Michael doctor

Michael Arzt (* 1841 in Michelstadt ; † 1911 there ) was a German entrepreneur .

Life

Michael Doktor was born in Michelstadt in 1841 as the son of the cloth manufacturer Philipp Ludwig Arzt and his wife Marie Katharine Schmucker. He was specifically prepared to follow in his father's footsteps. After finishing school, he first completed a commercial apprenticeship in Darmstadt. He then attended the Reutlingen Web School, founded in 1855, to acquire the necessary technical knowledge.

In 1873 Michael Arzt took over the Philipp Ludwig Arzt cloth factory founded by his father. He was supported in this by his brother Adam Arzt, who had learned the dyeing trade. The company continued to grow under Michael Arzt. By 1879 the company had around 60 workers. Above all, Michael Arzt successfully secured government contracts. In the 1870s, Michael Arzt acquired the fulling mill near Erbach and leased various business premises. He was very interested in technical and scientific innovations and made the departments of his company available for scientific experiments. From 1890 to 1897, very successful practical tests with synthetic indigo were carried out in the Doktor Tuchfabrik in cooperation with BASF . In the period that followed, the import of indigo to Germany fell rapidly.

In 1897 Michael Arzt had a stately villa built for him at Erbacherstrasse 40 in his hometown. To do this, he used the Darmstadt architect Arthur Wienkoop .

Michael Arzt had been with Marie Arzt born in 1872. May (1852–1921) from Groß-Umstadt . With her he had nine children, some of whom died very early. The sons Ludwig Arzt and Heinrich Arzt (1875–1947) were systematically prepared for the takeover of the company.

In 1901 Michael Arzt withdrew from the company and passed the business on to his two sons Ludwig and Heinrich. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Doktor cloth factory in Michelstadt was one of the most important German uniform factories and supplied armies from Bolivia to the Orient.

Michael Arzt died in his hometown in 1911 at the age of almost 70.

Honors

• 1902: Because of his services to the local economy, Michael Arzt was appointed to the council of commerce .

literature

• Heinz-Otto Haag: About blue-makers and whitewashers. The doctor cloth factory in Michelstadt and its founding family, in: gelurt, 2014, pp. 161–167.
• Cloth factory doctor. 1828-1928. Festschrift on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the company, Michelstadt i. Odw., 1928.
• 125 years of the cloth factory Ph. Ludwig Arzt Michelstadt im Odenwald, Mainz 1953.