Biography Walter Luyken

Walter was born as the third son of Walter Oskar and Elisabeth Katharina in Mexico City. There he went to the German school "Alexander von Humboldt" were he finished middle school. Then he was sent by his parents to "Ashbury College" in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. His brother Hans already was at this military school. Because of financial problems he went back to Mexico where he finished highschool at the American College. Then he came to Germany to the Technical University (RWTH) in Aachen where he started mechanical engineering.

In Aachen he tried time and again to pay for his living by jobbing. Among others he worked installing paralightnings. Once he was playing skat (a German card game) half way up a chimney with two ther colleagues while his boss was observing them with glasses, which ended only in a reprimand.

Before finishing the university he went back to Mexico and manged his parent's farm (hacienda) in the State of Mexico. This hacienda was originally built by a man who was said to have built his fortune by assaulting silver transports. The silver was carried by horse coach from the capital of the State of Hidalgo, Pachuca, to Mexico City. Before the Revolution (1910) the hacienda lived of the production of pulque, the fermented juice of the agave plant. Also corn and malt were raised. After the Revolution most of the lands of the hacienda were appropriated by the government. Only 200 hectares were left together with the main building which is built in a colonial style.

Walter lived alone in the huge building. There was electricity but no telephone and the next town was 7 kilometers away by dirt road. Twice a week the egg production was carried to Mexico City which lays 52 kms away to be sold. Mother Elisabeth took the biggest part and sold them in the deli "Bavaria". Also agave plants were raised to be sold. The buyers hired "tlachiqueros" who sucked the sweet juice with a carved pumpkin which has a hole on the top.

Walter loved to play accordeon. His nephews Hermann and Walter Luyken visited him often during school holidays and spent unforgettable days on the land. One of our most beautiful souvenirs is the sound of the accordeon under a clear night sky with millions of stars.

Life on the hacienda was tyring and lonely. Maybe this was the cause why Walter decided to part from this life. He was buried at the German Cemetery in Mexico City.

Links Walter Luyken

Internal links
• Obituary, family bulletin 1970, page 305 (German)