The family homestead at Höltgestal
During one of our visits to Germany in 1990 I had the privilege to visit Höltgestal, the piece of land from where my great-grandfather, Gustav Thiel, first departed in 1849 with his first wife to spend 20 years in Palestine. He returned in 1870 but finally left Germany 8 years later for Kimberley in South Africa.
Both Gustav and his father, Heinrich Thiel (1800 – 1890), was born on the property while both his grandfather, Petrus Johannes Theel (1757 – 1826), and his great-grandfather, Johannes Jakob Theel (1718 – 1781), most probably lived on the family property at Höltgestal.
Our visit to Höltgestal was made possible by Eva Maria Müller, a grand daughter of Peter Johannes Thiel, the eldest son of Gustav Thiels second wife. She supplied me with a detailed map with instructions of how to find the family property which was still called Höltgestal although it was not anymore owned by descendants of the Thiel family.
Pieter with Horst and Eva Maria Müller
What a wonderful experience to arrive in our rented car at the entrance to the property and to see the signpost with the name which I have read about many times.
The entrance to Höltgestal
The signpost at the entrance
I enquired about where the owner stayed and had the audacity to knock unannounced on his front door. When he opened the door I told him in my broken German that I live in South Africa and that my great-grandfather was born at Höltgestal. Dr Halbach and his wife were very gracious and invited me and my wife into their home where they served us coffee before he took us on a tour of the property which at that time had several residential homes which they rented out.
Dr Halbach and his wife
Dr Halbach first showed us the old homestead where the Thiel family lived.
The houses were set in a beautiful rural environment.
After a cordial visit to the Halbachs we took leave of them.
Dr Halbach went out of his way to assist me by accompanying us to a descendent of the Thiel family, Frau Lore Maczkowiak, who lived with her family not far away in Leichlingen. At their home we also experienced the most cordial of receptions.
Günther and Lore Maczkowiak were at home with their grandson, Sven, and all three of them accepted us warmly.
The grandson, Sven, got along especially well with my wife.
We got to know more about how the property was eventually transferred from the Thiel family and we were able to identify several individuals on old photographs they had amongst their family records.
After a lengthy and rewarding visit we reluctantly took our leave promising to keep in touch.