1840 - 1841

1840

September 3rd. “Immediate petition addressed by Cologne’s burgess’ to the King’s Majesty, regarding the authorisation to constitute a Cologne Cathedral Building Society.”
Titled like this 200 reputable burgess’ of Cologne presented a submission signed personally to King Friedrich Wilhelm IV., in which permission was sought for establishment of Cologne Cathedral Building Society. After various unsuccessful attempts this was the first step on the way finally leading to the foundation of Cologne Cathedral Building Society.

November 30th, 1840. King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. approved by sovereign decision of the cabinet the establishment of Cologne Cathedral Building Society. Withal he covenanted that the annual support of 10.000 Thaler will be granted furthermore and the construction of the southern portal shall be incepted as early as possible.

1841

January 8th. 22 signers of the position paper dated September 3rd, 1840, gathered in the town-hall and decided upon convening a meeting of all Cologne Cathedral building friends and having them appoint a committee to found the Cologne Cathedral Building Society.

January 23rd. In the town-hall 132 Cologne Cathedral building friends assembled and established a “preparing committee” of 36 members laying down a club-law and representing the assembly’s interests until the ballot of a management board.

January 30th. The “preparing committee” elected from its midst a commission of five members, who should formulate the society’s statute. Apart from its chairman Dr. Eberhard von Groote on the committee sat: Chief Burgomaster Steinberger, von Wittgenstein, Camphausen and Rolshausen.

April 13th. After several amendments the general meeting of Cologne Cathedral building friends approved of the club-law submitted.

April 29th. For the first time the “Cologne Cathedral building – Craft Journeymen’s Ayre” (“Dombau- Werkgesellen-lied”) by Busso von Hagen is published in the “Cologne Newspaper” (“Kölnische Zeitung”). It became the most noted Cologne Cathedral building ballad and still rings out to this very day from time to time.

August 15th. The “preparing committee” accepted the report of the small commission and gave its consent to the draft of the society’s statute presented.

September 8th. Cologne Cathedral Building Society’s club-law was approved by decision of the cabinet of Friedrich Wilhelm IV. At the same time the King took on the protectorate of the society he was offered. All subsequent Prussian Kings and Emperors were patrons of Central Cologne Cathedral Building Society.

October 8th. The announced ship with stones for the construction arrives in Cologne, a bestowment from Stuttgart’s Cathedral Association. On this occasion a regale took place on a Cologne steamboat hosted by the Cologne Cathedral building friends.