Manuscript (original) of an "old Berlin" talk given by Norman C. Schneider on January 23, 1975 to the Retired Business and Professional Men's Club at Kitchener Waterloo Y. Includes childhood memories of swimming holes, fishing, bicycles, climbing the water tower, Norman's first airplane ride, a description of the first plane to fly in Berlin, Ont. Information about Christoph Schneider and Charles Andrew Ahrens, and memories of William Lyon MacKenzie King are included, along with memories of childhood friends who became prominent citizens: Walter P. Zeller, Ivan Keffer, and Fred Bowman.

File consists of business and personal papers of Louis Breithaupt including accounts, business correspondence, circulars, etc. Included are letters to and from Charles A. Ahrens and J.F. Schoellkopf. Letters in German include those from [?] Wagner, F.A. Goetze, P. Wentz, Jacob Hailer, Catharine Breithaupt, dated August 8, 1861 [marked C.B.], and others.

Also in the file is a drawing and notes of machinery, a bill for fruit trees, bushes and roses, and six letters from Jacob Burckle, and to Catharine Breithaupt, "Dear Sister", from M.A. Burckle. Jacob & his wife [Mary] were persuaded by L.B. to move from the U.S. to Berlin to help in the business and with boarders. Most of the letters are reports on the state of the business and on the charater of other employees.

Three character references for Charles Andrew Ahrens: one signed by W.D. Hepburn, Oct. 15, 1878; one signed by an unidentified hand at Beardmore & Co., May 21, 1880; and one signed by L. Breithaupt, May 31, 1880.

Two studio portraits of Charles Andrew Ahrens, seen in formal dress with hands crossed at abdomen. One is an upper body portrait, and the other is a head and shoulders crop of the same photo.

A memorial card for Charles Andrew Ahrens dated Aug. 21, 1903, a list of the names and birth dates of Charles Andrew and wife Henrietta's children, and letter from Charles Andrew to his daughter Wilhelmine on her 21st birthday dated April 29, 1876. Also in the file is a clipping of an obituary for Charles August Ahrens.

Photocopied obituary for Charles Andrew Ahrens.

One studio group portrait of the Ahrens family. File also includes typed identifications, a list of addresses for Ahrens family members, and an envelope that reads: "Grandfather Charles Andrew Ahrens and family. The only picture including grandmother Charlotte (Roth) Ahrens."

Identifications in photo:

Back row, left to right: Henry J. Ahrens, Helena Ahrens (Mrs. J.M. Schneider), Charles August Ahrens, Wilhelmine A. "Minnie" Ahrens (Mrs. Ferdinand Von Ende), Caroline Ahrens, Albert Ahrens.

Middle row, left to right: Emma Ahrens, Charles Andrew Ahrens, Henrietta Charlotte Ahrens (née Roth), Louise Ahrens.

Front row, left to right: Laura Ahrens (Mrs. Geo. Hachborn), Mary Charlotte Ahrens (Mrs. Harry Halliwell, born July 26, 1876), Herman Ahrens.

Biographical article by Ernie Ronnenberg published in the November 21, 1975 edition of the Kitchener-Waterloo Record titled "Charles A. Ahrens founded a Berlin shoe firm in 1882".

One photograph. Includes identifications as follows:
Back row, left to right: Carrie Ahrens (unmarried), Louise Ahrens (unmarried), Emma Ahrens (unmarried), Charles August Ahrens (married Emma Hirshey), Henry Ahrens.

Middle row, left to right: Albert Ahrens, Helena Ahrens (Norman C. Schneider's mother).

Front row, left to right: Minnie Ahrens (oldest, married F. VonEnde), Laura/Lolie Ahrens (married Geo. Hachborn), Charles Andrew Ahrens, Mary Ahrens (married Harry Hallliwell), Herman Ahrens.