Is there a connection between Schlebusch and South Africa? Indeed, there is. This unassuming district of Leverkusen, Schlebusch, with its charming streets and traditional houses, holds a surprising link to a family saga that spans continents. Schlebusch, you see, lends its name to a family, one whose roots are firmly planted in German soil. The name itself is thought to originate from the German term for “thorn bush,” hinting at a past intertwined with nature. Records reveal that the Schlebusch family, originally “von Schlebusch,” belonged to the Ritterklasse, a class born from knighthood, signifying nobility even if not all bore official titles. The earliest mention of a Schlebusch dates back to 1174, a certain Arnoldus de Rode von Schlebuschrode. Fast forward centuries, and the narrative takes us to the shores of South Africa. The Schlebusch lineage in South Africa can be traced back to a single patriarch, Johannes Antonius Schlebusch, who arrived from Amsterdam with his wife, Geertruyda Anna Timmer, in 1805. His grandfather had previously moved to Amsterdam from the Cologne region, carrying the family name across borders. Today, thousands of Schlebusch descendants call South Africa home, a testament to Johannes Antonius’s legacy. Interestingly, a small branch of the family, led by Jan Louis Schlebusch, ventured even further, emigrating to Argentina in the early 1900s. The Schlebusch name, interwoven with the history of Schlebusch itself, reminds us that even seemingly ordinary places can be touched by extraordinary journeys.
Skulpturenpark Stammheim
A golden winged pug surveys the Rhine. That’s how many remember the Skulpturenpark Stammheim. This isn’t just any park. It’s