Schnupftabak-Fabrik Bydgoszcz - on of the greatest in former Prussia

Established 1.10.1871 was making snuff in Bydgoszcz (then Bromberg) until 1918, when it has been moved to Berlin-Lankwitz and since 1921 has been making snuff there. In 1938 it has been taken over by Doms, and was finally closed down in 1945. The most recognizable snuff that was being made by Woythaler was Kownoer A.T. It contained 1.17% nicotine and was one of the most popular in whole Germany. Yearly production on the beginning of XX century was about 6000 centnars - it’s nearly 330000 kilograms of snuff (!). I’ve written about this factory

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In attachment you can see how does former factory look today. These buildings haven’t changed even a bit…

I was wondering if Bernard’s Feinster Kownoer has something to do with Woythaler’s Kownoer A.T. So, I mailed Schmalzlerfranzl. Here is their respond:

“Dear Mr. K, thank you very much for your Email. We are very sorry, but we do not have any information about the Kownoer A.T. or the D. Woythaler Schnupftabak Fabrik. The only thing I can tell you, is that we still produce our Kownoer using the same old recipe as in former times. Best regards, Bernard Schnupftabak GmbH Toni Alhäuser-Clausen”

Well, I did not expect much, but I had quiet hope… Nevertheless, I enjoy confirming information about old recipe. Kownoer used to be very popular in Central Europe, so I’m sure, that Bernard’s recipe from 1909 is similar to Woythaler’s, in some way. It will be the next snuff I buy. :slight_smile:

You won’t get to much historical informations from Bernard nowadays. I remember asking them about their acquisition of Goldfarb (who was the first to make Kownoer - at least in factory), but I got a similiar respond. Besides 6000 cetnars of snuff isn’t that a big number for a factory in Prussia. Most of the factories were making +50000 cetnars, so that would make Woythaler a small manufacturer… but since the source of this information comes from 1923, were snuff wasn’t so much popular, we might eventually say it’s quite a good score. It doesn’t seem that Woythaler was one of the most notable producers of tobacco products in Bydgoszcz, since the whole glory went to the cigar factory. I’m still not sure why you end the story of this producer in Bydgoszcz in 1918, while the address books say that he was still in that city in 1923.

This source: http://www.kautabaktopf.de/extras/register.pdf Also, Kurier Bydgoski from 5 July 1922 says that National Printing House had for sale some things from “taken over Woythaler’s factory”. So the factory was already closed down in 1922 - for sure. You’ve said, that Woythaler was still in city in 1923 - probably he was still in city 1928. Adressbook from that year says, that Woythaler lived on Artur Grottger street 3 or 4, and was the owner. Of course we can’t be sure it’s he. But still… maybe he just sold his factory and the new owner from Berlin remained old brand - Woythaler? I don’t know. The curiosity is that custodian of both houses Woythaler owned on Grottger’s street, was Cohn. With these both surnames associates funny anecdote - in 1884 there was a gymnast’s (or turner’s) rally in Bydgoszcz. Woythaler offered a place to sleep. First guest arrived: his surname was Cohn. Second guest: Hi, I’m Cohn. Third guest: Cohn. The same with forth, fifth… Woythaler was so embarassed he thought, they were all joking. Later it turned out that some guy from Quarters Department made a joke, and sent him fifteen people called Cohn… :wink:

As I’ve said on the Polish forum, the first source has some errors. Besides the address book from 1923 gives a different address of the factory, than it was earlier. Still the same street, but a different number. The news from 1922 probably referens to one of Woytahler’s properties

As I’ve said on the Polish forum, the first source has some errors. Besides the address book from 1923 gives a different address of the factory, than it was earlier. Still the same street, but a different number. The news from 1922 probably referens to one of Woytahler’s properties

I don’t know which errors you have on mind. I just wanna focus on the one specified position at this list. News from 1922 relates to factory on Jagiellońska 10 - now it’s Focha 10, then it was Wilhelmstrasse 10. I remember that somewhere it was numbered as 12 - it’s wrong, the factory was whole time at the same place. I’ve checked some address books once again - inter alia 1922 and 1923. In 1922 David Woythaler is domiciled on Jagiellońska 10. But only domiciled. He’s marked as “palacz fabr.” - it’s his profession. Then there is his address but he is not registered as a tobacco producer. It’s obviously him - address and phone number are the same as on my invoice, and in other address books. So he hadn’t have factory anymore - he was just living in the home near it. It’s this yellow building on the photo above. I think there are three possibly options: a) he lost his factory shortly before and just haven’t moved yet - no money or something like that b) he sold his factory and haven’t moved yet b) he hadn’t unregistered himself He does not figures in 1923 address books anymore. He could have already moved, unregister or just die. June 1922 is the last month when Woythaler Schnupftabak Fabrik could have very alternatively been still working. I assumpt he could be expropriated or at least the judge may have deleted his factory as it was with Leibholz. 30.09.1925 District Court announced, that he has three months to appeal. After this time his factory will be taken over. Under this article (it was announced in press): “Support polish industry!”. So, maybe the same happened to Woythaler. And after this he moved his factory to Berlin, or he really did it before Treaty of Versailles - in 1918 as source says - because he was sensing losing war and possibility of expropriation. Of course these are just suppositions. Who knows how it was. P.S. This big factory was built after 1900, because maps from that year doesn’t show any big building at this place yet. So before 1900 it could have actually been a small manufacture, but Industrie und Gewerbe from 1907 says that Woythaler Schnupftabak Fabrik "zu den groessten Deutschlands Gehoert. " - “today belongs to the largest in Germany”. P.S. 2 In attachment you may see that Woythaler is not mentioned as a tobacco producer in 1922/1923 anymore.

Woythaler is still listed as a snuff producer in an address book from 1920. Also his mention in a later book from where you have the information about “6000 centnars”. So why would they mention a closed down factory in both? And that’s the issue that I’m reffering to with the source, since Woythaler was still making snuff after 1918. Besides if you want to focus on only one producer from Poland, you won’t get that far without a general view of the historical aspect. For instance he placed another factory in Germany just for safety, because every tobacco producer did know that the monopoly in Poland marches with great strides. A lot of other producers did the same, so their buisness would be safe. Another one: the picture that you’ve shown is a list of the sellers that did have concession for selling tobacco products, due to the law from 1922. We can come further and ask why did he sell his factory in 1938. Maybe Kristallnacht?

Besides if you want to focus on only one producer from Poland, you won’t get that far without a general view of the historical aspect

I mean, I’d like to focus on that specified line from that list, despite possibly errors in other lines - just wanna verify Woythaler. But alright. Let’s leave this behind until we found some new information. I don’t really believe he sold his factory in 1938. I think it was rather taken over by Doms than just sold. Kristallnacht is a good clue. David Woythaler was a Jew and an important part of Jewish society in Bydgoszcz. Mentioned before Leibholz was a Jew too. And also member of a jewish freemasonry. If Woythaler had been expropriated by Polish court as Leibholz, he could have just fallen out of the frying pan into the fire when returning Germany. Here is an incomplete list of Woythalers murdered in nazi Germany from 1933-1945: Woythaler, Elisabeth (* 29.02.1888) Woythaler, Eva (* 20.11.1873) (primo voto Eva Michel) Woythaler, Heinz Josef (* 18.06.1924) Woythaler, Max (* 15.12.1879) Woythaler, Siegbert (* 27.08.1926) I’m pretty sure, that they were somehow related to David, because they were living… in Berlin-Lankwitz, where David had its factory. I don’t believe in such a coincidence, especcialy, that there were not many Woythalers. And five of them living on the same street, where Woythaler-immigrant-from-Poland opened his factory? No way. :wink: So. Eva died 15 May 1944 in Konzentrationslager Auschwitz. There were also Berthold Woythaler, whose wife was another Eva Woythaler. But they were born around 1910-1916 and while they were still in Berlin in 1935, in 1940 they’ve already moved to the USA. I think Heinz and Siegbert were childrens or grandchildrens of the ones who’s been murdered, because they were killed by nazis too, although they were just teens. I just don’t know who the Elisabeth is. They were living on Waldmannstrasse, but the house was demolished in '70es. Below you can see how did it look like. It had three levels so it was big enough to maintain all of them. Due to murders of so many Woythalers there is just no way David could have survived. He must have died before nazis came to power, or shortly after that. And then - almost all of his known probably-family was killed. That’s kind of sad, but I managed to find one of David’s offsprings. I hope he will write me back soon with some information, of course if he knows anything. He lives in France. [edit] He responded me. Those people above could have been related to David, maybe cousins, but he does not know much about David so couldn’t confirm. edit 2 Also his mention in a later book from where you have the information about “6000 centnars”. So why would they mention a closed down factory in both? And that’s the issue that I’m reffering to with the source, since Woythaler was still making snuff after 1918. I think you have on mind “Przemysł Wielkopolski” from 1923. Well, in this book is often mentioned year 1907 as a reference point for statistics. In 1907 “Industrie und Gewerbe in Bromberg und Umgebund” was published, so as I believe authors of “Przemysł” were basing on it. Especially, that they warn on the beginning: “our publication can have many deficiencies/gaps, but we believe it meets the needing of the moment”. And I checked phone book from 1920 (current in 1.11.1920). There is a D. Woythaler marked as a snuff producer. So - he closed its factory between 1.11.1920 - 4.07.1922.

It´s been awhile since you posted your entra - but I just stumbled across it.
Bernard got it´s Kownoer recipee from Goldfarb, a company from Stargard in Pommerania which Bernard bought in 1941. Goldfarb was originally located in Stargard in Eastern Prussia, closer to Kowno (Kaunas in Lithuania), and moved to the Pommeranian Stargard after WW1, when the Eastern Prussian Stargard became part of Poland.

Almost right. Goldfarb owned several tobacco factories at the same time and they were located in: Starogard, Stargard, Gdańsk, Bydgoszcz, Kościerzyna. The last two mentioned ceased to exist before 1924, and the one in Starogard became state property as one of the main factories of the Polish Tobacco Monopoly in 1924. The Gdańsk factory lasted until 1927, when the Gdańsk Tobacco Monopoly was introduced. As for the Starogard factory, according to the author of the fantastic work about German snuff bottles, Bernard was supposed to have taken it over in 1938. I probably don’t have to mention that it was a factory owned by Jews and what actually happened that year.

However, I do not see any connection between buying the factory and obtaining the recipe for Kaunas snuff. Most German factories, in different parts of the country, produced it, so Bernad could have had his own version as suggested on the packaging since 1909.

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