Collection Looking For Museum.
The 3 collectors from Gelsenkirchen - Germany Andreas Schröer, Michael Knorr and Oskar Hentschel have been hunting Elvis Presley´s personal property for 25 years and call the “worldwide largest Elvis-collection from the 50s” their own.
Original items from the 60s and 70s including thousands of autographs together with extremely rare film- and commercial posters also belong to the pieces of their collection.
Their problem: The collection is distributed among private accomodation, bank safes and other museums. Now they want to lend their collection permanently to the city of Gladbeck and are looking for suitable space for a museum.
A trio from Gelsenkirchen, Germany, call the worldwide biggest collection of personal property of the King of Rock ´n´Roll from the 50s their own and would like to display their teasures permanently in the neighbouring town of Gladbeck:
“What we need first of all is a locality.”
“What we need first of all is a locality.”
Watch the Video -Clip: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daeLW8s9KME"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daeLW8s9KME[/ame]
Graceland in Gladbeck.
By Christoph van Bürk - translation German articles to Englishfor EpGold Oskar Hentschel.
By Christoph van Bürk - translation German articles to Englishfor EpGold Oskar Hentschel.
Andreas Schröer (photo: Deffte)
Entering Andreas Schröer´s living room you take a step back into the 50s. Or you think you are at Graceland, Elvis Presley´s estate, the destination of yearly pilgrimage for some hundred thousands of Elvis-fans. This is the place where Elvis lives, if he really does so: on coat hangers, racks and in showcases.
There stands a guitar of the King of Rock ´n´Roll, stage costumes are hanging there, an army jacket and the ruby red tie that Elvis wore when he signed the contract between Sun Records and RCA Victor. Diamond rings are lying there, his first credt card or a pair of sunglasses with the initials “EP”. And these treasures are only part of what Andreas schröer (42), Michael Knorr (48) and Oskar Hentschel (61) call their own.
There stands a guitar of the King of Rock ´n´Roll, stage costumes are hanging there, an army jacket and the ruby red tie that Elvis wore when he signed the contract between Sun Records and RCA Victor. Diamond rings are lying there, his first credt card or a pair of sunglasses with the initials “EP”. And these treasures are only part of what Andreas schröer (42), Michael Knorr (48) and Oskar Hentschel (61) call their own.
Their passion is too big for a flat. It is distributed among private accomodation, safe deposit boxes, the Rock ´n´Pop Museum in Gronau near the Dutch border and the House of History in the former German capital Bonn on the Rhine. Their collected passion comprises alone 800 pieces of the personal possesion of the King of Rock ´n´Roll – “the worldwide largest Elvis collection from the 50s”, they proudly say. If they also count rare records and posters, it easily comes to 1500 items, autographs included even to 3000.
With a detective´s good nose and often with a good deal of luck they struck gold. Their passion has a name: Elvis. But their passion has no constant home and that creates grief. The Elvis Presley Initiative Circle is searching a museum and would like to call Gladbeck home of their treasures, in other words: Graceland in Gladbeck.
Measured by their collection or its estimated value you may condidently claim that the trio belongs to the biggest Elvis fans of the world. Experts say the collection could be worth 5 million euros, perhaps more. Who knows? “You could actually ask what the meaning of value is. Value is what another person would be willing to pay for a thing”, adds Andreas Schröer. But that means that Schröer, Knorr and Hentschel would be willing to sell, but that would never happen.
But the three want to lend, permanently and preferably to Gladbeck. “Because we are afraid that single items could be damaged when we lend them out. And because we don´t like the idea of driving a few hundred kilometres to see our favourite pieces”, Oskar Hentschel explains.
They hope for support by the town of Gladbeck: “What we need first of all is a locality”, says Andreas Schröer and outlines the plans of the museum: Martin Wohl, owner of the Star Chief Diner in the neighbouring small town of Kirchhellen would be willing to invest 100000.- euros in event catering trade in the style of the 50s. There concerts, impersonator-contests or automobile-club meetings could take place.
After their investigations and publications of 2 books the trio has good contact to Sony BMG and the Warner and Paramount film companies. They could help to supply a museum shop with extraordinary merchandise.
Referring to the industrial region of the “Ruhrgebiet” the 3 men are convinced by the synenergyeffects which an Elvis museum would develop with the Movie World in Kirchhellen and the Zoom Event World in Gelsenkirchen. For nonlocal visitors a trip to the Elvis museum would be more worth while, when they could combine the visit with other attractions or even spend a weekend there.
Oskar Hentschel is a teacher for English and could play the guide as an old-age pensioner. He is an expert in giving a lecture. He recently reported on “The King in Bad Nauheim” while he was a patient in one of the clinics in the “Elvis city” of Bad Nauheim. “I am the only director of a museum without a museum”, he smiles.
Comment.
Elvis lives? No, but Elvis gets you going – in a cultural and economical way. The King of Rock ´n´Roll is a cult figure for every generation and a high quality museum would be a magnet for the public far beyond city limits.
People who take decisions in the town hall or administration must keep in mind now which jewel has dropped in front of their feet.
People who take decisions in the town hall or administration must keep in mind now which jewel has dropped in front of their feet.
There they stand: 3 gentlemen with a collection that may be worth a few million euros with a conception and a vision. The most difficult thing about visions is: You must not only see the risk, but you must have the courage to make use of the chance behind it.
Gladbeck needs the Elvis museum. Otherwise mockers will say in a few years: Gladbeck was glad to have it – nearly. Or they do it with the King: “Muss i denn, muss i denn zum (anderen) Städtele hinaus . . . when I want to visit the Elvis museum?
Mayor Roland wants round table talks.
The project must be checked seriously.
Graceland in Gladbeck?
“A highly thrilling and interesting project. I would be interested to follow this idea.”, says mayor Ulrich Roland. Regarding Gladbeck´s emergency budget, Lothar Sikorski, speaker for the town´s cultural affairs, steps on the brake of euphoria and emphazizes that a locality must be found and the management must be taken over by the owners – as it works with the townhall gallery and the supporting society or the swimming club 13 with the outdoor swimming-pool.
“A highly thrilling and interesting project. I would be interested to follow this idea.”, says mayor Ulrich Roland. Regarding Gladbeck´s emergency budget, Lothar Sikorski, speaker for the town´s cultural affairs, steps on the brake of euphoria and emphazizes that a locality must be found and the management must be taken over by the owners – as it works with the townhall gallery and the supporting society or the swimming club 13 with the outdoor swimming-pool.
Ulrich Roland on the other hand does not want to kill such a topic with the argument of the emergency budget. For Elvis does not only have a cultural meaning, but also an economical touch: “People who visit such a museum stay overnight in hotels here, eat in restaurants here and fill their tanks at local stations.” Roland stresses however that the project must be checked seriously.
He intends to form a round table meeting. The following people should take place there: The Elvis Presley-Initiative Circle, the town´s representatives for cultural affairs, economical promotion and of the department of town planning.
The question for a locality has yet to answered: The department of financial affairs would be suitable, but it belongs to the county of Northrhine-Westphalia. You could also think of rooms in the right wing of the machinery hall to which the foundation of industrial monuments and culture of history had to give their consent. Old warehouses or a settlement in an industrial estate would be suitable.
Perhaps one of the churches which is going to stand empty soon?
“That leads to the problem of energy costs for many items of the exhibition need a certain constant temperature”, explains Michael Knorr of the Initiative Circle.
One thing is certain: The main problem is to find a suitable building in combination with a good traffic link and big enough car parks.
“That leads to the problem of energy costs for many items of the exhibition need a certain constant temperature”, explains Michael Knorr of the Initiative Circle.
One thing is certain: The main problem is to find a suitable building in combination with a good traffic link and big enough car parks.
Elvis´ record: Fingers off!
Please complete the sentence “Elvis means to me . . .”
Andreas Schröer, Michael Knorr and Oskar Hentschel soon agree on: “ . . . the object of our collectors´ greed and the most collectible artist of the world!”
Andreas Schröer, Michael Knorr and Oskar Hentschel soon agree on: “ . . . the object of our collectors´ greed and the most collectible artist of the world!”
Their eyes were recently filled with tears of delight. A friend of Elvis´ father Vernon left them records from Elvis´ personal property on which the King himself left behind traces: his army stamp and the message: “Get your fingers off!”
Photo captions
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Elvis-Museum online row of photos: http://www.waz.de/waz/waz.gladbeck.lokal.php?lokstadt=Gladbeck
Just one sensation among many others: On this particular Sun Records invoice alone all signatures of the famous “Million Dollar Quartet” are assembled: Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis.
The rock ´n´roll giants were recorded during a spontanous session in 1957.
The late Elvis: Extravagant stage outfit of the year 1972
Army caps and badge from his army time in Friedberg, Germany
Elvis wore this ring from 1975 to 1977, also during his last concert.
Elvis´ shirt from the “Raffle of Stars” of the youth magazine BRAVO, 1959
Stamp used at Graceland, golden Cadillac key and army ring
Not quite harmless autograph hour: Elvis with army buddies and the company´s mascot Leo.
In 1956 Elvis started collecting police badges. The King was wild about the idea of playing police officer himself.
Elvis´ army worksheet. The major part of the collection dates from Presley´s time at Friedberg and Bad Nauheim.
2007/10/19 By Christoph van Bürk -translation Englishfor EpGold Oskar Hentschel - Andylon Lensen / www.epgold.com
ahm really sorry Mrs. Lensen 
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