Alfons Zeileis 1945-1963
On 7 May 1945, Germany had surrendered unconditionally. Neustadt an der Weinstraße was located at an important railway junction and had suffered great damage from Allied bombing. The Zeileis family home was undamaged. Alfons Zeileis went to Würzburg to visit his family and the family grave. Würzburg had been heavily destroyed shortly before the end of the war on 16 March 1945. Neustadt an der Weinstraße and Hambach were occupied by the Americans.
From 11.08.1945 to 15.02.1947, Alfons Zeileis was interned because of his NSDAP membership. At the end of 1948, he was classified as a minor incriminate in the proceedings of the Trial Chamber and was paid his salary.
In September 1945, the French took over the Palatinate.
On 7 November 1945 the Zeileis family home was confiscated against the energetic protest of Elisabeth Zeileis. This meant that the family had to leave the house immediately and was only allowed to take the most essential things with them. The Zeileis family was initially able to find accommodation near Sembach, until after a few years it was possible to move into a small attic flat in Neustadt an der Weinstraße.
Because of his poor health, Alfons Zeileis was retired in August 1949. In the cramped situation of the attic flat, storing his paintings and painting was difficult. He fought tenaciously for the return of his house. The German economic miracle from 1950 onwards passed Alfons and Elisabeth Zeileis by.
At least daughter Anneliese was able to complete her studies in pharmacy and lease a pharmacy in Kirchheim am Neckar from 1953. On 30 June 1954, 9 years after the end of the war, the French military government returned the house in Hambach to the Zeileis family. It took until 1957 to repair all the occupation damage to and in the house.
All adversities could not stop Alfons Zeileis from painting. As soon as possible, he again became a member of the APK, which was re-founded in 1948 as the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Pfälzer Künstler. He painted again. From 1947 to 1963 he produced over 90 paintings. His participation in the following exhibitions is documented:
- 1948 Sales exhibition of the Palatinate Artists' Self-Help in "Die Brücke" Ludwigshafen from 11 Nov. - 28 Nov. Geißler Archive in the Palatinate State Library Speyer, folder K100Z.
- 1949 Arbeitsgemeinschaft Pfälzer Künstler 1st exhibition at the Landesgewerbeanstalt Kaiserslautern 9 Apr.-3 May. Geißler Archive in the Palatinate State Library Speyer, folder K100Z, exhibition catalogue consulted in the Palatinate State Library Speyer.
- 1952 Kunstverein Ludwigshafen, autumn exhibition at Textilhaus Krebs, Ludwigstr. 9-30 Nov. Geißler Archive in the Palatinate State Library Speyer, folder K100Z.
- 1955 Annual exhibition Arbeitsgemeinschaft Pfälzer Künstler Pfälz. Landesgewerbeanstalt Kaiserslautern, 24.11. - 23.12.1955. Geißler archive in the Palatine State Library Speyer, folder K100Z and exhibition catalogue of the exhibition consulted in the Palatine State Library Speyer.
- 1957 Christmas exhibition in Ludwigshafen. Geißler Archive in the Palatinate State Library Speyer, Folder K100Z.
- 1958 Landesgewerbeanstalt Kaiserslautern. Pfälzer Tageblatt 15/16 May 1958.
- 1962 Exhibition Arbeitsgemeinschaft Pfälzer Künstler. Exhibition catalogue of the exhibition viewed in the Palatinate State Library Speyer.
- 1962/63 Artists' Guild "Buslat" 1st Great Guild Exhibition, Bauschlott Castle, 2 Dec.1962-30 Jan.1963. Geißler Archive in the Palatinate State Library Speyer, Folder K100Z, Die Rheinpfalz of 13 December 1962.
In 1962 Alfons and Elisabeth Zeileis spend one last wonderful Christmas with their daughter Anneliese in Kirchheim am Neckar. Alfons Zeileis is very satisfied with the exhibition at the Buslat Artists' Guild, which runs until January 1963. Shortly after the exhibition, Alfons Zeileis dies just a few days after his wife Elisabeth on 25.03.1963.
Was that it now? No, daughter Anneliese allows the story to continue even after the death of her parents.