Michael Felke
Michael Felke (1895–1977) was a German furniture maker who helped grow industry in the Hunsrück region. He was born on 18 April 1895 in Laufersweiler as the eldest of four children in a poor family. He trained as a joiner in his father’s small carpentry workshop. After World War I, he took over the workshop in 1919 and moved it to Sohren in 1928, starting to expand into Felke-Möbelwerke GmbH & Co.KG. His work earned him a reputation as an industrial pioneer who created many jobs.
He was married to Maria and had three sons, including Aloys Felke (manufacturer and politician) and Günter Felke (manufacturer, numismatist and patron). In 1957 Pope Pius XII awarded him the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice for his social commitment. Sohren later named him an honorary citizen. In 1965 he received the German Federal Cross of Merit, First Class. He died on 8 April 1977 in Sohren.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 05:15 (CET).