The History of our Club
The Lanz-Bulldog-Verein "West" e.V. (LBVW) has a long history. In 1982 a handful
of enthusiasts came together with the intention of collecting agricultural machinery. At
first we met at irregular intervals. Later we decided to present our machinery to the
public, and we ran our first show in 1983 near the windmill of Theo Verbeek in
Waldfeucht-Haaren. The result was that we received much good publicity and the number of
members grew to 200.
Because of the interest shown by the public we decided to arrange a show every year at different locations. In the course of time our club came to own a growing amount of agricultural machinery. For many years it was stored at different places, until eventually we acquired our own home at the "Kühlerhof" farm in Hückelhoven-Doveren where we rented a big 1.000 sq m shed. This is where our collection can now be seen.
Six threshing machines are part of the collection. The most important one is a German built "Stahl-Lanz" from the 1930s. There are many other tools like ploughs and mowers. The latest acquisition is a K7 Hanomag crawler, which will go on display with a large bog plough. We are actively restoring our collection, and it is possible to visit the collection after enrolment as a member. School classes are very welcome.
Our members do not own only Lanz-made machinery, but they collect other makes like Deutz, Hanomag, Porsche and Güldner. It is not necessary to own a tractor to become a member of the club. The important thing is to have an interest in working together with other enthusiasts.
The LBVW is accepted as a charitable institution by the taxman. Donations may be made
to the club through account #3607975 at the Kreissparkasse, Heinsberg (BLZ 312 512 20).
Please write on the transfer form "Spende".
Activities of our Members
The most important activity is the big show in late August which is now held every two
years. Here you can see about 500 vintage tractors and
lots of agricultural machinery. We demonstrate historical harvest methods and craftsmen
can be seen at work. You can see our members with their engines at many different shows
such as country festivals and agricultural exhibitions. One of our tasks is working with
young people and giving them a chance to understand history, and they help us to keep our
history alive. We try to do as much as possible together. We arrange bus trips to other
clubs and museums, and the families of our members are invited to accompany us.
© Copyright Theo Scheres, Wegberg/Germany