Objects

Diploma

Diploma for Jakób Haberfeld's Factory in Oświęcim for Participation in the International Competition in Paris in 1908. The Haberfeld family was well-known in Oświęcim, primarily for Simon Haberfeld's establishment of the city's first factory in 1804, located near the Soła River, producing alcoholic beverages. Simon, originally from Tura Luka (now Slovakia), settled in Oświęcim in the late 18th century to marry Jacheta Reider. Their son Jakób (1839–1904) transformed the facility into the renowned Spirit Refinery and Distillery. The beverages at Haberfeld's were crafted from natural juices, and throughout its history, the factory produced dozens of varieties of vodka, liqueurs, cognacs, and rums. Additionally, they manufactured raspberry, cherry, blueberry, and rowanberry juices, as well as lemonades and sodas. The factory also bottled beer from Jan Götz's Brewery in Okocim. The Haberfeld company also represented beers from the Archducal Breweries in Żywiec and facilitated their sales. The factory's maximum output in 1935 could reach 50,000 liters, with a production value reaching 100,000 złoty. In 1938, 22 people were employed. In the summer of 1939, the last co-owners of the factory, Alfons (1903–1970) and Felicja (1911–2010) Haberfeld, traveled to New York to showcase their products at the World Exhibition. The outbreak of war caught them on their way back to Poland. Their ship was forcibly redirected to Scotland, where they completed their journey. Their only daughter, Franciszka Henryka (born 1937), remained with her grandmother in war-torn Poland. Both perished, murdered in the German Nazi death camp in Bełżec. During the war, the Haberfeld buildings were seized by German occupation authorities and, after its end, underwent nationalization by the People's Republic of Poland. In 1995, the building and factory were listed as historical monuments. Despite this, ongoing degradation necessitated the demolition of the structures in 2003. For nearly 150 years, the Haberfeld family had a profound impact on the city's history and development, not only economically but also socially, politically, culturally, and philanthropically. Its members held key roles in the City Council as councillors and deputy mayors, as well as in the Jewish Community, with some serving as its chairpersons. Currently, descendants of the family reside in Australia, Israel, and the USA.

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Information about the object
Author / creator
Pressler, Marcin (?-?)
Object type
graphic
Place of creation
Oświęcim (Małopolskie Province)
Technique
photocopy
Material
paper
Keywords
Copyright status
the object is not protected by copyright law
Owner
Oshpitzin Jewish Museum in Oświęcim
Identification number
MŻ 13