THE INVENTOR OF THE RHEINTALER

The message of the sudden death of Martin Vreden, the founder of ‘Rheintal e.V.’, the co-founder, organiser and tireless campaigner for a unique idea, the ‘Rheintaler’, a token, a tourist stimulus from Switzerland to the Netherlands and a valuable collector's item in nickel silver, silver and gold, hit us unprepared and inconceivable for everyone. Today, the taler is known and appreciated far beyond the Rhineland and Germany.

Against all initial resistance, one idea turned into almost a hundred taler motifs, entire taler series, accessories and accessories. Martin Vreden was always on the lookout for new motifs along the Rhine and also on the Ahr and Moselle. He devoted all his energy to the organisation and distribution of this unique idea. Nobody would have guessed at the beginning that the ‘Rheintaler’ would create a lively network of upscale hotels and restaurants, culture, leisure and tourism.

For 20 years, I had the pleasure of working with Martin Vreden, initially in his role as head of the advertising agency ‘MARWIN’, and later as a friend and driving force behind the ‘Rheintaler’ project. Rarely have I met such a committed idea-generating visionary and kind-hearted person who repeatedly overcame setbacks in his career and major health problems and remained optimistic even in the worst times of the coronavirus pandemic, which was destroying the industry.

We, the board of the ‘Rheintal e.V.’, will continue Martin Vreden's life's work, the ‘Rheintaler’, develop it further and keep it alive, thus honouring our friend and companion posthumously.

R.I.P. Martin