Louisa Brönneke 1828–1893 My Second Great Grandmother on My Mother’s Side

A historic home in Hildesheim, Germany

Louisa’s full name was Louisa Sophia Magdalena Brönneke. She was the daughter of Heinrich Brönneke and Gertrude Budde. Louisa was born on April 18, 1828, at house number 841 in Hildesheim. She was baptized two days later by Pastor Brandeis, the same church official who baptized her future husband. She had three godmothers present at her birth: Louisa Bogershausen, Sophia Budde and Magdelena Brönneke. These are the sources of Louisa’s full name.

Hildesheim where Louisa was born and where she and her husband lived and raised their children is one of the largest cities in Germany. It is located in a valley 24 miles southeast of Hanover, on the banks of the Innerste River, a small tributary of the Leine River, and is surrounded by hills.

 

Historically, Hildesheim was known as the cradle of art. Today, Hildesheim is one of the most important places for Romanesque art in Germany. One of the most important historic buildings is St. Godehard’s Basilica, which was originally constructed between 1133 and 1172. The building was restored between 1848 and 1863 and is considered one of the finest Romanesque buildings in the world. Another is St. Michael’s Protestant Church which was built by Bishop Bernward. Both of these buildings are designated World Heritage Sites.

The original birth record for Louisa that Thomas Henze
found and sent to me.

Hildesheim is a quaint and picturesque town with many very old homes. A large percentage of these buildings and homes were either destroyed or damaged during the last two months of World War II, but many have been restored or reconstructed to match the original design.

This portrait was among my grandmother's things.
I think it is a photo of her grandmother but
I am not certain. If anyone recognizes this photo
and can tell me who it is please contact me.

Louisa was nineteen when she married Caspar and twenty when their first son, Friedrich Joseph, was born. Her second child, another son, died just six days after his birth. Her fourth child and first girl was my great grandmother Gertrude Elizabeth Stolte, who was born in 1853. Louisa continued to give birth every couple of years until she was 41 years old. Sadly, of her last two children, one died at five months and the last died at birth. Then her husband Caspar died five years after their last child was born, and Louisa was left a widow at the age of 46. Here is a list of Casper and Louisa’s twelve children.

Louisa's baptism record in German found by Thomas

Friedrich Joseph Stolte born August 14, 1848

Friedrich Carl Heinrich Stolte born March 6, 1851, and died March 12, 1851

Friedrich Heinrich Stolte born March 4, 1852.

Gertrude Elisabeth Stolte (my great grandmother) born October 21, 1853

Johanna Maria Stolte born October 23, 1855

Heinrich Wilhelm Stolte born February 15, 1858

Gertrude Stolte born January 10, 1860

Magdelena Stolte born November 24, 1861

Carl Heinrich Stolte born July 1, 1863

Maria Gertrude Stolte born October 30, 1866.

Georg Friedrick Stolte born on February 8, 1868. King George V was listed on his birth record as the godfather. Unfortunately, George died on July 25^th of the same year.

Their twelfth and last child died at birth on March 31, 1870. 

Interior of the Basilica of St. Godehard's 
where Louisa was baptized and married.

Somehow Louise managed to survive after her husband’s death and raise their children. She died on September 15, 1893, at the age of 65. She too was buried in Hildesheim, probably with her husband and the children who had died before her.

Sources for this post: Birth, baptism and marriage records found by Thomas Henze, FamilySearch website, and my great grandfather's personal journal.