Sigmund Schwager

Zigmund Schwager was born on 21-Jul-1891 in Cham Germany. He had graduated 6 years school in Cham and learned 2 more years (1904-1905) in another school in Cham. In age of 15 (1905) he was sent to Frankfurt am Main to learn profession. He joined a company named Hirschfeld ltd. (in Kaiserstrasse 55). While working in this company he continue to learn in a school in commerce of Dr. Ganz (13-Jun-1906 until 31-Mar-1908). Main learned subjects are: nice and clean writing, packaging and accounting. While working and learning he lived at his employer’s home and didn’t get paid. From 1-Oct-1908 to Jan-1910 he worked as traveling merchant for shoe leather business that belonged to his father Izidor (the business was established by Isidor already in 1882). From 1-Jan-1010 until 1-Jul-1912 Zigmund started to work in his older brother Leopold’s company (Munich Ledererstrase 11) as traveling merchant. At that time Leopold was already leaving in Munich. As traveling merchant Zigmund travelled in the area of Bavaria and developed good relations with the shoemakers in the small villages. From 1-Jul-1912 until 22-Oct-1913 Zigmund returned to work for his father's business in Cham. In 22-Oct-1913, at the age of 22, Zigmund joined the German army and was assigned to the 6th legion of the 3rd artillery army of Bavaria. He had participated in the 1st WW and was released on 19-Dec-1918. Returning from the war he found that the business of his father and brothers went bankruptcy and had to rebuilt from scratch. Zigmund returned to Cham and in 1920 he joined, as partner, the family leather business there (name “Gebruder Schwager”). In 1924 he moved to Regensburg (Bavaria) and opened another branch of the leather business. It was located near the fish market on the Danube edge. About 60 people worked in this place and 40 dealers. Around 1927 Zigmund travelled to Eisenach (Thüringen) to participate in the wedding of his brother Fritz who married Meta Zommer. In this event Zigmund met Hanna Wolf the cousin of Meta. This meeting became a roman. On 10-Nov-1928 they were engaged and on 19-Dec-1928 they got married and moved to Regensburg where they lived in Hoppestrasse no. 3. On 6-Jan-1930 their daughter Ruth Bertha (after Hanna’s mother) was born and on 1931 Chava Karolina (after Zigmund’s mother) was born on 1931. On May 1933 they left Germany to Italy and on 17-May-1933 (4 month after Germany elected Hitler as the Chancellor) the family board a ship in Trieste Italy and arrived to Jaffa port in Palestine on 22-May-1933).

Upon their arrival they lived in Tel Aviv. On 9-Apr-1934 they bought the ground in Pardess Chana from PIKA and after building the house there the family moved there on 12-Aug-1935where they lived since.

In addition to the yard for the house, Zigmund purchased an orchard in Pardess-Hanna from PIKA but after 5 years he had to sell after losing money as he couldn't export oranges because of the war. In 26-Jan-1945 Zigmund became sick and was operated in Belinson hospital in Tel-Aviv and eventually became paralyzed in his two legs. Zigmund stayed in several hospitals for 377 days (Belinson, Asuta, Finston) and lost his work ability. He tried to produce plastic products but with low success.