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LOEW-BÖHM-EISLER-BACH-PORGES-GRÜNFELD-GRÜNHUT-GÜNZBURG-WESSELS-TODROS-SPIRA-WIENER-GRATZ-OBERLÄNDER-MORAWETZ-FRIEDMANN-KLIMESCH-ROHEL....

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In 1850, the Friedmann family opened a Textile business in the town of Šternberk (Sternberg) Šternberk.org people site. 1852: Anton Heeg, Ignatz Schottik and Heinrich Friedmann formed a firm named "Heeg, Schottik & Friedmann". "Heeg & Friedmann" registered 1/1/1853 ref. (9/22/1863). 1863: Johann Kuntner sold the building to "Anton Heeg & Heinrich Friedmann", 1868: the partnership dissolved, Anton sold his share to Heinrich, who died in 1891. Ludwig Friedmann inherited the building and sold it in 1909 to "K. K. Allgemeine Verkehrbank Wien". The buildings history goes back to 1562 and as of 1950, it has been Šternberk's Post Office. *see ref. in "Der Patriotische frauen-hilfsverein vom rothen kreuze für Mähren, wahrend seines zwanzigjährigen bestandes, 1879-1899:" .. Ludwig, and Rosa (nee Wolf).. wife of Heinrich *death certificate fabrikant from Szenitz, Slovakia or Heeg & Friedmann in 1865 business directory (in German) or www.sudetenpost.eu "Sternberg: Aus der Geschichte der mährischen Stadt Stemberg, zusammengestellt von Emil Chalupnik, Wien:" ..The picture changed with the construction of various factory buildings, namely the silk weaving mill (see J. G. see Zweig family) in 1881, Heeg and Friedmann and Gröger-Mikulaschek u. Co., 1886, which were then followed by several small weaving mills, Franz Riedl jun. (Thanel), Anton Mischke (Meisel), Johann Homma, Carl Augustin, so that Sternberg had about 1000 median looms.." OR Jewish history of Moravia "..The city of Sternberg, whence Jews had been expelled in 1562, passed a resolution that it would never allow a Jew to settle there" (Allg. Zeit. des Jud. 1849, p. 506)

The factory was a: mechanická tkalcovna na lněné a bavlněné zboží producing Leinwand, Baumwoll-Leinwand, Kanevas, Gradl, Inlets, Barchent (farbig und weiss), Chiffons. *see: e-sternberk.eu & Profit.cz (2008) - Tkadlec tělem i duší: ".. Heinrich Friedmann - Jewish businessman has significantly contributed to the industrial development of Moravian Šternberk founding in the late 19th century mechanical weaving cloth, which employed up to 400 people.."

Arthur Friedmann, son of Bernhard and nephew of Heinrich continued in the family business, with a sales office in Niederlage at Vienna (Wien I, Rudolfsplatz 13), first District, Rudolf square, house number 13. The Friedmann factory, was the second largest industrial employer in Šternberk /Sternberg (after the tobacco factory) & for some 70 years, they employed up to 400 workers at any given time. The factory was "self sufficient", with it's own water and electricity. First floor had offices and shop floor, second floor apartments, where Leonie (Böhm) Friedmann had a part-time apartment and daughter Anne (Friedmann) + Johann "Hans" Klimesch, with their children Adele (Heidi) Rohel, Rudolf and Arthur lived (picture below left). Arthur Friedmann was a Captain in the Austrian army during WW-I. He kept a riding horse on their Šternberk property, enjoying the rides in and around the city during his visits, something he could do in Vienna. Arthur loved to read, travel, collect violins (2nd image), fine furniture like; their cabinet currently owned by Vienniese Leopold Museum and on loan to Museum of Applied Art (MAK), a table, their modern clock currently owned by LACMA museum & ref-2, ref-3 (4th image by Czech-Austrian architect Adolf (see Loos family). In the music room, you could walk on top of an Aquarium with large red fish - Loos installed 1905 into the floor. Loos also designed the Friedmann Vienna office & apartment in 1906-1907 and Mähren, their Šternberkfactory "tea - garden house". *see Loos Friedmann article & images book .pdf Adolf Loos Leben und Werk (1982) Friedmann article or on Pinterest. Other of our relatives like Böhm, Kary, etc. also collected Loos furniture, etc., as well had designs done by him like: Jakob Langer Vienna apartment in 1903, Paul Khuner summer house, reforma de villa Strasser, Vienna in 1919, reforma de la villa Mandl, Vienna in 1916, and other relatives. *ref. 1928: " Heeg & Friedmann, Kurrentwarenhandel in Wien, Inhaber einer Leinen- und Baumwollwarenfabrik. Hauptniederlassung zu Sternberg in Mähren. Zweigniederlassung in Wien. Niederlage I Schottenring 31. Inhaber: Artur Friedmann, Prokuristen: Moritz Morell und Edmund Wahl" (source: Alfred Posametir).

In 1929, Šternberk Friedmann factory & properties totalled 84,192 m² =20.8 acres. The factory was “self sufficient” with its own water and electricity. First floor had offices and shop floor; second floor had apartments, where Leonie stayed during her visits. Arthur kept a riding horse on their Šternberk property, enjoying the rides in and around the city during his visits, something he could Not do in Vienna.

Arthur's non-Jewish son-in-law Johann Klimesch, was associated with the factory since 1912, eventually becoming it's manager and CEO. Arthur's widow Leonie (Böhm) Friedmann owned the factory, only signing ownership "under duress for 1 Koruna" over to widower Johann during her WW-II escape to USA, along with relatives & her siblings, owners of Brüder Böhm / hats. What was "stolen" by communists? 1) Heeg & Friedmann Factory-Home 2) large Garden 3) Field leased to a Farmer on both sides of Sitka 4) Employee Building at Nádražní & U Střelnice (property line map below) total of (64,700 m² =16 acres) worth +/- $8 million in 2021. Arthur and Leonie lived full time at Bellaria 4 apartment / headquarters, Vienna, Arthur frequently visiting their Sternberg factory and daughter Anne, while Leonie visited Sternberg monthly.

Besides the Heeg & Friedmann textile, there was also Gröger textile, later becoming Moravia (current Brano Moravia prev. Mora-Top) appliance mfg. and about 10 other smaller textile firms.

Both factories and all their properties were confiscated (stolen) in 1946 by Šternberk town communists. It took until 1948 before an "official confiscation document" was issued by Sternberg re; Heeg & Friedmann. The town gave or sold our "Factory-Home" to Vigona, but they were unable to determine the factory's future and "demolished it" in 1950's. Adele was aware of the demolition, but could not go and see it up close, as it hurt too much, but did see the chimney fall down from afar. The communists wanted to make make sure - there were no "structures for possible claims", since the country was becoming "Officially Communist" in 1948. The Gröger family was deported to Russia, as was tried with Johann, but he faked his "heart attack", returning home 3 days later, and thereafter, emigrating to Canada. *Vigona was bought by Fibertex of Svitavy in 2004.

Only Adele Klimesch (age 21) remained behind in 1948 ČSA 20 (prev. street names), Šternberk (Sternberg), as a result of meeting captain Miroslav ROHEL in 1947. However, "they did not know" - the country would become and remain Communist, under Russia's control and closed borders. Adele remembers, when their "Factory & Home" was being demolished, but did not want to see the injustice up close, only viewing the chimney falling down, from afar. Miroslav & Adele ended up working at Moravia, where co-workers were told "not to talk to them by the Communists", but more will be included on life in Šternberk elsewhere, including our family of (9) 1969 escape to Vienna, before coming to Canada.