Picture Kray a vibrant eastern district of Essen. Its heart beats with the rhythm of history. Established in 1340 Kray’s name derives from the Old Saxon word Creia meaning crow. This ancient settlement once thrived on agriculture. Families like Elbert Löhnmann and Johann Ridder shaped its early life. Their farms dotted the landscape. The Zehnthof and Beckmannshof now only exist in street names. The Riddershofstrasse for example reminds us of the Beckmannshof. This farm gave way to a Sparkasse building in the 1970s.
But Kray’s story isn’t just about farms. The arrival of the Zeche Bonifacius coal mine in 1857 transformed it. Industrialization boomed. Workers flocked to Kray. The first miners’ colony appeared in 1870. Factories and brickworks sprung up. The Westdeutsche Eisenwerke AG joined the industrial surge. Even specialized businesses like Karl Knülle’s chemical factory providing cleaning products for miners became part of Kray’s fabric.
Transportation improved too. The Essen-Kray Nord train station opened in 1872. A post office followed in 1877. The Catholic St Barbara Church opened its doors in 1895. The Essen-Kray Süd train station joined the railway network a year later. A tram line connected Gelsenkirchen Rotthausen Kray and Steele further improving connections in 1897.
The year 1906 marked another significant event. Kray and Leithe merged forming their own mayoralty. The Kray Rathaus a symbol of their independence was built in 1907/1908. This Rathaus reflected the wealth generated from coal mining. Kray was among the wealthiest communities in Prussia. A Volksgarten was even added in 1913. But this independent existence ended in 1929 when Kray was incorporated into Essen.
Kray’s people also endured hardship. World War II brought the conversion of Buderuswerk to war production. The Nazis used the former mayor’s villa as their headquarters. The persecution of the Jehovah’s Witnesses was particularly severe. Tragically the Kray couple Bernhard and Maria Kreulich were executed in 1944. A memorial at St Christophorus Church remembers their sacrifice.
After the war Kray’s Rathaus hosted Essen’s first city council meeting in 1946. The British Army occupied Kray. Baracks provided shelter for refugees. The Buderuswerk shifted to civilian goods. Small businesses even operated from homes. Kray experienced a period of growth with mining communities expanding.
The FC Kray football club represents the district’s sporting spirit. Founded in 1987 it reflects the community’s determination. The Tennisclub Grün-Weiss founded in 1924 stands as a testament to Kray’s recreational life. Kray however also had its darker moments. An amok run in 1972 put the district in the spotlight. Kray today continues its story as a vibrant integral part of Essen. Its past however remains etched in its streets and buildings.