DeutschNewspaper article of 1939.
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The Axthelms consecrate a clan stone
The first family meeting of the Axthelm family took place in Rettgenstedt
Bachra. The Axthelm family celebrated its first big family day in Rettgenstedt. Axthelms streamed in from all the districts of Germany and all professions were represented. The greatest interest aroused was a stone built from local quarry stones and framed by quarry stone walls, which – still veiled – awaited its inauguration on Pentecost Sunday. On Saturday, the family day officially began in the Inn “Gasthaus Koch” with the meeting of the clan council, in which the chairman of the association, Heinz Axthelm (Bachra), gave an account of his work from the first beginnings to the foundation of the clan and the treasurer Werner Axthelm (Kölleda) filed the cash relations. When the oldest Axthelm, Louis Axthelm (Plauen), at the age of almost 84, appeared for this session despite a stroke that had hardly been survived, there was none who was not taken by this moment.
Heinz Axthelm – organizer of the clan meeting (here in front of the clan stone) 1935 in Rettgenstedt
In the evening there was a festive celebration, at which the Axthelms did not organize an external, paid service, but rather their own celebration. Singing, piano and poem lectures alternated in a beautiful form with performances by a choir literally mixed from all the districts of Germany, which had practiced only in one previous rehearsal under the direction of cantor Thilo Axthelm (Bachra). The highlight was the honor of the three “80s”, Louis A. (Plauen), Karl A. (Erfurt) and Ms. Holbein born. A. (Erfurt).
After a church service, everyone went to the cemetery, the resting place of the ancestors, where on the grave of the oldest Axthelm a wreath dedicated by the Axthelm Clan was laid down. In time at 11.45 a.m., the men of the clan marched under the command of Captain Johannes Axthelm, Augsburg (General Walther von Axthelm, Berlin, was prevented at the last moment from imperial reasons due to official reasons) together with the marching band of the SA Rettgenstedt and the Reich Music Band of the Hitler Youth Kölleda to the clan stone, which was built in the middle of the home village under the old Luther linden tree 
on the site where the oldest Axthelm parent house is located. The inauguration of this memorial stone together with the natural monument on top of the Gartensberg – which greets down the houses to the memorial stone, in honor of the ancestors of the ancient peasant family Axthelm – was probably a very special experience for the whole village, especially since this family stone was the first of a peasant family in central Germany. After the unveiling, the company marched through the two villages and past the ten family houses of the Axthelm family.
The evening of this day passed by in a relaxed mood with lively socializing and dancing, after Heinz A. (Bachra) had talked about his work and Paul A. (Weißenfels) had talked about his first family days. This first clan meeting, which offers a fine example of solidarity, will take place every 2 years.
