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Matthias Köp
19 December 1841 - 19 March 1931
Peter Joseph Kentenich’s father lived in Eggersheim, about 13 km from Gymnich.
Matthias Koep was born in the house owned by his parents, Peter Joseph Koep and Adelheit Schnitzler. Its address today is Bachstrasse 9. After the death of his parents it was sold, and Matthias moved to his sister, Konstanze, and her husband in what is today Kurfuerstenstrasse 7. This was formerly the main street. Towards the back of the garden he had a beehive. He spent his spare time caring for the garden.
Joseph Kentenich visited his father together with his mother. Information differs about how often this took place and when they went there for the last time. One version states that Joseph visited his father shortly before his ordination in 1910 – although without his mother. Other sources doubt this.
Konstanze’s marriage remained childless. Her younger brother, Friedrich Koep, had four children.
Joseph Kentenich’s father was manager of the "Heuserhof" in Oberbolheim. He rode there each day on his horse. As the manager he got to know Katharina Kentenich, who was working as a domestic on the farm. The Heuserhof no longer exists; it was demolished in 1972.
Matthias Koep is described as a pious, correct and honourable man. He was generally respected, although he always kept somewhat aloof from village life. He went to Mass every Sunday at Hochkirchen. When he was old and could no longer walk there, one of the priests brought him Holy Communion.
The oldest section of the Church of St Viktor at Hochkirchen is a Chapel of St Michael. It was a military church, a refuge, dating from the 9th century. The other sections of the church were built later. The “Steinfelderhof” next to the church belonged to a convent. In the Middle Ages the missionaries went out from here to convert the countryside.
Matthias Koep was buried in the Hochkirchen cemetery, which was part of the Eggersheim parish. After 25-30 years his remains were removed and Christine Merschheim, a great-niece, was buried in his place.
