The house

Negotiations with the town of Vreden about buying the garden plot at the junction of the highway to Winterswijk and the future road to Vreden station (built in 1902) – with the intention of building an inn here with a restaurant, function room, guest rooms and stabling. The builders were the haulage contractor Gerhard Bußmann and his wife Elisabeth (née Böckers). This gave the wayside cross in front of the plot – probably erected in the 15th century – the name "Bußmann´s Krüüß".

26 August: the inn is opened by Mr and Mrs Bußmann. The function room hosted marksmen's fairs, theatre performances, carnival events, dances, company anniversaries and family celebrations. Later, in the 1920s, grandmother Liesbeth also made the hall available to the Vreden gymnastics club for practice evenings during the winter months. The hall was variable in size, had a bowling alley and seated more than 600 people. For the Vreden marksmen's fair it was extended by a marquee towards the garden. Access was through four large double doors.

In 1935 Fritz and Hilde Bußmann (née Mertens) took over the family business and ran it through the war years. Bußmann's hall – known locally as the "gymnasium" – has a history of its own.

During the Kristallnacht pogrom, the Jewish residents of the town of Vreden were rounded up and tortured here. After Elisabeth Bußmann and her daughter-in-law Hilde telephoned Gabbey, the police officer responsible for Ammeloe, this was brought to an end in the early hours of the morning. During the war years Hilde Bußmann also hid Jewish friends from Winterswijk in a false ceiling between the hall and the inn.

After the heavy bombing raids of 21 March, the victims were laid out in the hall. After the end of the war the hall became an emergency church – called the Kreuzkirche after Bußmann´s Krüüß – until St George's church was rebuilt. Many weddings, baptisms, first communions and requiem masses took place here at that time. The smaller, partitioned-off hall also served as a vocational school room until 1948. During the British occupation of Vreden the inn was also used as accommodation for English soldiers. On their departure, landlady Hilde Bußmann found a "farewell greeting" in the soup tureen of her "best china", whereupon she threw the tureen into the bin. Her comment: "I would always have remembered that farewell greeting."

In 1960 Gerhard and Marie-Luise Bußmann (née Wullers) took their place.

In 1968 the hall was demolished because it had become unsafe. At the same time the more than 400-year-old wayside cross at the junction – Bußmanns Krüüß – was taken down as part of the road widening and re-erected at the Marienkirche. After further restoration, Bußmanns Krüüß was moved in 1981 to a place behind the altar inside the Marienkirche.

In 1970 they opened a newly built inn with a function room on the same site and extended it over the years.

Since 1995 Jörg and Anne Bußmann (née Assing) have stood behind the bar and worked in the kitchen for their guests as the fourth generation, growing the business to its present size. The hall was extended in two building phases. It is air-conditioned and flexible for up to 250 people. A beer garden and a terrace are also available to guests.

On 26 August, to the very day, the Bußmann family celebrated the 100th anniversary of the inn at Winterswyker Straße 1 together with their guests.

Bußmann´s Krüüß (a copy of the original) is rebuilt on the newly created roundabout – still without the Corpus Christi and the Virgin Mary – by the Vreden local heritage association and a number of sponsors.

Bußmann´s Krüüß is completed and reconsecrated ahead of the field procession. After further sponsorship funds were collected, the addition of the Corpus Christi and the praying Virgin Mary restored the old view of the Bußmann house as seen from the Wassermühlentor.

Since 2025 the former guest rooms have gradually been put to new use. The tax consultancy SB Steuerberatung has moved into the former Red Salon.

In early 2026, JEMAKO sales partner Jan Gerd Bussmann followed with his office.

Another milestone was the conversion of the former taproom. Three modern holiday flats and apartments were created there, welcoming guests since May 2026. A place where people once celebrated has become a place to arrive and feel at home.