„D’r övverschte Willms“

Restaurant of Widow Hubert Willms

A postcard from the year 1896 proves that the restaurant Hubert Willms existed as early as the 19th century. The owner at that time was Hubert Willms (1826–1897). After his death, his widow Elisabeth née Quast (1830–1911) continued to run the establishment. Later, it was taken over by Elisabeth Willms née Limburg (1867–1936).

The restaurant was located on Diepenlinchener Straße, just below the inn of Peter Willms, Hubert Willms' nephew. The locals distinguished between the two establishments by their locations: the “upper Willms” and the “lower Willms” – in dialect, thus “övverschte” and “öngerschte” Willms.

A common nickname arose from an anecdote: In the “övverschte” Willms, the innkeeper read the world news from the newspaper to his guests. One day, a report concerning the Italian region Piedmont was pronounced by the innkeeper as “Pimmong.” This led to general amusement. Thus, the restaurant received the nickname “övverschte Pimmong”, while Peter Willms' establishment was dubbed “öngerschte Pimmong” instead.

On April 9, 1882, several citizens of the community, who had a keen interest in house music, decided to establish the music association “Euphonia.”

The protocols concerning the founding and meetings in the Willms restaurant were destroyed in a fire in 1902, making it unfortunately impossible to present a continuous development up to 1902.
As far as can be determined, the founders of the association included: Anton Willms, Peter Schür, Jakob Mohr, Wilhelm Johag, Peter Willms, Matthias Hanf, Hubert Mohr, Franz Josef Scholl, Jakob Willms, Ludwig Karl, Johann Wildt, Josef Schür, Peter Mohr, and the Moonen brothers. The purpose and goal of the association was to promote instrumental music for the entertainment of the members and to hold public concerts. The association chronicle names the musician Erdmann from Eilendorf as the first conductor.

For decades, F. J. Scholl as conductor positively influenced the fortunes of the association. Three qualities helped him overcome all difficulties: a strong sense of order, discipline, and his great musical understanding.

At the outbreak of the war in 1914, “Euphonia” accompanied the first Mausbacher soldiers to Stolberg under the sounds of their instruments.
During the war, the large association drum went with Landwehr Regiment 28 to Russia. Of the seven members who were drafted into the war, Josef
Heidbüchel, Wilhelm Schiffer, Wilhelm Johag, and the Lauscher brothers died for homeland and country.