Hesemans Tours Review Käthe Kruse

Travel report bus trip “Hesemans Tours”

The long-awaited trip in to Käthe Kruse in Donauworth by Hesemans Breda, where we looked so to.

In May 2000, conceived the idea of a trip to Maria Hesemans organize for the customers, aiming to show how the dolls are made. For the real doll lovers … After some deliberation we decided to do to Käthe Kruse. That was on 6 October 2002.

On Sunday 6 October stepped in Dordrecht the first people in the bus. Then stepped in Breda the rest of the people on. Many were still a bit sleepy, but the mood was relaxed. A cosy talk and our Agnes takes pictures.

The first coffee break was in Sevenum at about half past nine. The trip went ahead and Maria and Miranda made a friendly chat with everyone. En route we had beautiful views, it was raining but that doesn’t matter. We have a small detour through the Rijn Valley by bus. We could not go in there related to the weight of the bus, so back to the main road. We have a well driven, with a few breaks and eventually and we came at 8 am at the Hotel in Wemding. There we were friendly welcomed. The rooms were good, the dinner was fine and it was very cozy. After some notices for the other day we went to bed tired.

We wake up early in the morning Monday 7 October by a phonecall. It was a bright day, the Sun was shining and we were planning to spend the day. After breakfast we went on the bus to the Käthe Kruse factory. We were warmly received, and made for a group photo in the album outside. We got a tour of an experienced employee. We started in the cutting room, there were made the bodies of the dolls. There were four different dolls made in different sizes. The following was the Studio, where the dolls clothing is designed. This clothing is at home with the seamstresses created. The room then was the repair room, where a year approximately 1200 dolls repaired, mostly older dolls. In the painting room is shaped the face of the doll. Eyes and nose and mouth are painted with oil paint. In this room are also dolls repaired.

In the last room are the dolls dressed up. Anything by the seamstresses is made is well controlled. The clothing is mostly made by hand. All clothes are ironed. Then the wigs, in different colors, put on the doll. The hair is cut down with old tools. Finally, a last check, everything is good checked before the doll in the box. A separate category dolls are dolls that are filled with reindeer hair. The stop and put it together of these dolls is very heavy work. The people enjoyed the tour and found it very interesting. After this, there was time to have a drink and possibly buy anything …. but no obligation.. We all went at half past one extended lunch in the Käthe Kruse stube in Donauwörth.

After lunch we went to the Käthe Kruse museum, where we were given a tour, very interesting. Finally, we visited a monastic Church and there was opportunity to see anything from the town. In hotel after dinner in the evening were the purchases from the Käthe Kruse factory handed over, it was just “Sinterklaas” (like Christmas eve). By the Assistant to the factory was still a story read out. Later on that evening one more song was rehearsed; “we have a club founded, for people with a happy face, so join us, so come and join us.” It was all rhymed on that song and it was very cozy.

The next morning we had to all early again and we sat at the breakfast at half past seven. It was another bright day and we went to Nuremberg, the toy city. First we went to the toy museum very interesting. After visiting the four floors of this museum, we had a lot of information about the history of the toy. The afternoon was free to spend and that’s nice in an interesting city with ramparts and pretty fountains. But you could also go shopping. At half past five we headed back to the hotel for the latest cosy dinner. It was another successful day. Wednesday 9 October we had early on from the springs, we sat at a quarter to seven at the breakfast and half past seven we boarded the bus for the return trip. Everything went perfectly. We had great weather and the driver took a route along the “Romantic Strasze”. It was cozy in the bus, there were some ladies who were sitting to knit and it was cosy grown. Along the way, some breaks for coffee and lunch and to stretch the legs and then we seen a few movies in the bus including Käthe Kruse.

Just across the border beyond Venlo we had something to eat and then we went in the direction of Breda and then to Dordrecht. On behalf of all in the bus: we found it a successful trip thanks to Maria Hesemans and Miranda and not to mention our driver which is great. It is worth repeating. Well once more the chorus: We have founded a club, for people with a happy face, so join us, so join us.

Cobie Roosenburg

oktober 2002