More than 600 invited guests bid farewell to Paul Gauselmann at Benkhausen Castle. In addition to family members, friends and companions, numerous representatives from politics, business, the industry, as well as clubs and associations were present, as were employees of the Merkur Group.
A beautifully decorated courtyard framed the Memorial Service, which was streamed live.
Around 600 invited guests attended the Memorial Service at Benkhausen Castle.
Paul Gauselmann passed away on August 21st, shortly before his 92nd birthday. He founded the Merkur Group as a one-man operation and, over 67 years at the helm, developed it into an internationally successful group with currently more than 15,000 employees.
Speakers praised his achievements, social engagement and impact on so many people, recalling his support for hospitals, schools, kindergartens, fire brigades and clubs in the region. At the same time, they described him as a person who listened, took others seriously and shaped his environment. Thus, different facets became visible – the family man, the entrepreneur, the politically active figure, the regional supporter, the tennis partner and the Doppelkopf player.
Michael Gauselmann shared personal insights with those present.
Michael Gauselmann, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Merkur Group, gave personal insights into his relationship with his father. He described how Paul took on different roles depending on the situation, from family man to entrepreneur. One of his father’s lessons remains especially memorable: “Only an idea that is implemented is a good idea.” He repeated this sentence in many conversations with employees years later.
“Not talking, but doing,” summed up Michael Gauselmann – the message his father gave to his son.
Manfred Stoffers, Vice Chairman of the Management Board of the Merkur Group and one of Paul Gauselmann’s closest confidants, moderated the Memorial Service. He recounted how he met the deceased 42 years ago, guided the ceremony, and introduced the speakers with personal anecdotes.
Lars Felderhoff placed Paul Gauselmann’s entrepreneurial achievement in context, stating that the company would not exist without his courage, dedication and tenacity, praising him as a “brilliant tinkerer, visionary and designer.” He also highlighted his energy and restlessness, saying: “Stagnation was not an option.”
Felderhoff also emphasised that the success of ‘PG’, as he was respectfully known, could not only be read in numbers “but also in the people he shaped.”
Paul Gauselmann was a politically interested and outspoken person who sought dialogue. For Manfred Stoffers, he was a “fighter for freedom” and Hermann Otto Solms, former Vice President of the Bundestag and long-time FDP member of the Bundestag, spoke of decades of exchange and mutual sympathy: “Paul Gauselmann always wanted to bring the industry out of the grey area,” said the FDP Honorary Chairman.
Georg Stecker, spokesman for the German arcade industry, also highlighted his contributions: “No one achieved so much for the industry. He was a tech enthusiast and a doer.”
Anna Katharina Bölling, President of the Detmold administrative district, conveyed the participation of the North Rhine-Westphalia state government, saying: “North Rhine-Westphalia has lost a visionary entrepreneur.” There has hardly been a hospital, school, kindergarten or club in the region that did not benefit from his generosity. Meetings with the entrepreneur were always special for her: “He was not only a good speaker but also a good listener,” she said. “Not many people have that.”
Ali Doğan, District Administrator of the Minden-Lübbecke district, also highlighted Paul Gauselmann’s commitment to the community: “Paul Gauselmann was a true pillar of society.” In particular, the Mühlenkreiskliniken repeatedly received financial support.
His devotion to his homeland was further emphasised by Espelkamp’s Mayor, Dr. Henning Vieker, and Lübbecke’s Mayor, Philipp Knappmeyer.
Paul Gauselmann was an Honorary Citizen of both towns and had endowed Espelkamp in his lifetime with donations of over €8.7m and Lübbecke with a grant of over €5m. Both Mayors stressed that Paul Gauselmann always saw himself as part of the community and naturally attended the weekly market or other city festivals.
As part of a community, Erhard Schiffner and Arthur Plate had known the deceased well. Schiffner, Captain of the Espelkamp-Mittwald Men’s 75 team, of which Paul was also a member, spoke of his passion for tennis and team spirit. As long as he could, Paul Gauselmann regularly played on the court and spent time with his teammates. Plate, who met Paul Gauselmann once a month as part of his Doppelkopf rounds, recalled: “His schedule was always arranged with tennis and Doppelkopf in mind, and true friendships were formed.”
The private side of Paul Gauselmann showed that, alongside work ethic and ambition, there was also joy in a game that held a fixed place in his life. Or as Manfred Stoffers put it: “Paul Gauselmann was not only a great game-maker, but also a passionate player himself!”
TAGS: Merkur Group, Paul Gauselmann
