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The Development Of Railway Traffic And Postal Services

Until the second half of the last century, letters were not delivered to the houses, but deposited in letter collection places. Such a post was established in 1823 for the municipality of Würselen in the restaurant ‘Krings’ in Grevenberg. By the way, this restaurant still bears the name today „Kringshäuschen“.

There, the postman, coming from Aachen, put down the mail intended for Würselen and took mail sent there for further transport.

Twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, this was the case. ‘Schenkwirt Krings’ also kept the letter collection point when the mail was later delivered to recipients.

Grevenberg And Vorweiden

At that time, Grevenberg and Vorweiden were postal districts. Villages such as Morsbach, Schweilbach, Scherberg, Kaisersruh, Neuhaus, Birk, Grindel, Bardenberg, Adamsmühle etc. were assigned to Grevenberg

Broich’s and Weiden’s Villages as well as Elchenrath, Bissen, Würselen, Driesch und Oppen belonged to Vorweiden.

Looking at such large districts, one wonders how the postman managed delivery. We know from tradition that the postman went to schools and the children who were to deliver the letters to certain letters, neighbors, etc.

In 1865, Mayor Quadflieg applied to the Würselen Municipality Authority for the establishment of a postal agency, as two new pits, Teut and Königsgrube, had been put into operation. That request was initially rejected.

Postagency Grevenberg

On February 16, 1872, the time had come. Grevenberg Officially became postal agency, the districts were reclassified, and Elchenrath, bites, dice, Oppen And Driesch became the Grevenberger Agency allocated, in addition to the places that used to be dazu counting.

The first Postagent was the wax light manufacturer Franz Schefer from ElchenrathThe agency was located in Aachener Straße 14.

1878 Grevenberg got a telegraph operating point. In 1879, the land letter carrier Deutz from Aachen took over the agency, which was then in the ‘Gemündschen’ House (now Krefelder Straße 2).

As early as 1881, the office moved to Johann Josef Krings (Kringshäuschen), then 1887 to innkeeper Josef Göttgens (Today ‘Parkhotel’).

Postagency Würselen

The business became more and more buoyant, especially after der Opening of the railway line Aachen - Jülich 1882. It was not possible to do the work in Grevenberg alone.

For relief, therefore, a postal agency was set up in Würselen on 1 March 1886, first in the home of the innkeeper Johann Bükken (Markt 3), from 1888 in the home of innkeeper Nicholas Cornely, Markt 8. The delivery area initially included Würselen and Driesch, and from 1890 also Bissen, Haal and Oppen.

The post office in Vorweiden was designated as a transfer post office for Würselen. And in 1887, the agency also received telegraph operations.

Grevenberg And Würselen Got A Post Office

In mid-1889, the agency Grevenberg was converted into a post office, head of post was a post manager Mr. Holz. The office was placed one after the other in the houses Aachener Straße 10 (now Brepols), Kaiserstraße 132 (now Posthotel) and Morsbacher Straße 13 (afterward Progymnasium).

In 1895 Würselen also a post office was appointed, initially with Cornely, then in the restaurant Lennartz (now Neuhauser Straße 5). Postal administrator was initially Mr. Hoever (1895-1897), later Mr. Heinen (1897 to 1922).

Just Only One Post Office, Telephone and Radio

Two post offices only about one kilometre apart, became too much of the Reichspost, and it was decided, to close the Post Office Grevenberg and move the services to Würselen. On 1 October 1901, a new post office was established in the post office building built by the contractor Josef Kahlen (Kaiserstraße 43).

In 1905, the telephone system was put into operation with initial 6 participants. 1910, there were 34 participants in 1910. In 1914, the construction of a post office in Bardenberg was rejected.

Finally, in June 1928, the new and larger post office is moved to Lindenplatz. That is still in operation today. At the same time, the hand-to-hand operation was replaced by the dialing operation during the telephone service. After all, there were already about 300 participants at that time.

The towns of Bardenberg, Birk, Broich, Esel, Euchen, Haarenheidchen, Linden, Neusen, Merzbrück, Verlautenheide, Vorweiden and Weiden belong to the region of Würselen (local calls in that region).

The post office also maintained a broadcasting disruption site. In 1925, only 21 had a radio. In 1932 the number climbed to more than 1000 participants. Since 1922, head of the post office was Mr. Kreutz.

 

 

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Map

Postal Office Würselen

On June 9, 1928, the new post office building at the Lindenplatz was initiated. The city had provided the property for free. The building still serves its former purpose.

 

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Map

Viadukt at Teuterhof during construction

Construction of the Würselen railway line - Kohlscheid necessitated a bridge structure. At Teuterhof, the viaduct was built in 1891, the origin of which can be seen here. In 1892, the bridge was completed.

 

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Map

Viadukt at Teuterhof, first demolition in 1967

The railway bridge at Teuterhof did not live to be 100 years old. Taken into operation in 1892, it was blown up in January 1967. The viaduct was in the way, when the bridge crossing the river Wurm and the road was to be widened.

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Map

Nordbahnhof Würselen (pit Gouley)

Würselens Nordbahnhof (North Station) at the pit Gouley. With the closure of the colliery, it lost its importance. The picture was taken in 1962. The buildings were demolished.

 

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Map

Bahnhof Würselen (main railway station)

Fahrplan 1909

Würselens railway station around 1920 and an excerpt from the timetable from 1909. The terminus of Aachen - North used to be called Aachen Cölntor (Repro: In. Wennmacher).

 

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Map

railway officers at Würselen main station

Würselen’s railway officials in front of a locomotive in the Würselen „Main Station“, taken in the early 1930s.

 

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Last run "Schienenbus" 1980

On 30. May 1980 the last rail bus ran from Aachen-Nord to Jülich aAnd back. The railway line was shut down.

The Aachen-Würselen route Mariagrube - Hoengen, built in 1875, the extension Hoengen -Jülich in 1882. Market with church of St. Sebastian around 1920.