| The Men of Industry
| | In the childhood of industry around 1900 the chemists G.A.Hagemann, Denmark and J. Dunker, Sweden are both some of the most outstanding industrial magnates in the Sound Region.
G.A.Hagemann is to be seen on the balcony at the top of Krøyer’s painting from 1904.
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G.A.Hagemann
| | G.A.Hagemann (1842-1916), Danish chemistry engineer and one of the greatest and most creative industrialists in the Sound region. He invested heavily in Denmark as well as Scania. For example Borupgård in Snekkersten and Bergsjöholm at Ystad. |
Pioneer for the Chemical Industry in Denmark
Gustav Adolph Hagemann, (1842-1916), Danish chemistry engineer and industrialist, manager of the Technological College, co-owner of Øresunds Chemiske Fabriker, chairman of the board in Burmeister & Wain and De Danske Sukkerfabrikker and through 20 years a member of Copenhagen´s city council.
Hagemann was, as indicated, one of the most prominent and important industrialists in Denmark at the beginning of the 20th century. From his winter residence in Copenhagen and his summer residence in Borupgaard in Snekkersten he was instrumental in implementing and organizing a number of the largest companies and education institutions in Denmark.
A quick examination of the life of Hagemann will give some clue to the industrial evolution of the period and natural science´s importance in this process.
G.A.Hagemann 1912 |
Chemistry – a Useful Science
Chemistry played an important part in the form of practical results, which quickly and with a profit could be transferred to the industry.
These were the manufacture of such diverse things as soda, potash, chlorine, fertilizer, explosives, cement, soap, beer, alcohol, medicine, colours, butter and cheese. And Hagemann knew what he was doing. He was involved in almost everything.
The Cryolit Factory Øresund
In Vestre Churchyard in Copenhagen you´ll find G.A. Hagemann´s grave from 1916, which is ornamented with a menhir of cryolite. And this is no coincidence.
In 1864 the chemistry student Hagemann arrived at the Cryolit Factory Øresund and after his exam in 1865 the factory sent him to the US to inspect til cryolit deliveries to Pensylvania Salt. After having rebuilt this factory he started his own manufacture of bromine. An initiative, which helped found his significant capital.
The Cryolit Factory Øresund used cryolit from Greenland for the manufacture of soda after a method invented and patented by Julius Thomsen. Soda was a very important product, which was used for the manufacture of soap, glass and a number of chemical substances. The soda manufacture was one of the largest and most important chemical industries, built on a solid knowledge of chemical theory and called for a scientific basic research.
In 1869 “Øresund” was, through the industrialist C. F. Tietgen, the empire builder of the 19th century, sold to two young chemistry engineers, Vilhelm Jørgensen and G. A. Hagemann. In 1870 the factory manufactured 1.930 tons of cryolit soda. However, Thomsen´s method was too expensive and in time was replaced by more profitable methods. The manufacture of cryolit soda ended in 1895.
Julius Thomsen1826-1909 | 
C.F. Tietgen | 
G.A.Hagemann, stud. polyt. |
De Danske Sukkerfabrikker)( The Danish Sugar Factories)
In 1872 Tietgen founded De danske Sukkerfabrikker. Tietgen wanted at this time to tie the gifted and enterprising engineer to his network, and Hagemann became head chemist, a sort of technical manager for the company. And it was here that Hagemann´s technical genius flourished. His method of manufacturing of soft brown sugar is one example. In the period 1915-1918 43 millions kilos was produced. Tietgen said: "a mighty lever for the increase of sugar production".
In 1897 Hagemann retired as manager of the factory, but he remained chairman of the board and continued for many years to experiment with sugar production. Among other things, because of his interest and experience with sugar production in the Danish West-Indian Islands.
In today’s Denmark the company is part of the country’s largest foods company: Danisco.
Hagemann in the West-indian Islands
In G.A. Hagemann´s lifetime Denmark was still a traditional colonial power. The West-Indian Island belonged to Denmark at the time. In connection with sugar cane production Hagemann bought a number of plantations in St. Croix in 1894. In spite of extensive rationalisations and improvements in production methods it was not an absolute success for Hagemann. Unrest in the population because of the social conditions and a general wish to break away from Denmark in favour of the US meant that Hagemann shortly before his death also came to the conclusion that Denmark should leave the islands to the US. This happened in 1917.
The Technological College
The Technological College in Copenhagen was founded in 1829 with the main emphasis on physics, mathematics and chemistry, where H.C.Ørsted for many years held the chair in physics. The lessons and the research, however, were very theoetical, which was mostly due to the modest size of the Danish industry. New technical subjects, which benefited the trades and industries, had a hard time gaining footage.
It gained sped when Julius Thomsen became manager in 1883 and when he retired in 1902; it was his friend G.A. Hagemann, who took over. Hagemann hired teachers and established facilities for electronics, which held his interest.
When he retired in 1912 the teaching staff had doubled its size and every year the number of engineers had increased markedly.
H.C. Ørsted 1777-1851 |
The G.A. Hagemann Hall of Residence
From the beginning of his period as manager Hagemann was aware of the straitened circumstances of the students. To start with he gave the lesser fortuned students gifts and student loans out of his own pocket. The student loans were honour loans, but unfortunately he had to tighten it legally as some of the students had antoher understanding of the honour concept.
In 1908 Hagemann decided to establish a hall of residence for his students in in Kristianiagade in Østerbro. The hall of residence was the most liberal-minded of the day with an extensive participation in decision making for the residents and it was the first in Denmark, where female students were allowed to live.
With his usual energy Hagemann overlooked the building and the furnishing and left his stamp on it.
G.A.Hagemanns Hall of Residence | 
Hagemann Is Congratulated |
Ship Building, Beer production and the Finsen Institute
G.A. Hagemann´s technical knowledge and organization talent made him a coveted person in a large number of companies. Often as managing director or chairman of the boards. Notably in industrial giants like, Burmeister and Wain (ship building) and Tuborg (beer).
Hagemann also found time to occupy himself with the health issues of the day. Thus Hagemann was behind Niels Finsen´s Institute for light treatment. He funded Niels Finsen from the start and through his large network he also found alternative funding for Finsen.
Finsen 1860 - 1904 |
The Men of Industry
In February of 1904 the well-known painter P. S. Krøyer finished a group portrait of a number of leading industrialists. The painting was commissioned by G. A. Hagemann.
The motif was 53 industrialists, suåpposedly invited to participate in a guidede tour of Denmark´s largest electricity works, Østre Elektricitetsværk in Copenhagen. However, this event never took place!
A closer analysis shows that not everybody in the painting are industrialists, but the painting shows a powerful network among the leading technicians in the private industry, in the Technological College and in the municipal and governmental administration; a network, which has played an important part in the design of the Danish industrial society of the 20th century. Hagemann decided, who should be in the painting
The Men of Industry |
Summer Residents and Borupgaard
G.A. Hagemann and his family lived in luxurious surroundings in different places in Copenhagen. In the course of the 19th century it became normal for the upper classes of Copenhagen to go north with their families in the summer months. Hagemann embraced this lifestyle early and for many years spent his summers in the villa, "Øresundshøj" on Søbakken in Skovshoved.
In 1899 Hagemann bought the large estate, Borupgaard in Snekkersten close to Elsinore and from 1900 the family spent their summers there in rural surroundings. A few times a week he took the train to his office in Copenhagen, but his time on the estate was not idle.
Born on a manor in Jutland, Hagemann was very interested in agriculture. Thus he was one of the first to invest in a motor plough and with his skilled manager of the estate he established a model holding with Jersey cows. His inventive spirit was spent on a large poultry holding. The hens were his passion and with a number of intricate methods, he made the egg production effective.
Borupgaard | 
G.A.Hagemann | 
The Wife of G.A. Hagemanns |
Hagemann in Scania
Among friends Hagemann is supposed to have said: We can just buy Scania back! However it is documented that Hagemann bought Bergsjöholm in 1911 a few kilometres outside Ystad. The powerful Danish industrialist paid one million Danish kroner for the castle. The main building was built in 1850 in neo classicist style by the young Danish architect F. Meldal. But the original estate has a long and very dramatic story behind it.
Hagemann immediately started to improve the operations of the estate, but his main interest was the cosy rooms of Borupgaard, so he did not visit the large cold halls in the castle very often.
His oldest son did. He was also called G.A.Hagemann (!)and he made a number of modernisations. The family owned the castle until 1965.
Bjergsöholm 1911 | 
Bergsjöholm Castle 2005 |
Hagemann-Neighbourhood in Snekkersten and Elsinore
Today G.A. Hagemann and his important role in the industrial breakthrough in Denmark in the 1890´s and the beginning of the 20th century is not well-known. But if you take a walk in the parcelled land of the old Borupgaard, there are obvious traces in the road names of the residential neighbourhood. Here we find: G.A.Hagemannsvej, Mathilde Bruunsvej(the wife) Antonievej (the daughter) Sortevej, which is supposed to come from Antonie´s dog. And in the central corner at Snekkersten Station you can still see the old beautiful village hall, which the family donated to the old fishing village.
On the other side of the railroad tracks you will find K.A. Haselbalchsvej, Hagemann´s son in law, who as a doctor helped ease Hagemann´s death in 1916 in Borupgaard.
It should also be mentioned that the maternity home, Antoniehus in Elsinore is named after Hagemann´s daughter, Antonie, married name Hasselbalck. Thus: In 1944 "Selskabet for Mødre- og Børnehjælpen i Helsingør" received a gift of 150.000 kr. from lab manager, doctor of medicine Karl Albert Hasselbalch and his wife Antonie for the establishing of a maternity home for mothers in Elsinore and Tikøb municipality. Around the middle of the 1970´s the popular maternity home was made into youth homes.
Until the 1970´s you could see the family´s characteristic bathing hut with a viking ship on the roof on top of Snekkersten Stationsvej on the coastal road. Today there is an impressive view of the Sound and Helsingborg from there.
Borupgaard´s Bathing House |
Dunker
| | Dunker, the family that founded and developed the Tretorn-empire, came to Helsingborg from Denmark.
A new method to process raw rubber into a material, which was soft, waterproof and durable, gave opportunities for exploiting rubber industrially, for instance to produce galoshes, rubber shoes and other kinds of modern goods of quality.
“The rubber age” had arrived to the Sound. It turned out to be a fortune for the Dunker family, but later on also for the cultural life of the region. |
The Galosh King
Dunker, the family that founded and developed the Tretorn-empire, came to Helsingborg from Denmark.
A new method to process raw rubber into a material, which was soft, waterproof and durable, gave opportunities for exploiting rubber industrially, for instance to produce galoshes, rubber shoes and other kinds of modern goods of quality.
“The rubber age” had arrived to the Sound. It turned out to be a fortune for the Dunker family, but later on also for the cultural life of the region.
The Rubber Age
Rubber had been used for a long time and it worked very well – as india rubber. The American Charles Goodyear discovered a method, which opened up for completely different possibilities for the utilization of rubber in 1839. He had succeeded in processing raw rubber into a material, which was soft, waterproof and durable. The method was called retreading , and was, technically the heating of a mixture of caoutchouc and sulphur.
This method gave completely new opportunities for exploiting rubber industrially.
One idea, among many others, was to produce a protecting shoe, which was to worn on elegant shoes when it rained. The galosh, the French name for overshoes, was born. The winters by the Sound would now be bearable with the new wind- and waterproof shoes. Galoshes became extremely popular and were manufactured all over the world. Sweden imported the new idea from Russia.
Johan Dunker – the Beginning
In Helsingborg there was a harbour master called Johan Dunker. He was originally from Schlesvig-Holstein. The Dunker family lived in Esbjerg, when the son, Henry, was born in 1870. Johan, who was active in the Helsingborg economic life, understood that the demand for rubber would increase. With the optimism for the future of the age in mind, he built a rubber factory in the expanding Helsingborg. With the support of Petter Olsson, among others, he founded Helsingborgs Rubber Factory Inc. in 1891.
Johan Dunker |
Henry Dunker – a Man for Development
Johan Dunker´s son, Henry, went to Russia to find know how for his new factory. In St. Petersborg he did not have much luck, but in Riga, which belonged to Russia at the time, he came into contact with a chemist, who was interested in developing the factory in Helsingborg. His name was Julius von Gerkan and he was instrumental, when it came to the quality of the Helsingborg galoshes.
Henry Dunker became a sub-manager in 1984 and after some troubles in the beginning the factory expanded. He worked for his position in relation to other rubber factories. Thus he took over the rubber factory, Velox, in Trelleborg of founded Trelleborg´s rubber factory in 1905, which became a part of Dunker´s expanding empire. One of his ideas was to start his own sales offices, and thus avoid selling via wholesale dealers. In that way he could gain control over a bigger part of the chain from producer to consumer.
Sales offices opened between 1910-20 in all parts of Sweden, but also abroad, for instance in Copenhagen in 1909, Berlin in 913 and Vienna in 1913. Not only the company expanded but also the range of goods. What began with galoshes and other kinds of rubber shoes, now continued with balls, bathing caps and tyres. Henry Dunker realized the value of specialisation and moved the production of tyres to Trelleborg.
Henry Dunker |
Cartel and Group
In order to obtain a better competition situation abroad and avoid competition in the home market, he established a cartel in 1912. The result was that the prices could be raised in Sweden and lowered abroad, which resulted in a higher profit.
During the depression of the 30´s many states wanted to protect their own production by way of customs duties and import prohibition. Henry Dunker built factories in Hamburg and Elsinore and could maintain production and sale in Germany and Denmark. The factory in Elsinore, which was founded in 1935, grew steadily and at the end of the 50´s it was the second largest place of work in the town with more than one thousand employees. The old “Helsingborg Rubber Factory Inc.” had grown into a multinational group and the company had changed its name into Tretorn Inc., in order to get rid of the provincial ring of the old name.
Tretorn Factory in Elsinore | 
Tretorn poster from 1939 |
The Richest Man in Sweden
The demand for rubber products was enormous. From being used only as india rubber, the range of goods grew via rubber shoes to tyres, bicycle tyres, rain clothes, balls, gym shoes, rubber bands, weather strips - the list was almost endless, and the 30´s and 40´s were rightly called “the rubber age”. The fruits of this success made “the galosh king”, Henry Dunker to the richest man in Sweden.
Henry Dunker´s villa, ”Hevea”, which was built in the 20´s in northern Helsingborg, gives an insight to the environment of the well-to-do.
Villa Hevea | 
The Working Class District | 
Shower Room |
Dunker, the Employer
The management skills of Henry Dunker can be described as tough on the tough, but somewhat softer on the weak. The higher the position in the company, the more Dunker demanded. He was no friend of unions and strikes either, and naturally he did not engage himself in big business in order to play the part of the benefactor.
When he established a private kindergarten in 1911, it was in order to employ more women. In the 1930´s most of the employees in the company in Helsingborg were women.
The Unions | 
The Nursery |
The Municipality as Heir
From time to time Dunker displayed good will and released somebody from debt, but that was only his own workers. The staff in his villa, Hevea, liked him.
Dunker´s fortune was, at his death, willed to the Helsingborg municipality and his villa was made into a nursing home. In that way his money was given back to the people in town. Without these means it would not have been possible for Helsingborg to offer its citizens the theatre and arts centre, which now adorns the town. However, one should not forget the thousands of people who worked and slaved in dirty and evil-smelling factories.
Dunker´s Arts Centre |
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