Biography Ruth Hartleb

Ruth Hartleb was born in Kleve (Germany) as the eldest daughter of pharmacist Karl Hartleb and his wife Helene Leuken. She spent her childhood together with her two years younger sister Else in Bonn where the family had moved and Karl Leuken had a pharmacy. There Ruth went to the lyceum from 1916 to 1926 and then visited women's school for a year. After courses in sewing and household she visited 1928 the vocational school for kindergarten teachers. After working in several kindergartens and children's recreation homes she absolved a course as a youth guide in Trier where she teached from 1943 on. After being committed during World War II and being evacuated to Thuringia she came back to Bonn together with her sick mother in 1945. Besides caring for her mother she absolved courses in stenography and typewriting and worked as a secretary at the Wicküler brewery in Bonn.

After that she worked for four years at the orphanage in Niederbreisig. From 1953 to 1963 she worked as director at the kindergarten and day nursery of Wuppermann Company in Leverkusen. Her working life ended 1974 as director of the kindergarten and day nursery of the evangelical community in Oberhausen. After retiring she moved to Sonsbeck. But working with children was her life: For another 14 years she supervised every summer the children of the patrons of the evangelical hospice. As she withdraw more and more from reality she was affectionately cared for in the evangelical seniors residence. Until the end she retained her cheerful and loving way with others and especially with children.

The Luyken Family Association is deeply indebted to Ruth Hartleb beyond her death. She updated 1963 up to 1966 the great Stammtafel of G. Ch. Phillip Luyken from 1884 after many researches. Many family members received then the according fotocopies. From them Hendrik Luyken could make the new graphs per computer and hold them up-to-date. Meriting special mention is her search and finding the contact to the family members of the Leuken branch in the German Democratic Republic.

Source: Chronikblatt 2006

Süchteln
Else Hartleb, Herta Otto,
Ruth Hartleb, Ursula Leuken

Paul Weyer, Friedrich Weyer,
Ruth Hartleb,
Ernst Weyer, Luise Leuken,
Hulda Leuken, Else Hartleb,
Elisabeth Leuken, Herta Otto

1965

Jungfraumassiv, Switzerland

Back side

Xanten (Germany), summer 1989
Ruth, Elke Schildt and sister Else

Xanten (Germany), summer 1989
Elke Schildt, Ruth and
Ulrich Weyer