Asterix and the Aztecs
Gluttony, remedy or even deadly ice cream? If you want to know what people used to think about chocolate, you have to delve deep into old writings.
Stollwerckviertel or how
The Severinsviertel stands for the city of Cologne like no other. Legend has it that when God made the people of Cologne, he copied them from the Severinsviertel. The Veedel is more closely linked to the city than any other. If you stroll through the Severinsviertel or Stollwerckviertel, you will come across some real Cologne old-timers. People still speak "real Kölsch" here.
The connection between the Veedel and the city is primarily based on Cologne's historical development. So why do some people talk about the Stollwerckviertel? Why do some people claim to live in the Vringsveedel? And what is the Severinsviertel now?
First of all, we should perhaps clarify which Cologne district we are talking about here. Three different districts were mentioned in the introduction to this entry alone. Here's the thing: the Stollwerckviertel, Vringsveedel and Severinsviertel are all one and the same district.
You don't want to believe us? No problem. We'll explain it to you briefly!
About St. Severin
In 1237, the church of St. Severin was founded in the district as a cemetery chapel. Even today, almost 800 years later, the remains of St. Severin of Cologne are said to still be there. The city's third bishop therefore gave his name to the Severinsviertel.
However, the people of Cologne speak their very own dialect: Kölsch. And for this reason, they also called St. Severin "Zinter Vring". Accordingly, they spoke of their Vringsveedel in their own dialect. The term "Veedel" stands for the district in a city and is also the origin of the Cologne idiom.
However, all good things come in threes and so the district has a third name. It was also known to many as the Stollwerckviertel.
The role of Stollwerck
Just like the Severinsviertel, Stollwerck is deeply connected to the city of Cologne. If you would like to find out more about Stollwerck and later the chocolate king Hans Imhoff, you can do so here. In any case, chocolate was produced in the Severinsviertel for more than 100 years. In the Stollwerck factory. The "Kamelledom" had become the landmark of the Veedel. The people of Cologne also called their district the Stollwerck quarter. Incidentally, passers-by also came across the Stollwerck girls here. Stollwerck girls, like Gerda, were the workers in the factory. After work, they could often be found in the streets of the Veedel selling small pieces of chocolate. Today, apartments can be found on the former factory site. Only the former wheelworks and various chimney bases are reminders of the old, chocolaty times in the Severinsviertel.
Turning old into new
The Severinsviertel is therefore home to much of Cologne's city history. Nowadays, old and new are intertwined here. Cologne's city history and contemporary Cologne culture have both become part of the district. On Severinsstraße, the district's main shopping street, you will find a mix of history and city life.
This interplay of old and new can also be seen in the Stollwerck community center. The former commercial building, which incidentally wrote film history, is now used as a socio-cultural event center for the city of Cologne. It can be used for theater, concerts and public and private events. What better way to explain the interplay of old and new in the Severinsviertel than with this example: an old building steeped in history that has been given a new purpose.
Of Stollwerck and the holy St. Severin
The Severinsviertel, Stollwerckviertel or Vringsveedel has a lot to offer. It is rich in history and is still an exciting district in Cologne today. Incidentally, it is not far from the Chocolate Museum. In the exhibition you can learn more about the history of Cologne in connection with Stollwerck.
