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Max James Emden (October 28, 1874 in Hamburg – June 26, 1940 in Muralto, Switzerland)

Max Emden – a German of Jewish origin – was one of the most successful and wealthiest entrepreneurs of his time. He was a philanthropist, a bon vivant and art collector whose properties, including valuable paintings, have been the object of Nazi era restitution claims.

He is considered to be the inventor of the department store culture and pioneer of the franchise system. Well known department stores he was involved in include KaDeWe, the Corvin department store in Budapest, the Allas department store in Stockholm, the Oberpollinger department store in Munich, the Poetsch department store in Hamburg and the Petersen department store in Wandsbek.

In 1928, Max Emden moved to Switzerland to the Brissago Islands in Ticino. He received visits from numerous celebrities, such as Aga Khan, the King of Siam and Erich Maria Remarque. Emden was a passionate golf and polo player. Ascona owes the creation of its beautiful golf course to his help. In Hamburg he financed the club house of the Hamburg Golf Club and many other cultural institutions of the city with generous donations.

When the National Socialists came to power, Max Emden's impressive company and its possessions were smashed and destroyed piece by piece. Even though Max Emden hasn’t been Jewish since the age of 19 and was baptized as an Evangelical Lutheran, in the eyes of the Nazis, he was considered a non-Aryan.

Even today, 80 years after Emden's death, his heirs are fighting against the beneficiaries of the disenfranchisement, including the city of Hamburg, Germany and Switzerland.

Producer: Tizian Gruner

Co-Producer: Annegret Weitkämper-Krueg

Writer: Marco Rossi

Historical Advisor: Juan Carlos Emden (Grandson of Max Emden)

Pro. Co: GRUNERFILMS; Gretchenfilm

Copyright | GRUNERFILMS