Conrad Hinrich Donner (11 April 1774, in Altona – 1 January 1854) was a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

bank A bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital markets. Because ...

er and art collector.

Life

Conrad Hinrich Donner was the son of Johann Christian Donner (1739-1804), a buyer and the

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...

consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states throug ...

in Hamburg and Maria Anterrer (1742-1802) from Altona. Donner was at first the owner of a

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

factory with 150 workers. In 1798 he established the Company Conrad Hinrich Donner for the sale of goods and the provision of marine insurance (Assekuranz). Company Conrad Hinrich Donner was also a shipping company from which sailing boats operated. Later the banking transactions stepped ever more into the foreground, with the formation of Conrad Hinrich Donner Bank. He had close business ties to the shipping magnate

Johann Cesar VI. Godeffroy Johann Cesar Godeffroy (7 July 1813 in Kiel – 9 February 1885 in Blankenese) was a German trader, blackbirder and Hanseat. He was the founder of Museum Godeffroy. Family history and the trading company J.C. Godeffroy & Sohn The Godeffroys ...

. In 1820 Donner bought Sieveking Garden (today Donners Park :de:Donners Park) and there in 1843 he established an art museum containing sculptures of

Bertel Thorvaldsen Bertel Thorvaldsen (; 19 November 1770 – 24 March 1844) was a Danes, Danish and Icelanders, Icelandic Sculpture, sculptor medallist, medalist of international fame, who spent most of his life (1797–1838) in Italy. Thorvaldsen was born in ...

and

Herman Wilhelm Bissen Herman Wilhelm Bissen (13 October 1798 – 10 March 1868) was a Denmark, Danish sculptor. Biography Bissen was born at Schleswig in the Duchy of Schleswig. He was the son of Christian Gottlieb Wilhelm Bissen (1766-1847), a farmer, and Anna ...

). The museum and an orangery was designed by of

Gottfried Semper Gottfried Semper (; 29 November 1803 – 15 May 1879) was a German architect, art critic, and professor of architecture who designed and built the Semper Opera House in Dresden between 1838 and 1841. In 1849 he took part in the May Uprising in ...

. Conrad Hinrich Donner donated large sums for charitable purposes and was a promoter of art and science. Through his father, Donner was a personal friend of King

Christian VIII of Denmark Christian VIII (18 September 1786 – 20 January 1848) was King of Denmark from 1839 to 1848 and, as Christian Frederick, King of Norway in 1814. Christian Frederick was the eldest son of Hereditary Prince Frederick, a younger son of King Frederic ...

who stayed with him at Altona.Like a Sponge Thrown Into Water: Francis Lieber's European Travel Journal of 1844-1845 : a Lively Tour Through England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Austria, and Bohemia : with Observations on Politics, the Visual and Performing Arts, Economics, Religion, Penology, Technology, History, Literature, Social Customs, Travel, Geography, Jurisprudence, Linguistics, Personalities, and Numerous Other Matters, 2002

Notes

References

* Deutsches Geschlechterbuch, ''Hamburg''-Band 9, Seite 220, Band 127 der Gesamtreihe, C. A. Starke Verlag, Limburg (Lahn) 1961 *

External links

The Donners Park estate, Altona
{{DEFAULTSORT:Donner, Conrad Hinrich Donner Businesspeople from Hamburg 1774 births 1854 deaths German bankers German art collectors 19th-century art collectors