Bernhard Brons (businessman, 1831)

Bernhard Brons (born October 5, 1831 in Emden , † July 8, 1911 in Gronau) was a German businessman.

Life

Bernhard Brons was the first son of the businessman Ysaak Brons and his wife Antje. Together with his brother Bernhard, the father ran the company “Y. & B. Brons ”, which traded in wheat and operated a shipping company. Brons attended a secondary school in Emden and completed a commercial training. He then worked for four and a half years in Belgium, France, Africa and the USA. At the urging of his parents, he returned to Emden and in 1859 received shares in his father's company. In 1907 he retired.

Brons was married to Gesine Dieken (1843-1913) from Wybelsum since August 23, 1863 . Their son Ysaak Edzard died at the age of nine months, their son Edzard at the age of 21. The daughter Elisabeth married the entrepreneur Dr. Jan van Delden in Gronau. This is where Brons went when he had an attack of typhoid on the way back from Bad Gastein, as a result of which he died.

Voluntary and church engagement

Brons was involved in business committees. When the commercial association was founded, he took over its chairmanship and held it for 30 years. In Emden he worked as the consul of the Netherlands. In 1848 he and his father attended the Frankfurt National Assembly . From 1877 to 1890 he worked as an Emden Senator. He was particularly committed to the Emden Turnverein, which he co-founded and headed as chairman. The German Gymnastics Association made him an honorary member. He donated a piece of land to the Emden Turnverein and significantly financed the construction of the gymnasium built there. In January 1911 he attended the opening of the building as the association's spokesman.

Brons lived rather quietly and withdrawn. He was very talented lyrically and wrote poems that appeared in the Ostfriesische Zeitung. In 1908 he created an Art Nouveau book from this, which he published himself. The proceeds from the sale of the plant were used to build the gym. In addition, he also translated, such as a Low German version of Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen . He basically had close ties to the culture of Nordic countries, including Norway in particular.

Brons belonged to the Society for Fine Art and Patriotic Antiquities in Emden and showed a keen interest in the history of East Frisia. Over several years he created a register of personal names from Friesland. From 1872 until his death he held the office of deacon of the Mennonite congregation and played a major role in the expansion of the Mennonite church in Emden. In addition, he was committed to the cohesion of the Mennonites beyond the region. He played a decisive role in the establishment of the unification of the Mennonite communities in the German Empire. In 1892 he co-founded the Comenius Society .

Brons advocated a decidedly non-dogmatic Christianity that should not break away from pantheism and be ready to "move with the times". He also showed this religious conception in his lyrical works and was therefore publicly criticized as a potential spoiler of faith and morals. In response to this, he published the brochure “Demoralizing?”, Which exemplarily shows that early modern confessional conflicts also had repercussions at the beginning of the 20th century.

literature

• Martin Tielke: Brons, Bernhard. in: Martin Tielke (Hrsg.): Biographisches Lexikon für Ostfriesland. Vol. 4. Ostfriesische Landschaftliche Verlags- und Vertriebsgesellschaft, Aurich 2007, ISBN 3-932206-62-2 , pp. 69–70.