Jill NDec 19, 2022
I’ve been enjoying the old school bird site vibe here, particularly the community of historians. I recently came across this beautiful brooch, circa 1900 by Robert Koch (source: https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-an-art-nouveau-enamel-and-gem-set-pendantbrooch). Given the time frame and the name, I was curious about the creator. I wasn’t able to find much.Short thread follows. Caveat: IANAH (is that a thing? Like IANAD?). #histodon #histodons 1/7
Show threadJill NDec 19, 2022
Various general interest websites or auction houses have a superficial gloss as background. The jewelry house was founded in 1879 by two brothers (not *those* Koch’s). What I find fascinating is that the story ends “until WWII”, and that the company continued “[u]nder different ownership” until 1987 (titans-of-tiaras-robert-and-louis-koch.html) A whole lot of history is missed between WWII and 1987. Christies skips right past it too… Koch-30350.aspx
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Show threadJill NDec 19, 2022
Quote from Christies:
“Koch's reputation spread quickly and he became purveyor for almost all of the princely houses in Germany, and ultimately to the Kaiser, as well as to some foreign houses. To accomodate (sic) the seasonal wanderings of his clientele, he also opened a boutique in Baden-Baden. Prior to its closing in November 1987, the firm was run by Eugen Brüning.” I find this abbreviation of the firm’s history fascinating. Digging deeper, you can find what seemed likely. 3/7
Show threadJill NDec 19, 2022
The Velvet Box Society notes the firm was “aryanized” by the Nazis (https://www.velvetboxsociety.com/robertkoch.html#/). This auction house notes it happened in 1938 and that control of the firm was given to Robert Bosch. (https://eragem.com/news/christies-london-important-jewels-auction-offers-turn-of-the-century-jewelry-to-collectors/). 4/7
Robert Koch

A short history on Robert Koch! We buy Robert Koch jewelry!

VELVET BOX SOCIETY
Show threadJill NDec 19, 2022
Robert Bosch’s history with Nazi Germany seems to be full of contradictions and complexity. One article I found suggested that he had paid an “adequate price” to Jewish owners who sought him out (with one referenced exception). (BÄHR, J. Between values orientation and economic logic: Bosch in the Third Reich. Business History, [s. l.], v. 62, n. 3, p. 438–450, 2020. DOI 10.1080/00076791.2019.1691343). 5/7
Show threadJill NDec 19, 2022
This dissertation refers to the “friendly aryanization” of the Koch jewelry firm (qt32x21140_noSplash_cade2fd3beb2769a52cdaa90cb88f9fa.pdf). Side note, that is a loaded phrase that is hard to read. 6/7
Show threadJill NDec 19, 2022
And this is where my ask for the #histodons comes in. Can you point me to some good resources for understanding what happened to companies like this post-WWII? Bonus if anyone has information specifically on this firm, the fate of the Koch family after they lost the firm, and a deeper dive into Bosch and the aryanized firms he assumed after his death. Thanks in advance! 7/7
Show threadBrechhardt

@jilclth regarding the jewellery and gold trade in the Third Reich including aryanizations and the role of the German state and companies I'd recommend Bermejo-Wenzel/Schneider-Braunberger (2019), The golden network: the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Goldschmiedekunst during the National Socialist period.

What happened to "aryanized" companies after '45 is a rather complex question and differs more or less from case to case and from region to region.

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Dec 19, 2022 at 11:15amWeb
Show threadBrechhardtDec 19, 2022

@jilclth If you haven't checked it already, Johannes Bähr (2015), Bosch: history of a global enterprise may have addition may also yield some information about Bosch's involvement in Koch's aryanization.

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Show threadJill NDec 20, 2022
@brechhardt Thank you! This is much appreciated, I will look at both.