Eugen Landau (March 17, 1852 – February 20, 1935) was a German Jewish banker and philanthropist.

Life

Landau was born in Breslau,

Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an em ...

on March 17, 1852. His father Jacob Landau owned a Berlin bank that was one of the largest banks in Germany in the late 19th century. Landau studied law and economics at the

University of Berlin Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (german: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a German public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin. It was established by Frederick William III on the initiative o ...

and the

University of Bern The University of Bern (german: Universität Bern, french: Université de Berne, la, Universitas Bernensis) is a university in the Switzerland, Swiss capital of Bern and was founded in 1834. It is regulated and financed by the Canton of Bern. It ...

, after which he joined his father's business. In 1879, he founded a Silesian railway company. He then participated in the organization of important industrial concerns, including the mining company Königs- und Laurahütte, the Schultheiss-Patzenhofer Brauerei (the largest brewery in Germany), and the electrical company AEG (which was directed by

Emil Rathenau Emil Moritz Rathenau (11 December 1838 – 20 June 1915) was a German entrepreneur, industrialist, mechanical engineer. He was a leading figure in the early European electrical industry. Early life Rathenau was born in Berlin, into a w ...

and

Walther Rathenau Walther Rathenau (29 September 1867 – 24 June 1922) was a German industrialist, writer and liberal politician. During the First World War of 1914–1918 he was involved in the organization of the German war economy. After the war, Rathenau s ...

. As a partner in his father's banking firm, he established close connections with city authorities in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

and made the bank one of the principal agents in arranging loans to Berlin for its development. He also played a large part the establishment of the National Bank fuer Deutschland and its mergers with Breslau Disconto-Bank and the Bayerische Bank. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, he served as a major in Germany's ''

Landwehr ''Landwehr'', or ''Landeswehr'', is a German language term used in referring to certain national armies, or militias found in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Europe. In different context it refers to large-scale, low-strength fortificatio ...

'' (Territorial Reserve), the highest rank a non-converted Jew reached until then. He served as an honorary consul-general in Berlin, and he used that position to strengthen relations between Spain and Germany. Landau was deeply involved in Jewish affairs and philanthropies, subsidizing various Jewish institutions in Berlin. He was a director of the orphan asylum Baruch Auerbach'sches Waisenhaus and vice-president of the German Pro-Palästina Committee and the

Keren Hayesod Keren Hayesod – United Israel Appeal ( he, קרן היסוד, literally "The Foundation Fund") is an official fundraising organization for Israel with branches in 45 countries. Its work is carried out in accordance with the Keren haYesod Law-5 ...

in Germany, which he was a founder of. He also supported the Juedische Altershilfe, aid for the aged. He founded the Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden with Dr. Paul Nathan and

James Simon James or Jim Simon may refer to: * James Simon (composer) (1880–1944), German composer, pianist and musicologist * James Simon (journalist), journalism professor at Fairfield University, Fairfield, Connecticut * James D. Simon (1897–1982), Loui ...

, and served as its first president until he retired to focus on his growing business interests. He remained the organization's first Vice-President. In 1899, Emperor

Wilhelm II Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 18594 June 1941) was the last German Emperor (german: Kaiser) and King of Prussia, reigning from 15 June 1888 until his abdication on 9 November 1918. Despite strengthening the German Empir ...

decorated Landau with the Order of the Crown, Third Class. On his 80th birthday, the Berlin Chamber of Industry and Commerce awarded him their Gold Medal, their highest distinction, for his service to German industry and commerce. His wife was a daughter of City Councillor Magnus. His stepsons were Dr. Walter Sobernheim, Dr. Kurt Sobernheim, and Professor Dr. Moritz Sobernheim, who were all active workers in Jewish public affairs in Germany. Landau died in Berlin on February 20, 1935. He was buried in the Jewish cemetery on

Schönhauser Allee Schönhauser Allee in Berlin is one of the most important streets of the Prenzlauer Berg district. Schönhauser Allee begins at Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz in the south and ends at Schonensche Straße in the north. Many of the side streets of Schönha ...

References

1852 births 1935 deaths People from Wrocław People from Berlin 19th-century German Jews German Jewish military personnel of World War I Silesian Jews German bankers German philanthropists German Zionists {{DEFAULTSORT:Landau, Eugen 20th-century German diplomats Consuls Burials in Germany