Sigmund Aviezer Gestetner (13 August 1897 – 16 April 1956) was a British philanthropist, Zionist, and businessman, serving as Managing Director of

Gestetner The Gestetner is a type of duplicating machine named after its inventor, David Gestetner (18541939). During the 20th century, the term ''Gestetner'' was used as a verb—as in ''Gestetnering''. The Gestetner company established its base in London ...

and president of the

Jewish National Fund Jewish National Fund ( he, קֶרֶן קַיֶּימֶת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, ''Keren Kayemet LeYisrael'', previously , ''Ha Fund HaLeumi'') was founded in 1901 to buy and develop land in Ottoman Syria (later Mandatory Palestine, and subseq ...

of Great Britain.

Early life

Born in London in 1897, he was the only son of Jewish inventor

David Gestetner David Gestetner (31 March 18548 March 1939) was the inventor of the Gestetner stencil duplicator, the first piece of office equipment that allowed production of numerous copies of documents quickly and inexpensively. He also invented the nail c ...

and attended

City of London School , established = , closed = , type = Public school Boys' independent day school , president = , head_label = Headmaster , head = Alan Bird , chair_label = Chair of Governors , chair = Ian Seaton , founder = John Carpenter , speciali ...

until he joined the army at the age of 17, faking his age. He was gassed during World War 1, permanently affecting his health.

Business and Zionism

Sigmund Gestetner is credited for the expansion of the firm bearing his name and passed on management to his wife, Henny Gestetner and later his two sons, David and Jonathan Gestetner. He was a supporter of the Zionist cause, serving as president of the

and was active in the Joint Palestine Appeal in Great Britain. He worked closely with

Chaim Weizmann Chaim Azriel Weizmann ( he, חיים עזריאל ויצמן ', russian: Хаим Евзорович Вейцман, ''Khaim Evzorovich Veytsman''; 27 November 1874 – 9 November 1952) was a Russian-born biochemist, Zionist leader and Israel ...

, helping bring the

Weizmann Institute of Science The Weizmann Institute of Science ( he, מכון ויצמן למדע ''Machon Vaitzman LeMada'') is a public research university in Rehovot, Israel, established in 1934, 14 years before the State of Israel. It differs from other Israeli unive ...

to Great Britain along with his wife, Henny. He was associated with the Aliyah Bet effort, helping bring Jews from concentration camps, partisans and those who had remained hidden to Israel during 1945-1948. Gestetner commissioned the building of

Highpoint I Highpoint I was the first of two apartment blocks erected in the 1930s on one of the highest points in London, England, in Highgate. The architectural design was by the Georgian-British architect Berthold Lubetkin, the structural design by the ...

in 1935, however it was never used for its intended purpose of housing

staff.

Legacy

Sigmund Gestetner died in Nice on 16 April 1956 of

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissue (biology), tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from tran ...

, stemming from his injury attained during the war. He left behind three children, Sophie, David and Jonathan as well as his wife, Henny.

References

1897 births 1956 deaths British Zionists 20th-century British philanthropists {{UK-business-bio-stub