by Ulrich Ammann in his publication on Conrad and Clara von
Rappard. 39
It can be assumed that by this time he already had made the acquaintance with
Albertine Engell (*Sülze / Mecklenburg-Schwerin, 27 Jun 1832, Bonn † 01 Feb 1922)
which he then married in a second marriage on 28 Jun 1856 in Wabern. 40 Here he
probably opened, after his marriage, one mansions built in 1844 by Steinhauer
Wyttenbach on the “Jauchli" that the name of his wife carrying "Microscopic Institute
Engell & Comp” 41 .
With the help of his wife who engaged herself strongly for the passion of her
husband the institute for the manufacture of slide preparation for schools and private use
became well known, and Rappard became for his scientific publications a well
recognized person in the scientific community of Switzerland. His scientific research,
especially the analysis of his microscopic results, led, however to a chronic eye disease,
that hindered his work and that finally caused to give up the scientific work and the
institute.
In his biography 42 it is noted that at this time Rappard parents and a brother also
lived in Wabern (to 1861) and that his daughter Clara Julia Elisa (†12 Jan 1912 in
Victoria Hospital in Bern) was born on 19 May 1857. Even if not particularly mentioned
by name the brother must be the former estate owner on Osdorf, Hermann Guisbert von
Rappard, since the other brother, the Spanish Lancer officer Otto von Rappard, already
on 24th May 1837 had fallen at Huesca.
With the finalization of his scientific work in Wabern Conrad von Rappard began
his fourth career. The Giessbach-Domain, which he acquired with his brother Hermann
Guisbert in 1855, was his last but one place of activity, from which he affected the
development of tourism in the Bernese Oberland. He had previously adopted the
possession of the Kehrli family, carried out the illumination of the Giessbach-Falls and
together with the iron founder and industrial, and later inventor of the turrets August
Hermann Jacques Gruson (*Magdeburg 13 Sep.1821 †, ibid 31.Jan 1895), from
Magdeburg-Buckau developed an unsuccessful steam ship project for the lake of Thun /
canton Bern, his interest now focused on the beautiful surroundings of Interlaken after he
transferred the administration of the Giessbach-Hotels to his close friend Botanist
Schmiedlin from Stuttgart.
1858 Rappard led, supported by the Chief Ranger of reshape the landscape
architecture of the “Kleinen Rugen” at Interlaken / Spiez. A ring road was developed
with Viewpoints, a drinking hall and on the south side his house, the “Villa Rugen" 43
After the sale of the one tourist attraction in the developing Giessbachbesitzung to the
“Knechtenhofersche Schiffahrtsgesellschaft” for 300,000 francs Rappard acquired from
39 Ulrich Ammann: Monuments in Matten, Interlaken and Unterseen. Interlaken 1997
40 According to Dipl-Biolog. Caspar van Bijlevdd van Lexmond, Kerzers / Switzerland, August 2004,
Conrad van Rappard married Albertine Engell 28 June 1858 in Fribourg, Switzerland
41 Frieda Burni: Aus Wabern Vergangenheit , o.D, and "Der Wabernblock" without author and o.D.
42 Magdalena Schindler and Walter beggar: Clara van Rappard - an artist of nature and imagination, p. 62
43 The house also known as "Villa Rappard" has been tearing down 1961 because of decay.
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the Seiler-Hopf Family the Hotel “Jungfraublick” at the “Kleinen Rugen”. The forester of
Gruyere, the architects Studer and Davinet and his brother in law Dr. med William
Loewe - Calbe (* Magdeburg-Olvenstedt 14 Nov 1814, †Meran / South Tyrol 2 Jan,
1886, □ Berlin-Schöneberg, cemetery Matthai community) 44 , were financially involved
in the enterprise that was founded as “Aktiengesellschaft”. The connection with Dr. med
William Loewe- Calbe was not only a family relationship, but also the spirit of
Liberalism. Loewe- Calbe was the last president of the Frankfurt National Assembly.
Rappard and Loewe Calbe led the hotel, originally built in 1863 after plans of the then
known Swiss architect Horace Edouard Davinet (* Pont d'Ain 23 Nov, 1839, Bern † 30
Jun1922) renovate by the architect Maring, as directors. Under its aegis were both the
hotel and the Villa Rugen "meeting place of like-minded politically, at the same time also
places of encounter between German and Swiss personalities. The guest lists of both
houses reveal clearly the reputation of Rappard at the time: Helmholtz, Kirchhoff,
Bunsen, Siemens, Langenbeck, Leyden, Conrad Ferdinand Meyer, Spielhagen, Auerbach,
Grimm, Clara Schumann, Albrecht Graf von Roon, von Werder, von Winterfeld, the
princess Liegnitz and seit 1861 as well the kings widow Elisabeth von Preussen gave
him the honor in both houses. 45
Interlaken was becoming increasingly popular as a resort and Conrad von
Rappard's social evenings with prominent scientists and artists, with high military and
political leaders have been a trademark for the small, between the lakes Thun and Brienz
situated city. During the meeting Rappard didn't forget, to draw attention to the beauty of
the landscape of the region. He was the main advertiser for the city "between the Lakes",
and it may be assumed that he was the founder of tourism in the Bernese Oberland.
Though Rappard’s social environment had changed, on 05 Oct 1862 caught him
then the past. When a Memorial was unveiled on the occasion of the two-year
anniversary of the death of his old friend Simon at Lake Walen, it came to a meeting with
former friends from revolution days. At the same time, the friendship began here with the
jurist Carl Hilty (* Werdenberg / Canton of St. Gallen 28.Feb.1833, † Montreux Clarens
12.Oct.1909). Although Rappard was connected in the following years with the hotel
business of Interlaken as creative head, his entrepreneurial mind set not yet to rest.
Though at the beginning the new mining tests in the pit Ostermundingen and the yield of
the Torfmoor Hageneck (both canton Bern) 46 .stood beyond his former activities in
Brandenburg, he assumed responsibility for the pits in the Bernese Oberland, Unspunnen,
Eiger Wolf, Falkenhagen Rugenmatte, Neuhoff, Mӧnch, Hermann, Lanzkron, Star,
Virgin, Thun, Stämpfli, Sturm, Alban, Mürren, Nick, Nack, Helvetia, Zürich and Rütli 47 .
With the proclamation of the Prussian King William 1 to the German Emperor on
18 January 1871 in Versailles, Conrad von Rappard was amnestied, which led him to
visit his former activities in Berlin and Brandenburg. From this time, a quip is masthead,
44 Loewe Calbe was marriedd with the sister of Rappard second wife, Louise Engell (* 04 Apr 1827, † 16
Jul 1902 □ Berlin-Schöneberg, Friedhof Matthai community)
45 As footnote 35, p 55
46 As footnote 11
47 As footnote 35
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which refers to a meeting with the Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. It is said that he had
said in a meeting with Rappard: "Rappard, what you wanted to set forth they wanted to
lay down your head before your feet, they made me the Prince" 48
Rappards stay in Prussia was limited, although he again participated politically as
member of the Prussian parliament, Interlaken and the scenic landscape of “Kleine
Rugen” had long since become his Habitat. His full paternal love was for his daughter
Clara, known now as a successful painter beyond the Swiss borders. For her he let add to
his villa in the years 1872-1874 a Studio Tower, in which the painters Kaulbach, Menzel
and Meyerheim were frequent guests
Over the last decade of the life of Conrad von Rappard Schindler/Bettler report
that he together with his siblings, acquiered a steel casting factory in Bochum-
Aplerbeck 49,50 after he had (?) sold the Giessbach property for 900,000 francs to the
family Hauser.
Here seem are two contradictions. From the archives files for the 18 th and 19 th
century of Westphalian iron and steel industry only two letters from the period around
1830 and 1850 are known, indicating that a Friedrich von Rappard corresponded with the
company Harkot 51 . With him, it is obviously the royal Prussian Captain a. D. Friedrich
Wilhelm Franz von Rappard (* Königsborn 14 Mar1782, † April 1868), married 11 Sep
1809 Charlotte Karoline Werneburg (* Mühlhausen / Thuringia 24 Oct 1789), who led
this correspondence from Königsborn / Unna.
In addition, lack of clarity is to the pit it has acted on, as the third 1856 founded
ironworks in the Dortmund area, the "Aplerbecker Hütte", closed its operation already in
the founding crisis 1857-1859. 52 The other factory, the company operating under the
name "Aktien- Kommandit-Gesellschaft Aplerbecker Hütte, Brügmann, Weyland & Co."
was founded on 3 August 1869 53 , cannot be brought in connection with Friedrich
Wilhelm Franz von Rappard, since he died the year before. However, it is interesting that
in the genealogical literature 54 the oldest son of Friedrich Wilhelm Franz von Rappard,
Gustav Wilhelm Erhard von Rappard (* 15.Feb 1822, †14 May 1890), ∞ 10 May 1860
Ottilie Scheidt (* 24 Jun 1828, † Bonn 20 Apr 1902), as Director of the family mines in
Aplerbeck / Dortmund/Westphalia is mentioned. But in this case as well, the research
was unsuccessful, as the mentioned institutions 55 could provide no indication of
Rappard's mines. Conrad von Rappard’s participation at the enterprises is completely
open because neither he nor other members of the family von Rappard are registered as
owners or stock holders.
48
As footnote 11
49
As footnote 41
50
Dortmund‐Aplerbeck was transferred in 1808 to the “Grossherzogtum Berg” (before Grafschaft Mark),
that belonged since 1887 to the district Hӧrde (before distrivt Dortmund)
51
Personal information of the foundation “Westfälisches Wirtschaftsarchiv. Dortmund”, February 2004
52
Ottfried Dascher & Christian Kleinschmidt: The Iron‐ and Steel industry in the Dortmund area 1992
53
Westfälische Eisen‐ und Drahtwerke Aktiengesellschaft 1897 – 1922, w/p Name and Date
54
As footnote 1
55
German Mining Museum Bochum, Landesarchiv Nordrhein‐Westfalen, Staatsarchiv Münster, Alfred
Krupp Essen
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Following entries led by Clara von Rappard for her father under the title
"Leibkobold’s Diary”, there are again doubts with respect to the Westphalian possessions
of the family. She writes on the 12 July 1869: "..." Return via Dortmund and Bonn,
visiting the grandparents and the family of the cousin Conrad von Rappard, Carl von
Rappard 56 and one year later , on 6 Apr 1870 it is said: …Meeting with Count von
Reichenbach in Dortmund, visit of the family owned mine “Margarethe”in Aplerbeck,
Dortmund…” 57 Without doubt to the credibility of a twelve year old girl, an uncertainty
remains again due to the research in North Rhine-Westphalia.
The entry in the above literature of Hermann Guisbert von Rappard, is listed as Lord of
Aminghausen / Minden / Westphalia is likewise uncertain. Requests to the municipal
archives of the city of Minden and the local home keeper of Aminghausen showed that
there did not exist any estate , and that therefore the designation "Lord of Aminghausen"
appears as not relevant. Rappards activities in the Brandenburg as also the Westphalian
steel or mining area seem doubtful at this time. He spent the last years of his life at his
villa on the “Kleinen Rugen” in Interlaken where he mainly dealt with belletristic things.
And here he died on the 08 June 1881.
He found his resting place at the very edge of his property, which was selected by the
head forester friend of him from Interlaken Hermann Kern (†1883) under the note: you
may not take him from the area of activity “that became so beloved to him". 58 That
wasselected with the consent of the family. At his side his daughter Clara, who died most
56 Asfootnot 1: Karl August Engelbert Konrad von Rappard (*Paderborn 16 Dec 1818,†Bonn 21 Nov 1884),
Royal Prussian captain a.D., ∞9 Jul 1856 Thekla Auguste Konstanze von Noorden (*31 Jan 1823, † 9 Dec
1899)
57 As footnote 35 p 114
58 As footnote 41
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Bild 3: Auszug aus dem Beerdigungs-Rodel
der evangel. Kirchengemeinde Gsteig b.
Interlaken/Schweiz. Hier: Eintragung Conrad
von Rappard vom 11. Juni 1881
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probably on multiple sclerosis, found her resting place. The burial ground is, been
developed to a “Gedenkstätte” in spring of 2000 after the bronze inscription on Rappards
tombstone was lost a few years ago. In addition to two different high stone blocks with
the inscriptions "Conrad von Rappard 1805-1881" and "DM Conrad Rappard 1806-1881
AMO ERGO ERO" are two panels in the area that reflect Conrad and Clara von Rappard
that in short form show the dates and stations of their lives.
The entry in the funeral Rodel 59 of the municipality of Gsteig / Interlaken appear
noteworthy after Rappard’s so moved and comprehensive life. In contrast to the previous
and subsequent entries, that show first and last name, marital status and place of origin,
here is stated only briefly, “11 June 1881 Rappard". Which is why this is so, can no
longer to be traced.
59 label for a list or table in Southwestern Germany and Switzerland
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