Archives of Maison Hirsch & Cie

Collection description

Collection

Country:: Belgium

Holding institution:: National Archives of Belgium 2 – Joseph Cuvelier Repository

Holding institution (official language):: Archives Générales du Royaume 2 – Dépôt Joseph Cuvelier

Postal address:: Hopstraat 26-28 / Rue du Houblon 26-28, 1000 Bruxelles

Phone number:: +32 (0)2 274 15 00

Web address:: http://www.arch.be/

Email:: agr_ar_2@arch.be

Reference number:: NAB2-Brussels-545-152

Title:: Archives of Maison Hirsch & Cie

Title (official language):: Archives de la Maison Hirsch & Cie

Creator/accumulator:: Maison Hirsch & Cie

Date(s):: 1793/1960

Extent:: 130 linear metres

Scope and content:: This fonds contains correspondence, documents concerning the establishment and statutes of the company, bookkeeping documents (1870-1961), material concerning the buildings, assets of the company, machinery, insurance etc. We also find documents related to purchases and sales, to exhibitions, fashion shows, cultural and business events, and publicity produced by the Maison Hirsch & Cie. Also included are documents concerning the geographic expansion of the company, notably to Ostend and Blankenberge, and related to the companies of the same name in other European countries. Furthermore we note archival material regarding the relations of the company and its management with the world of fashion, sewing, fabrics and commerce. The fonds also contains material concerning the charities funded by members of the Hirsch family (1902-1958) as well as family archives (1875-1941) and files from the law firm of Arthur Hirsch related to the Maison Hirsch (1894-1941). We also note individual files on the managers of the company, personal papers of members of the Hirsch family, etc. Lastly, we point out the rich iconographic material consisting of plans, drawings, diplomas, sketches and photographs. It is the subject of a separate inventory.

Administrative/biographical history:: Founded as a limited partnership in 1869 by Lévi (Léo) Hirsch (1842-1906) and his wife Johanna Freudenberg (1848-1901), the Maison Hirsch & Compagnie settled in the heart of Brussels, in the rue Neuve. The couple married in the same year. From the beginning, their business was a great success. It specialised in luxury clothing for women and attracted a wealthy clientele. Fur clothing quickly became one of the specialties of the store. Relying on skilled workers, Maison Hirsch & Cie became a reference in fashion in Brussels. Léo Hirsch ran the company on his own until 1893, and afterwards assisted by his cousin and partner Bernard Liebreich. Following the death of Léo Hirsch a new limited partnership was created, headed by Max Isaac and Robert Sostberg, merchants from Hamburg, until the legal majority of the sons of Arthur Hirsch, the eldest son of Léo Hirsch. After the First World War, the brothers Lucien, Robert and later (in 1922) Jean-Paul Hirsch took over management of the company, which regained the success of its initial years. During the Second World War part of the Hirsch family fled abroad. Jean-Paul Hirsch remained at the helm of the company until August 1942, when he went to southern France and joined the Résistance. The company was placed under German control. Although the 1950s were prosperous for the company, it began to decline and the business was eventually voluntarily liquidated in 1962. The Hirsch family nevertheless remained the owner of its real estate. Léo Hirsch, although a secular Jew, played an important role in the Brussels Jewish community. Together with his wife he invested, personally and financially, in various charities such as the burial society (Hevra Kadisha) of Brussels, the Asile des vieillards, the Société de prêts des secours efficaces etc. Johanna Freudenberg in particular was involved in the creation of a summer camp for needy Jewish and non-Jewish children and adults. The colony opened its doors in Middelkerke (on the Belgian coast) in 1901, and was named Villa Johanna in her honour. She died the same year. (Annexes au Moniteur belge, 1907, no. 6.111 et 6.112 ; 1919 no. 3.261 ; 1962 no. 9.088, 9.089 et 15.708 ; M. Jacquemin, C. Six & C. Vancoppenolle, Guide des Archives d’Associations professionnelles et d’entreprises en région bruxelloise, Guides/Gidsen no. 51, vol. 2, Bruxelles, ARA-AGR, 2001, pp. 563-566 ; V. Pouillard, « Hirsch Lévi dit Léo ; Hirsch Arthur, Hirsch Ivan Isidore, Hirsch Lucien, Hirsch Robert, Hirsch Jean-Paul ", in J.-P. Schreiber, Dictionnaire biographique des Juifs de Belgique. Figures du judaïsme belge, XIXe-XXe siècles, Bruxelles, De Boeck, 2002, pp. 162-165 ; V. Pouillard, Hirsch et Cie Bruxelles, 1869-1962, Bruxelles, éd. ULB, 2000 ; V. Pouillard, « Freudenberg Johanna (1848-1901), épouse Levi dit Léo HIRSCH ", in E. Gubin, C. Jacques, V. Piette & J. Puissant, Dictionnaire des femmes belges XIXe-XXe siècles, Bruxelles, éd. Racine, 2006, pp. 258-259 ; F. NOEL, « Hirsch Arthur ", in Biographie nationale, t. XL, fascicule I, 1977, pp. 434-437 ; D. Dratwa, « De Villa Johanna te Middelkerke ", in Heemkring Graningate, no. 43, September 1991.)

Access points: locations:: Blankenberge; Ostend

Access points: persons/families:: Hirsch family

Subject terms:: Aid and relief; Aid and relief--Philanthropy and charity; Architectural drawings; Drawings; Exhibitions; Personal records; Photographs; Professions; Professions--Lawyers; Trade and commerce; Trade and commerce--Clothing and textile trade

Finding aids:: O. de Bruyn, Inventaire des archives de la Maison Hirsch et Cie (Bruxelles 1869-1962), I 288, Bruxelles, ARA-AGR, 2000. For the iconographic material, see: M.-T. Polart, Magasins Hirsch et Cie. Archives Iconographiques (1866-1957), T 48, Bruxelles, ARA-AGR, 1989.

Yerusha Network member:: State Archives of Belgium

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