The Ur-ancestor was Peter Ludwig Heinrich Ochs, born 15.11.1788 in Magdeburg, where he lived and died in 25.11.1869. Since some of his paintings are dated 1813 and show Italian scenes, he likely did the 'grand tour’, akin to backpacking in Europe for today’s youth and also fashionable with well born young men at the time. Two years later, he served in the Prussian army but was too late for the Waterloo campaign. He subsequently became a 'Stubenmaler' (painter of interiors) in Magdeburg, and some of his works can be seen today in the museum in Magdeburg. He married Christiane Schaefer in 1817. Three of their eleven children became artists: Albert, Gustav and Walther. Walther founded the 'Graphische Kunst-Anstalt' (Graphic Arts Institute), but little else is known about him..