Jean Émile Bieckert (1837 - 1913)

Born 16 Jun 1837 in Barr, Bas-Rhin, France

Ancestors

Husband of Simone Ader — married 15 Jul 1866 in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Died 19 Jul 1913 at age 76 in Paris, Seine, France

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Émile Bieckert is Notable.

Summary

Jean Émile Bieckert, most commonly known as Émile Biekert in France or Don Emilio in Argentina, is a French brewmaster and business man.

Born in Alsace, he emigrated to Argentina where he made fortune launching a brewery.

In his later days, he sold his company in Argentina and came back to France a billionaire. He setteled in Nice where he developped a real estate complex.

He died in his Parisian appartment in 1913. A street in Nice and a school in Buenos Aires are named after him.

Biography

Jean Émile Bieckert was born on June 16th, 1837 at 1AM in Barr. He is the son of Jean Bieckert, brewermaster, and his wife Marie-Madeleine Luginsland. ^[1] He grew up in his parent's house, Quai du Saule, in Barr. ^[2]

Some time after 1856 he immigrated to Buenos Aires in Argentina. (Some Argentinian sources, influenced by Bieckert's legend he created for himself, claim he immigrated sooner, sometimes as soon as 1850, though we know this to be false due to his presence on Barr's census). He worked for some time in Juan Bueler's brewery, but quit around 1859 and departed on a trip to Chile.

Upon his return to Argentina, on February 15th 1860, he funded his own brewery. The beer business was a success and Bieckert began to expand his industry to new and bigger buildings.

Around 1866, he married Simone Ader, who emigrated from France in 1859. She was the sister of Bernard Ader, who would become a famous property owner in Buenos Aires.

When Alsace is annexed by the newly-formed German Empire, Émile Bieckert was part of the Alsacians that chose to remain French. ^[3]

Bieckert's brewery became with time one of biggest industry in Argentina, and eventually South America. ^[4] The chimney of its factory was said to be seen by boats approaching Buenos Aires

In 1889, Bieckert sold his company to an English consortium and moved back to France. Now a billionaire, he spent his time between Nice and Paris. In Nice, he developped Real Estate and built what is now the Carabacel neighborhood.

In 1891, he became Knight of the Legion of Honour, one of the highest French orders of merit. ^[5].

Émile Bieckert died in Paris on July 19th, 1913. ^[6] He is burried in Montmartre Cemetery.

Sources

1. ↑ Acte de naissance: Acte #83, Naissances 1837 Barr, AD67 4 E 21/6, consulté le 1er décembre 2021]
2. ↑ Barr, recensements 1841 (vue 70/94), 1846 (vue 57/78), 1851 (vue 117/158) et 1856 (vue 36/96). AD67, 7M241-242-243.
3. ↑ Liste d'optants à la nationalité française: Archives nationales BB-31-40, consultée sur Geneanet le 1er décembre 2021
4. ↑ Bulletin annuel de la société académique du Bas-Rhin, édition 1890, page 256, Bibliothèqe Nationale de France, ref FRBNF34444868. Consulté en ligne le 1er décembre 2021]
5. ↑ Dossier d'Émile Bieckert dans la base Léonore, Archives nationales notice n°L0235014, consulté en ligne le 1er décembre 2021
6. ↑ Etat-Civil Paris 8e arrondissement, Décès, n°1359. Archives de Paris, 8D145