Heinrich Mittelmann, 1895 Obituary

MITTLEMANN, DINGS, WIEDERMEYER, BROWN, LIEWER, SELZER, STENDIKE, WALZ

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 4/29/2007 at 14:32:35

I translated the following obituary from Der Carroll Demokrat, a German-language newspaper published in Carroll, Iowa, between about 1874 and 1920. It was originally published on Friday, 8 February 1895. Any information in brackets or notes at the end are my own explanations. It reads as follows:

Heinrich Mittelmann

Heinrich Mittelmann, our esteemed friend of many years and fellow-citizen, is no longer among the living. He passed away quietly to the better hereafter at 7:30 in the evening on Monday the 21st of January 1895, surrounded by his dear wife and four children, and in the company of his clergyman.

He caught a cold in February 1894 while performing the duties of his occupation. This cold developed into a pulmonary illness, and in the fall, after he had happily survived the summer heat, it was believed that he had overcome the illness through the devoted care of his wife and his brave outlook that he would get better, but in God’s inexplicable decree it was decided otherwise. He had hardly enjoyed going outdoors a few times, when he suffered a critical setback which took him several times to the brink of the grave. But the great energy, confidence, and courage that the ill man possessed were so amazingly effective that he always recovered again, until finally, after all his suffering, he also developed dropsy. Despite the fact that his friends and family now well realized that his downfall was only a question of time, our friend, in the hours when his suffering was alleviated, continued to cling to hope, which in the hours of suffering fell like a house of cards. When the patient sufferer saw around him his delicate children, for whom he cared so much and to whom he was a loving father, and when he saw faithfully at his side his tearful wife, from whom he must soon depart, bitter tears must then have flowed down the cheeks of our friend. But was a mercy that these hours of pain and resignation were infrequent. During the last few days, he was generally still himself and in cheerful courage, and he took pleasure in the universal sympathies which he received from friends and acquaintances, but especially from the members of the Germania Verein [Germania Club]—of which he had been an honorable member since it was founded—and who for months had stood helpfully at the side of their brother-member and each night took turns sitting up with him. He also reminded his dear wife not to forget the members of the Germania Verein and entrusted her with the task, after his death, to discharge his final request of conveying to them his deepest thanks for their fine display of friendship.

On the very morning of the day on which he would pass away in the evening, no one suspected, not even the patient, that it was the last day of his life. He was quite cheerful in the morning, but at midday he complained to his wife that he was not feeling well. The doctor and the priest were quickly sent for. All that the first could do was to provide some small relief; his life’s clock had run out. After being repeatedly fortified with the Sacraments of the Catholic Church, he was again given the Last Rights and passed away quietly to the other side.

Heinrich Mittelmann was born on 17 June 1854 at Wesel on the Rhine. He came to America in 1879 and married Bernardine Dings on 9 June 1881. This marriage produced six children, two of whom, however, preceded their father into eternity. The funeral took place on Thursday morning. The Roman Catholic Mutual Assistance Society, of which Mittelmann had been a member since 1882, gathered on Fifth Street and, with the branch society's funeral banner at the front, they marched to Main Street where the Germania Verein joined them with their funeral flag. It was an impressive procession, consisting of 100 to 120 persons, genuine friends of the deceased, which then marched off to the home of the deceased. Since it was the general desire to look one last time upon the dear countenance of the deceased, the clubs entered the side door and, walking into the front room, they had the opportunity to see their cherished friend one last time. The deceased had changed only very little, and he retained his kind and benevolent countenance even in death. The two clubs then formed in rank and file and, after the coffin was closed amid the tears of those present, the pallbearers—Messrs. Jos. Wiedermeyer, Chas. Brown, W. Liewer, John Selzer, Jos. Stendike, and Seb. Walz—advanced and carried the deceased to the wagon. The large funeral procession then set in motion and walked to Saints Peter and Paul Church, where the Rev. Father received and blessed the body and had it carried into the church. The church was almost filled to the last seat. A solemn requiem was celebrated by the Rev. Father, and after the church service he gave a heart rending sermon. Then followed the final act of the sad occasion. The procession formed up again and, under the leadership of the pastor, they walked to the cemetery. On reaching the grave, the Rev. Father again blessed the body and spoke the customary prayers. Then a few friends of the deceased sang a beautiful funeral song. While we look forward to a joyful reunion, we express our deepest compassion to the widow and children.