Family Days from 1971 to the political change in 1989

Since 1974, the Family Day has been held every autumn – in the second half of September or
the first half of October.

1. The Seventies

The 28th Family Day took place on 22/23 May 1971 for the second time in Altenau and attracted 37 participants from 13 clans.
Newly elected to the advisory board were ship’s officer Klaus Schrader (Groß-Gleidingen) and horticultural engineer Jürgen Schrader (-Rottmersleben).
Noteworthy is the “short, moving ceremonial address” by the association’s herald master, cousin Dr Wilhelm Schrader Rottmers, as stated in the minutes. Topic: “Half a century of the Schrader family association – a tribute with a look to the future”.
It was a farewell and legacy speech, and the audience felt it as such, without the speaker knowing that this would be his last family day. Wilhelm Schrader-Rottmers appealed to those present to “continue the efforts to research and cultivate friendship for the benefit and prosperity of our association”.
A year and a half later, Dr Wilhelm Schrader-Rottmers died shortly before his 64th birthday. He had been elected to the advisory board in 1937 and had taken on the role of herald master in 1945. Since then, Wilhelm Schrader-Rottmers had played a major role in publishing the newsletters and preparing and organising the family days, in which he had participated in every single one since 1937, with one exception. In 1969, on the occasion of his 60th birthday, he was named the 12th honorary member.

29th Family Day: 1–3 June 1973 in Bad Harzburg. Thirty-three participants attended, including
28 members from 11 clans. The most important event was the election of a new chairman.
Cousin Heyno Schrader (-Küblingen) stepped down after five years in office
due to his age. Former Senate President Siegfried Schrader (-Thüste) from Celle was elected as his successor.
The position of herald master remained vacant, but cousin Jens Peter Schrader (-Rottmersleben) agreed to take on this role on a temporary basis. Later, archivist Dr Carl Hermann Schrader (-Scharbow) took care of heraldic matters.
The family day was held in Bad Harzburg for the second time since 1937.

30th Family Day: 4–6 October 1974 in Celle. This Family Day was marked by misfortune. A few days earlier, the chairman, honorary member Heyno Schrader (-Küblingen), had been laid to rest.
According to the minutes, the Family Day took place in a “quieter, but no less cordial atmosphere”. The Family Day was led by Siegfried Schrader (-Thüste), who had been elected chairman the previous year and who, a few weeks later, on 11 December 1974, also died unexpectedly.
The keynote speech was given by archivist Carl Hermann Schrader (-Scharbow) on “Ludwig von Schrader, 1686-1765 – First Secretary to the Prince of Wales”.
Twenty-six people from the Braunschweig, Eilenstedt, Göttingen, Homburg, Königslutter, Küblingen, Rottmersleben, Scharbow and Thüste clans took part in the family day.

31st Family Day: 3–5 October 1975 in Bückeburg. Cousin Dr Hans-Ludolf Schrader (-Braunschweig), President of the Senate at the Higher Regional Court
in Frankfurt am Main, was elected as the new chairman. New advisory board members were Christa Schrader (-Königslutter) and Heinz-Ulrich Schrader (-Göttingen), both residing in Munich. Cousin Heinz-Ulrich gave a presentation and Heinz-Ulrich Schrader (-Göttingen), both residents of Munich.
Cousin Heinz-Ulrich gave a lecture on a planned ascent of Mount Pico Schrader in the Pyrenees, and
cousin Carl Hermann, archivist, gave a lecture on “Julie Schräder – Genealogy of a Dandelion”. The
number of participants was 41.

32nd Family Day: 1–3 October 1976 in Kassel. Twenty-eight participants gathered at the Hotel Schweizer Hof.
The keynote speech was given by Prof. Hermann Mitgau on the topic of “A patrician clan surrounding the Mayor of Braunschweig, Hermann Schrader (1570–1639)”.

33rd Family Day: 7–9 October 1977 in Eutin. This Family Day was organised by archivist Dr Carl Hermann and his wife Agathe. The chairman welcomed 37 participants.
The keynote speeches were given by Director of Studies Peters and District President Prüß on Eutin’s most famous sons, Carl Maria von Weber and Johann Heinrich Voß.

34th Family Day: 6–8 October 1978 at Lake Tegernsee. For the association members, most of whom lived in the north and west, this meant a long journey to the south of the Federal Republic.
Christa Schrader (-Königslutter) had promoted and organised the event, encouraging everyone to leave the “Schrader area” and come to her in the Alpine foothills. She organised the Family Day and had to overcome a number of obstacles in the process. It was a particularly joyful gathering, which took place against the unforgettable Alpine backdrop.
A total of 30 members from 14 clans (Bockenem, Braunschweig, Eilenstedt, Goslar – now Quedlinburg, Göttingen, Groß-Gleidingen, Homburg, Kniestedt, Königslutter, Küblingen, Rottmersleben, Melverode, Scharbow and Windhausen) accepted the invitation.
Cousin Wilhelm Schräder (-Kniestedt) gave a presentation entitled “500 Years of Schrader in Kniestedt”.
Cousin Dr. Carl Hermann Schrader (-Scharbow) gave a slide presentation on “The Ancestors of Caroline Henriette Endemann”.

35th Family Day: 5–7 October 1979 in Bonn-Bad Godesberg. Cousin Anneliese Schulte, née Schrader (Groß-Gleidingen), was elected chair of the family association, succeeding cousin Dr Hans-Ludolf Schrader (Braunschweig). This was the first time since the association was founded that a woman had held the position. Cousin Dr Carl Hermann Schrader (Scharbow) gave a talk on creating a family tree and a genealogical table. Twenty-one people took part in the Family Day.

2. The eighties.

36th Family Day: 3–5 October 1980 in Braunschweig. For the fifth time in the association’s history, members gathered in the city of Henry the Lion.
The programme included a tour of the Riddagshausen castle estate and the monastery church there. Cousin Hans-Ludolf Schrader (-Braunschweig) explained an exhibition of old Schrader pictures and documents relating to his family.

37th Family Day: 9–11 October 1981 in Wolfenbüttel. This Family Day was attended by 29 participants.
The general meeting elected cousin Carl Hermann Schrader (-Scharbow) as the 14th honorary member.
Cousin Carl Hermann gave a lecture on “Allbrecht Schrader, a Göttingen merchant in the 16th century”.

38th Family Day: 8–10 October 1982 in Hamelin. Twenty-four participants gathered in the town of the legendary medieval Pied Piper.
The archivist gave a lecture on “Old and New About the Schrader-Groß-Gleidingen Family”.
The office of herald master was abolished by an amendment to the statutes. The corresponding tasks will be performed by the archivist in future.

39th Family Day: 7–9 October 1983 in Ratzeburg. With 80 participants, this was the largest and, in terms of the diversity and festivity of the programme, also the most successful Family Day in the association’s 63-year history.
On the occasion of the 275th anniversary of the ennoblement of the brothers Christoph and Kilian Schrader by Emperor Joseph I in 1708, the Family Day was dedicated to the “History of the Schrader, von Schrader, and Freiherren von Schrader families from Wahmbeck”.
For the first time, a newsletter of the association was devoted exclusively to reporting on one family.
The focus was on two lectures: District Museum Director Dr Kaack spoke about “400 years of Lauenburg knights and countryside”, and the archivist spoke about “The rise and fall of the von Schrader-Kulpin family”.
Cousin Pastor Harald Schrader held a service in St. Georgsberg Church on the theme of “Life in intergenerational solidarity”.

40th Family Day: 5–7 October 1984 in Bad Sassendorf. Forty-two participants gathered here. Cousin Klaus Schrader (Groß-Gleidingen) showed film footage from the previous Family Day in Ratzeburg.
It is clear that the highlight of the previous year’s Family Day in Ratzeburg still had an impact, and this meeting focused on exploring Soest and mutual exchange.

41st Family Day: 27–29 September 1985 in Münster-Handorf. The 45 participants visited Hülshoff Castle, the home of the poet Annette von Droste-Hülshoff.
Cousin Dr Hanswemer von Schrader-Beielstein (-Wahmbeck) reported on “Stone witnesses to Schrader’s past in the Duchy of Lauenburg”.
Cousin Dr Otto Schrader (-Schneverdingen) gave a lecture on “The Gernheim glassworks, a Schrader family business in the early industrial era”.

42nd Family Day: 27–28 September 1986 in Bad Kreuznach. Like in 1978, this Family Day took place outside the Schrader area and brought together 32 participants.
Cousin Dr. Dr. Hanswemer von Schrader-Beielstein (-Wahmbeck) spoke on the topic of “Coffin decorations
from the von Schrader family crypt at St. Georgsberg,” and the archivist reported on his trip to Scharbow in the GDR.
The board was expanded by an amendment to the statutes and will now consist of the chairperson, the deputy chairperson, the archivist and the treasurer. Cousin Anneliese Schulte, née Schrader, stepped down from the office of chairperson. Cousin Carl Hermann Schrader (-Scharbow) was elected as her successor, taking on the role in addition to his duties as archivist. The following were elected to the advisory board:
Hanswemer von Schrader-Beielstein (-Wahmbeck), Jost Heinrich Schrader (-Küblingen), Christa Schrader (-Königslutter), Malte Schrader (-Königslutter) and Jens Peter Schrader (-Rottmersleben).

43rd Family Day: 25–27 September 1987 in Einbeck. The speakers were once again archivist Dr Carl Hermann Schrader (-Scharbow) and advisory board member Dr Hanswemer von Schrader-Beielstein
(-Wahmbeck).
Cousin Carl Hermann spoke about “Einbeck’s family history sources and their significance for Schrader research”.
Cousin Hanswemer’s topic was “The grave of Eleonore Margarethe von Schrader, née von
Wackerbarth, in Ratzeburg Cathedral” (with photographs).

44th Family Day: 7–9 October 1988 in Bad Karlshafen. The venue was the Hotel Villa Biedermann. Cousin Malte Schrader (-Königslutter) spoke at the gala evening about “Two generations of Schrader-Königslutter in the Napoleonic era”.
Dr Hanswemer von Schrader-Beielstein (-Wahmbeck) presented a slide show.
Topic: “The von Schrader family coat of arms”.
Visits were made to the Huguenot Museum, the Porcelain Museum at Fürstenberg Castle and Corvey Abbey.

45th Family Day: 6–8 October 1989 in Lübeck. Officially, the Family Day took place in the city on the Trave, but the conference venue, the Forsthaus St. Hubertus, was located south of the Hanseatic city in Groß-Grönau.
Archivist Dr Carl Hermann Schrader (-Scharbow) gave a lecture on “The Lauenburg succession of 1689 and its significance for Schrader family research”.
Later, advisory board member Dr Hanswerner von Schrader-Beielstein (-Wahmbeck) gave a guided tour of the special exhibition “The von Schrader Family” at the Ratzeburg Local History Museum.
Dr Hanswerner von Schrader-Beielstein (-Wahmbeck) was elected deputy chairman of the family association.