Léopold Kahn

- General Manager, La Estrella del Norte. -- brought in from France together with the Levy Brothers from Alsace, France as well. Left Alsace, France at the age of 18 (1889) for the Philippines.

- Identified in the book "The Builders of Philippines Commerce" as "the man who introduced into the islands the phonograph, cinematograph, bicycle and the Automobile"

- Chevalier (Knight), French Legion D'honneur.

- Knight of the Order of Pius IX. (November 19, 1934)

- Resided at 1336 General Luna st., Paco, Manila (now the site of the Philippine Red Cross, Intramuros. 14.587809,120.975998)

- President of the French Chamber of Commerce, Manila.

Letter from Feb 25, 1935, in Time Magazine: You were wrong—but by a day only—when you stated under "Cardinal in Court" that Harold L. Stuart of Chicago was the second non-Catholic to have received the Pius IX Order [TIME, Nov. 19]. Stranger things than that happen in Manila:

On Nov. 18, Leopoldo Kahn, born an Alsatian Jew, now a French citizen and for 46 years a resident of these Islands, was given the Order of Pope Pius IX by Archbishop O'Doherty with all the appropriate ceremony. Don Leopoldo has always befriended the Church, aiding its charities and giving the country twelve good Catholic sons and daughters (by two wives, mestizas both of them). He was in close contact with the Vatican during the late War and is considered a great friend of Catholicism without ever having professed it as his religion.

Sincerely yours, in the interest of news—such as only TIME can give us exiles.

MRS. JAMES L. SMITH MRS. JAMES L. EDWARD

Manila, P. I.

Léopold Kahn, together with the Levy brothers, came to the Philippines from Alsace in 1909 to found “La Estrella del Norte”, a jewelry store that expanded into a popular general merchandise store along Escolta.

Birth