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Waldfeucht, the place to which no. 106 of the Rhenish town atlas is dedicated, was first mentioned in 1240 and, as a result of further development, was designated as a town in 1350. In addition to the two masonry gates, Waldfeucht was surrounded by water-filled ditches and hedged ramparts. From 1499 the place belonged to the Duchy of Jülich. In 1816 the Mairie Waldfeucht became the mayor's office and in 1935 the Waldfeucht office was formed with the towns of Braunsrath, Haaren and Saeffelen. In 1972 the new municipality of Waldfeucht was founded. After Waldfeucht, a pilgrimage to St. Rochus. In this way, the place developed into a religious and administrative center that led to the settlement of craftsmen. A market and craftsmen are mentioned as early as 1277. Linen and velvet weaving was also carried out in Waldfeucht up until the 19th century. Due to the lack of a railway connection, industrialization could hardly gain a foothold. As a larger company, only one ice cream factory settled in 1970, which developed into the largest employer.

In the public imagination, small and medium-sized family businesses have always been male-dominated organisations, with those headed by women regarded as barely noteworthy exceptions to the rule. These ideas and associations are far from telling the full story; the proportion of women among Germany’s self-employed population remained above 20 per cent throughout the twentieth century. A surge of interest in female entrepreneurs among academic researchers and in the political and media spheres has resulted in increasing recognition of their achievements past and present. There nevertheless remains a persistent tendency to overlook the fact that women have always made a vital contribution to the success of family businesses, even where they did not directly handle these companies’ business affairs. This volume presents new insights into the diverse roles of women in family businesses, as daughters, wives, mothers, widows and entrepreneurs. Eleven case studies drawn from a range of sectors and eras illuminate the significance of women’s influence in family businesses throughout the history of commerce. Bringing together approaches from the history of business, gender, society and culture, the chapters explore women’s multi-faceted roles within numerous enterprises in a new and enlightening depth.