Walter Arnold (manufacturer)
Walter Arnold (born June 19, 1891 in Schorndorf ; † October 20, 1973 there ) was a German manufacturer .
Arnold brought about the peaceful surrender of his hometown Schorndorf to US-American associations towards the end of the Second World War in 1945 , which avoided the destruction of the historic city center by fighting. After the end of the war he was acting mayor of Schorndorf for a few weeks ; In 1961 the city made him an honorary citizen .
Life
Walter Arnold was born in Schorndorf on June 19, 1891 as the first son of Carl Arnold , the founder of the furniture - producing Arnold-Werke , which is located in Schorndorf, among others .
After graduating from secondary school in 1907, Arnold successfully completed a commercial apprenticeship and a locksmith apprenticeship . Arnold then went to the United States to study business administration. When the First World War broke out in 1914 and he was forbidden to continue studying as an " enemy alien ", Arnold was unable to complete his studies. He was also initially prohibited from leaving for Germany. On December 3, 1916, he married his American girlfriend Mezza Wood ; the couple was finally allowed to leave for Germany in October 1919.
In 1920 Arnold moved to Kempen on the Lower Rhine and from then on headed the Arnold factory there; From 1925 the plants in Schorndorf and Ernsbach were also under his top management. In addition, Arnold was involved as a member of the advisory board of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Krefeld and as a board member of the metal industry association of the left Lower Rhine. Arnold was politically active for many years as the first district deputy of the Kempen district . In 1941 he settled down again in his hometown Schorndorf and took over the management of the plant there.
When US troops stood at the gates of Schorndorf shortly before the end of the war in 1945, the Wehrmacht was determined to defend the city. As an influential citizen, Walter Arnold succeeded in dissuading the German military from this project and preventing the destruction of his hometown. He came into contact with US advance commandos near Oberndorf and vouched for a peaceful surrender of the town of Schorndorf; he benefited from his English skills in the United States. After the end of the war, Walter Arnold was acting mayor of Schorndorf until June 25, 1945. In addition, Arnold was a liaison between the local district administration and the American military administration in Waiblingen .
In 1961 he was made an honorary citizen of the city of Schorndorf. Walter Arnold died on October 20, 1973 at the age of 82 in Schorndorf.
Others
In 1985, the Walter Arnold Bridge in Schorndorf , which spans the local tracks in a north-south direction, was opened to traffic.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g h City of Schorndorf | Walter Arnold. Website of the city of Schorndorf. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
- ^ City of Schorndorf | Ready in 18 days if it doesn't rain . Website of the city of Schorndorf. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Arnold, Walter |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German manufacturer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | June 19, 1891 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Schorndorf |
| DATE OF DEATH | 20th October 1973 |
| Place of death | Schorndorf |