Heinrich August KILIAN

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" lang="EN-US">August Kilian *20 Apr 1839, in his youth, showed great cleverness and aptitude. He would often sit near the water, where there would be clay, and sculptored (sic) figures of birds and men. When rope dancers appeared in the local village, he would later try at home to perform the same tricks. When August was about 14, there lived in Landwehrhagen a gilder, who was trying to locate a skillful boy. From all sides they recommended August Kilian to him, so he became an apprentice to Meister Kranz. Kranz was very pleased with young August. After a period of two years, Meister Kranz moved to Koln (Cologne) on the Rhein; he wanted to take August with him but his father would not permit it. He decided to go to Kassel to find work in a shop where picture frames were made. After a trial period of six weeks he was told by the foreman his work was as good as that of a journeyman, but the employer required an apprenticeship of one and a half years. This was too long a period for his father; August had to return home to pull the saw and swing the ax.</span><span style="font-size:11pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" lang="EN-US">&nbsp;</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" lang="EN-US">In his youth August had completed a hunting scene molded from clay, and this wasenclosed in a glass case. The cleverness of the work astonished all who saw it. Many advised August he should make a gift of the work to the Crown Prince of Hannover, Ernst August. The teacher in Landwehrhagen at that time had a foster son in Hannover, and the work of art was sent to him so he could personally deliver it to the Crown Prince. Some time later the teacher came to August with the message that the handiwork had been broken enroute, and could not be given to the Crown Prince. August believed him. However, he learned later that the foster son was attending an art school, so one couldonly assume he had presented the art work as his own and thereupon had been given a scholarship in the art school by the Crown Prince Ernst August.</span></p>

<p style="text-align: left;" dir="ltr">Dora Frieling Kilian</p>

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