Heinrich Heide

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Heinrich Heide (born December 24, 1846 in Obermarsberg , † December 13, 1931 in New York , (NY) ) was a German-American entrepreneur.

Life

Heide was the son of the mayor of Obermarsberg Johann Heide. Although the mother also came from a wealthy farming family, the family was too poor to allow Heinrich, like his numerous brothers, a higher education. After elementary school he became an office worker in the Stadtbergerhütte in Niedermarsberg . With no opportunities for advancement, Heide decided to emigrate to the USA in 1866. At first he worked as an assistant, carter and clerk, before he and a friend founded a small company for "supplies", which in 1869 became a modest confectionery bakery.

After his partner left, Heide managed to keep expanding the company. He concentrated on the manufacture of confectionery and was known as the "Candy King of New York". After all, he owned a four-story factory building and his company employed about 2,000 workers and employees.

At the age of 28 he married Mary Jaeger in 1873; 11 children were born from this marriage. In October 1876, he became a US citizen. He became a multi-millionaire with his company. He also became known in New York because he always ate lunch with his employees in the canteen, did without a car and instead took the subway to his company. He took an active part in the social, charitable and cultural life of the city and took on numerous honorary positions, especially in the Catholic Church.

Probably as a result of his own childhood, he mainly campaigned for large families. After the First World War he tried to alleviate the social hardship in Germany. He chartered entire ships and had clothing and food transported. Orphanages, children's homes and similar institutions benefited from this in particular. He continued this support in the 1920s, although his company ran into economic difficulties.

In gratitude, the University of Tübingen awarded him an honorary doctorate and in 1929 President Paul von Hindenburg awarded Heide the Cross of Honor of the Red Cross. He donated an organ to the St. Nikolauskirche in his hometown.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Gisbert Strotdrees , Landwirtschaftliches Wochenblatt Westfalen-Lippe 04/2016, page 90, Der Zuckerkönig von New-York .
personal data
SURNAME Heide, Heinrich
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German-American entrepreneur
DATE OF BIRTH December 24, 1846
PLACE OF BIRTH Obermarsberg
DATE OF DEATH December 13, 1931
Place of death New York , (NY)