Town History: The "Cyclists' Club All Heil" Bocholt

"Today, let us look backwards and rejoice in our cycling club' - these are the opening verses of a four-stanza poem dedicated to the cyclists' club All Heil on the occasion of its 40th anniversary in September 1933. At the time of its foundation, the cycling enthusiasts from Bocholt included the greeting "All Heil" in the name of their club, wishing them not only accident-free rides at all times, but also good success.

The cyclists' association always gave 1893 as the year of its founding, although 5 June 1894 has also been handed down as the official founding date. The cultivation of cycling and socialising were the focus of the club, which had about 25 members in 1901. Caps and badges were procured for them and in 1896 a standard. They cultivated indoor sports and undertook hiking and parade rides,

They put together touring programmes and took part in the festivities of other cycling clubs in the vicinity and further afield. At the 7th foundation festival in 1900, the new ball game "polo" was introduced, in which the cyclists tried to drive a wooden ball into the opponent's goal with the help of a polo mallet. The number of members rose to 45 by the First World War.

The world conflagration caused a sudden interruption in the club's activities, but they were revived from 1920 onwards, when many younger cycling enthusiasts joined the club. At that time, the club had 190 members, who at times achieved great success in cross-country rides and bicycle ball.

The joy of cycling

The photo shows the executive committee, various active club members and their relatives in front of the clubhouse. It was most probably taken on 28 May 1922, when the club invited the riders to a reception and prize-giving ceremony in the Schützenensaal after the long-distance reliability race "Der große Straßenpreis vom Münsterland". The riders proudly presented themselves with their racing and penny-farthing bikes, surrounded by the Ladies' Reigen team, who presented a banner ribbon made with much effort and skill. The youngest cyclists even had a tandem with them.

Among the people will also be chairman Carl Küppers senior, who led the cyclists' club All Heil with merit for decades and died in the bombing raid on Bocholt on 22 March 1945. After the Second World War, the association was no longer in existence, and on 13 April 1953 the local court revoked its legal capacity.

Photo: Bocholt Municipal Archives / Text: Wolfgang Tembrink, Bocholt City Archive