AGENDA

 

1. Welcoming

a) Commemoration of the deceased family members (see attachment 1).

2. Statement of accounts of the executive board
a) Debate

3. Financial report
a) Debate

4. Auditor's report

5. Discharge
a) Board of Directors
b) Cash auditors

6. New elections

  1. Chairperson
  2. 1. deputy
  3. 2. deputy
  4. Cash auditor

7. Questions of the statutes of the association

8. Rules of use cemetery

  1. Occupancy plan
  2. Grave design
  3. Memorial stones
  4. Care of the cemetery

9. Miscellaneous

 

PROTOCOL

Start of the general meeting: 11:00h

Present: see list of participants

 

TOP 1:

Welcome of the members by the chairman of the association, Hans Zahn. Sabine Zahn takes the minutes.

The Chairman asked all family members to rise in memory of the deceased. Since the last general meeting on 23.09.2007 the following family members have died: Anneliese Zahn (Hamburg), Eberhard Zahn (St. Wolfgang), Angelika Esser (Munich), Hemuth Arnscheid (Kamenz), Lilli Herold (Düsseldorf), Trudi Schiffers.

The Chairman asked for a moment of silence in memory of the deceased.

 

TOP 2:

The Chairman presents the accountability report of the Executive Board:

The restoration of the gravestones and the frames could be largely completed due to the donations from the family circle, which had been called for at the last general meeting in 2007. A securing of one of the gravestones is still pending, which could only be done provisionally so far.

The wooden cross of Anna Zahn fell down some time ago. It cannot be restored, so a new, smaller stone will be placed elsewhere in the cemetery.

The bronze plaque on the memorial stone to Franz Ludwig Zahn in Moers Castle Park was stolen. The board has since replaced this plaque with the same text.

In addition to the ongoing work of the association, the board was mainly occupied with the handling of the donation projects and the preparation and follow-up of the interim family day in Wasserthaleben in 2010 and the current family day in Moers. About the progress of the projects and planning there was already an information event for the family members and the members of the association on 22.09. 2012.

Discussion about the future design and scheduling of the Family Days:

It is discussed whether it should remain with the usual 5-year rhythm or whether there should be, as for the first time in 2010, again an intermediate family day after 2 or 3 years. There were different opinions on this, e.g. the nevertheless very large preparation work was considered, which speaks rather for the five-year rhythm. A majority of family members, on the other hand, suggested keeping a so-called intermediate family day, since this increases the cohesion in the family and the chance to meet. The older members also expressed great interest in a shortened period between this family day and the next.

There is agreement that the Interfamily Days should not take place in Moers. The board will therefore find a suitable destination related to the Zahn family and begin preparations accordingly.

The orientation of the program of the family days is discussed. There are voices that advise a rather relaxed program with plenty of opportunity for socializing, so that, for example, families with smaller children can also participate without any problems. But there is also the opinion that only an attractive program provides for a lively participation and conversation among the family members.

It is agreed that the family days should offer in addition to an attractive program in any case enough opportunity for socializing and the participation in the individual program points rather loosely and in no case as obligatory is to be regarded. Also the participating family members must be considered, so that also families with children are addressed just like also older family members those ev. no longer so well to foot are.

As in the past, the family days should be held outside of school vacations, if possible, and the additional activity is also welcomed, as this gives more family members the chance to participate in one or two of the days.

Die Familientage sollten, wie bisher, möglichst außerhalb der Schulferien liegen, auch wird die Mehrtätigkeit begrüßt, da so mehr Familien-mitglieder die Chance auf Teilnahme an einem oder zwei der Tage haben.

From among the family, it is requested that the registration forms be worded more precisely by the Board and clearly marked with costs for each item.

 

TOP 3:

The chairman explains the cash situation and the development of the finances from 2007 - 2012 (see: attachment).

 

TOP 4:

Since the folder with the receipts is unfortunately not available in Moers, Dr. Volkmar Zahn could not perform the usual cash audit. Hans Zahn will go to Volkmar in Bad Homburg in the next two weeks and hand over the folder to him so that the cash audit can take place promptly at the general meeting.

 

TOP 5:

Dr. Volkmar Zahn nevertheless moves that the actions of the Board of Management be ratified, subject to this subsequent cash audit.
The Executive Board is discharged by the General Meeting with a unanimous vote.

 

TOP 6:

The Chairman thanked Viktoria Zahn for her dedicated 10 years of service on the Board of the Zahn ́sche Familienverband. She had asked to end her mandate at the end of this election period.

Hans Zahn and Sabine Zahn are willing to continue their board activities for another 5 years. Friedericke Enders stands for election together with these two for the board of the family association.

The board of directors was elected unanimously, so that Hans Zahn will continue as chairman and Friedericke Enders and Sabine Zahn will work as assessors in the board.

The Chairman thanks the General Meeting for the confidence expressed.

 

TOP 7: 

At the request of the Board of Directors, Dr. Philipp Zahn has reviewed the statutes of the Family Association. It is based on the original statutes from the founding year 1941, which have been changed twice since then, in 1964 and 1973. The last version is still valid today. The association's statutes make a somewhat "dusty" impression, since the newer legal bases and regulations have not yet been incorporated. These apply nevertheless, despite missing formulations. This applies in particular to the right of members to convene a general meeting (must be at the request of 10% of members) and to the right of members to introduce motions in the agendas of general meetings. There is also a lack of modernized invitation modalities ect. Overall, Philipp advises to keep the bylaws. A modernized statute is "nice to have", but a change is not substantially necessary, but causes costs.

The General Meeting unanimously decides to retain the Articles of Association in their current version.

 

TOP 8:

The standardization of the gravestone design in the cemetery is discussed. In the future, the gravestones should be based as much as possible on the existing sizes, stone types and models in order to maintain a reasonably uniform image of the family cemetery.

In particular, it is requested to use matte stone material.

These proposals are accepted by the majority of the general meeting. They are incorporated into the formulation of the cemetery regulations, which are binding for the burial of deceased family members.

On the basis of the occupancy plan, which Hans Zahn will lay out after the general meeting, all those present can inform themselves about their existing grave reservations and, if necessary, discuss requests for changes directly with the chairman.

There are now three memorial stones in the cemetery, for Anna Zahn, Theodor von Zahn and Prof. Joachim Zahn. A new memorial stone for Dr. Eberhard Zahn is now to be added.

The general meeting decides by a majority that the erection of memorial stones should be possible especially for those family members who had a grave reservation and for whom their next of kin pay the current fees in the same way as for a regular grave site. Also, the relatives who arrange for the memorial stone must themselves be or become members of the family association and remain so as long as they are liable to pay for this memorial stone.

It is unanimously agreed that in the future there should be the option of a bronze memorial plaque to be placed on the cemetery wall for family members who have died but are not buried in the family cemetery.

The general meeting decides by majority vote that a one-time donation in the form of a fee will be charged for this purpose. The details for this shall be laid down by the Board in the cemetery regulations.

The care of the cemetery has so far very successfully taken over Werner Riedel for the family association. He is now 80 years old and is thinking about giving up this task.

The board could win Jörn Herold to take over the supervision of the cemetery maintenance. The Board is very grateful for Werner Riedel's dedicated service to our family cemetery over many years and also thanks Jörn for taking on this important task. The Chairman will inform Werner Riedel about this development.

Jörn Herold becomes a member of the cemetery commission.

 

TOP 9:

The chairman presents to the meeting the notified donation projects and asks for donations from the family circle:

The general meeting decides to make a donation of € 500,- to the Adolfinum for the planned class trips.
to Ausschwitz.

The general meeting decides to make a donation of 1,000 to the Moers Museum Association for the renewal of the plaque (Franz Ludwig Zahn) in front of the Martinsstift.

The prerequisite for this is the receipt of a corresponding volume of donations on the account of the family association or binding commitments for corresponding donation amounts. These can also go directly to the donation recipients, provided that donation receipts are desired. The execution of the donations should be discussed with the board of directors.

In addition, the general meeting decides to implement the gravestone project in Wasserthaleben according to the financial circumstances or according to the donations received for this purpose.

The general meeting decides to rename the Cemetery Commission, which meets once a year in spring in Moers, to "Family Council", since much more than just cemetery issues are discussed and prepared here.

The chairman asks that spouses and children also be encouraged to become members in their own right, so that the association can achieve an increased volume of contributions and not have to increase membership fees again in the near future.

The Chairman thanks all members for their support and for their presence and closes the meeting at 12:30h.