Oscar Troplowitz (18 January 1863 – 27 April 1918) was a German

pharmacist A pharmacist, also known as a chemist (Commonwealth English) or a druggist (North American and, archaically, Commonwealth English), is a healthcare professional who prepares, controls and distributes medicines and provides advice and instructi ...

and entrepreneur. Troplowitz trained at Heidelberg University and in 1890 he purchased

Beiersdorf AG Beiersdorf AG is a German multinational company that manufactures and retails personal-care products and pressure-sensitive adhesives. Its brands include Elastoplast, Eucerin (makers of Aquaphor), Labello, La Prairie, Nivea, Tesa SE (Tesa ta ...

, which at the time was a chemist's shop and laboratory in Hamburg run by

Paul Beiersdorf Paul Carl Beiersdorf (26 March 1836 – 17 December 1896) was a German pharmacist from Neuruppin, Brandenburg. He was founder of Beiersdorf AG in Hamburg. Life In 1880 he founded the Beiersdorf Company, a Hamburg pharmaceutical operation where ...

(1836–1896). Soon afterwards, Troplowitz expanded the company into selling brand-name merchandise as well. Under Troplowitz's ownership, the company developed several of its own products, including Nivea, Leukoplast,

Labello Labello is a brand of lip balm stick. It is produced by Beiersdorf AG in Germany and Austria. The labello lip care sticks are also sold under the name Labello Nivea, Liposan and Nivea Lip Care. Labello makes lip care products that are used for m ...

, and a pressure-sensitive tape that would later be known as "Tesafilm". As did Paul Beiersdorf, Troplowitz maintained a close business relationship with dermatologist Paul Gerson Unna (1850–1929). It was on a recommendation by Unna that Troplowitz hired Isaak Lifschütz, a chemist who was the discoverer of the emulsifying agent

Eucerit Lanolin (from Latin 'wool', and 'oil'), also called wool yolk, wool wax, or wool grease, is a wax secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool-bearing animals. Lanolin used by humans comes from domestic sheep breeds that are raised specifically fo ...

, the main ingredient in Nivea, a brand which he acquired in 1911 from French company Guerlain. Troplowitz made several reforms in regards to worker benefits at Beiersdorf, such as paid vacations, maternity leave, and a 48-hour work week.Historical Figures at Beiersdorf
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Réferences

Bibliography

* Beiersdorf, Leonie, Claussen, Christine : ''Oscar Troplowitz : ein Leben für Hamburg'', Ostfildern : Hatje Cantz, 2013, . {{DEFAULTSORT:Troplowitz, Oscar 1863 births 1918 deaths German pharmacists People from Gliwice 19th-century German Jews Businesspeople from Hamburg People from the Province of Silesia University of Breslau alumni Heidelberg University alumni Beiersdorf people