Bellak Family

Their texile manufacturing business was started in 1876 by two brothers, Wilhelm and Jakob Bellak, and was called “W & J Bellak”.  It consisted of texiles made of wool.  The business building was located on the street “Ceskoslovenske Armady of Krnov” in 1912.  The business is still in existence today in its original 1912  building and is called “Karnoly” now.  The street name is now known as Benischerstrasse Drive.  There was a second location for the business on Na Ostrove, which is now used for furniture storage.  A few members of the Bellak family are buried in the “Bellak Family” gravesite in the Krnov Jewish Cemetery.  The Bellak family was connected to the Mondschein family.  Otto Bellak had a wife Elise, who’s maiden name was Mondschein.  They were married in 1925 in the Krnov Synagogue.  Otto Bellak, with his family and his brother Emilem, escaped to Brno and later to England before WWII.  The members of this family are still in England today.  Everything that the Bellak family owned before WWII in Krnov was confiscated by the Nazis.  Nothing was returned to them after the war.  The communists made claim to their factories, etc. for the country.

Briess Family

For generations, the Briess family produced beer, crops, and farmer’s produce.  Theodor and Gustav, two Briess brothers, married two sisters from Krnov in the synogogue there.  Gustav married Else Bauml in 1900 and Theodor married Paulina Bauml in 1902.  Theodor became vice president of farmers in the county of Olomouc.  Theodor’s grandson, Peter Briesse, lives in Great Britain now.  Another member of the Briess family, Eric, immigrated to the United States in 1920 and started the Briess Malting Company, which is still in existance today.

Siegfried Gessler

Siegfried was the owner of the biggest factory in Krnov making alcohol.  The company was called “Praded”  in Czech and “Altvater” in German.

Geiringer Family

The Geiringer family were texile traders and their business was called “Tuchhaus Silesia” (Geiringer & Reitler).  Part of this company is still in existence in Krnov and part of it is now located in Vienna.

B.M. Goldberger

He built a bank in Krnov in the second half of 19th century.  Oskar Goldberger later became president of the bank and in 1937, the bank went into bankruptcy and Oskar was put in jail.

Nathan Hamberger

Lichtwitz Family

This large family came from Osoblah.  The family produced alcohol in Krnov and in Opave.  In 1921, there was a marriage in the synogogue between Leo Beck and Hildou Lichtwitz.  The Beck and the Lichtwitz family had a business together and a factory that produced alcohol called “Beck & Lichtwitz”.

Samuel Lowy

Samuel owned a texitle store or factory in Krnov.  His tombstone still remains in the Jewish cemetery, although in poor condition.  He was born in 1842 and died 23 Nov 1898.

Gustav Marburg

Gustav had a business in Krnov called “Gustav Margurg & Sohne”.  He was born 15 Jan 1844 and died in Bruntal 8 Nov 1921.

Schulhaber Family

This family had a textile store called “Tuchhaus Schulhaber” in the main square in Krnov, which is still in existence today.

Ludwig Sugdoll

Ludwig was born 2 Oct 1861 and died in Krnov 7 Jul 1931.  He owned a texile factory in Krasnych Louchach near Krnov.  He sold his business in 1917 to his brother Joklovym.  His tombstone is in the Krnov Jewish cemetery.

Copyright © 2002 Melody Katz