A unique exemplar from Münster, embodying traditional charm
In the heart of Münster, Germany, a local figure named Frans Essink was known for his unique participation in the Great Procession. Each year, he would adorn his house on Rothenburg 42, now home to Restaurant Töddenhoek, with wreaths, holy pictures, and flower pots, creating a spectacle that was eagerly anticipated by the community.
Frans Essink's life story has been the subject of an article by Josef Scheller, a guest author at ALLES MÜNSTER, titled "A Münster Original of Traditional Stamp: Who was Franz Essink?" published on July 13, 2025. Born on April 25, 1801, the son of Josep and Settken (Joseph and Elisabeth) Essink, Frans Essink's life was marked by a series of significant events.
Frans' father was a brass founder, crafting shoe buckles, knee closures, and other small parts from brass or bronze. However, tragedy struck early when Frans' mother passed away when he was a toddler, and his father remarried with the help of a peddler. Frans began his education at the age of seven but found learning, especially writing, to be a torture accompanied by physical punishment from his teacher. At the age of 16, he left school and started an apprenticeship with his father as a brass founder. Yet, the pull of the garden proved too strong, and Frans eventually neglected brass founding in favour of tending to his plants.
Frans Essink remained unmarried throughout his life and died on December 31, 1871. His funeral was a grand affair, with the entire clergy, flags, torches, and candlesticks in attendance, as described by Hermann Landois, a former zoo director who lived at Rothenburg 33/34, and was a neighbour of Frans for 36 years.
In 1958, the city remembered Frans Essink and laid a natural stone mosaic on his grave, featuring his name and his typical "insignia" of an unusually tall top hat, spade, rake, and umbrella. However, there is no widely recognized or documented natural stone mosaic on Moltke Street in Münster dedicated to a "Franz Essink." If such a mosaic or commemoration exists, it is not covered in publicly available reputable materials.
Frans Essink's will was the subject of 23 lawsuits over the course of 14 days. Notably, a maidservant named Mucke posed as a nurse and embezzled 23 talers from Frans' will, but the lawsuit was dismissed because she was his maidservant. In his will, Frans specified that the city of Münster should be his heir and use a thousand talers (equivalent to 36,000 euros today) for the benefit of the municipal Clemens Hospital.
Despite the lack of a prominent tribute or mosaic to Franz Essink in major sources, it is possible that he is a lesser-known local figure, or the information may be a recent or local initiative not yet documented in mainstream sources. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, contacting the Münster city archives or local cultural offices would be advisable.
Frans Essink's love for gardening expanded beyond his home-and-garden, as evidenced by his annual decorations for the Great Procession in Münster, Germany. Despite not having a dedicated natural stone mosaic in his honor, Frans' unique lifestyle, marked by his affinity for plants and traditional festivities, continues to intrigue local historians, making him a figure worth exploring in the home-and-garden and lifestyle realms.
