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In 1876 in Bielsko close to Biała two brothers Albert and Erich SENNEWALDT w
opened an Austrian factory, which they called Brush Factory. They were
already owners (since 1856) of "Iron & Metal Articles Company" in Vilnius.
According to documents Albert Sennewaldt ran the Brush
Factory in Bielsko whereas his brother controled the Company.
They were joint owners of both businesses.
In February 14, 1884
Albert Sennewaldt died as a 47 year old man leaving two sons under age
Oscar and Hugon.. As a result Erich moved to Biała where he ran together
with the sons of the deceased both firms until 1893. At that time the whole
joint business was divided into two separate companies. Erich Sennewaldt
ran the Warehouse of Iron & Metal Articles on his own account whereas
Oscar and Hugon became owners of the Brush Factory in Bielsko.
Sennewaldt brothers' factory
from the very beginning manufactured a wide assortment of brushes. Experts
from Germany and Austria-Hungary were hired to produce brushes manually.
The beginning of XX century together with a technological revolution
brought progress into the factory also as far as the technology of
production was concerned. The first band presses and wood processing
machines are introduced. In a short time employees from Bielsko and Biała
learned the techniques of the brush production. At that time the manufacture
included toothbrushes, clothes brushes, hairbrushes, polish-brushes,
horse-brushes, brushes for removing mud, paintbrushes, ceiling brushes and
shaving brushes to the planned production. As the only such factory in
Europe it supplied with brushes also the court of the emperor Francis Joseph,
courts of aristocracy and the leading European hotels. At Trade Fair in
Poznań the factory proved its status being rewarded for its products with
the "State and Exhibition Gold Medal".
From 1914 to 1918, due to orders
for goods from army caused by waging the First World war
the factory developed dynamically and as a result the employment increase
up to 400 workers. A new, three-storied building was constructed and the
older ones were made higher. After the war the economic stagnation had
a negative impact also on the functioning of the factory. In 1926 it was
in danger of bankruptcy and the redundancy ensues. 150 employees were
dismissed during the crisis. Not before 1934 economical situation of the
country improved and the production as well as the employment of the
factory increased. About 450 people including 40 clerks worked in the
factory until the outbreak of the Second World War. During that period
100 Polish people were employed, one of them as a translator.
In 3rd September 1939
the Hitler's army marched in Bielsko. It was a hard time for the Polish
employees. During the first week the factory was closed and after opening
only German people were taken in. However production was soon turned into
military needs and in result after a few months also Polish workers were
hired. During the occupation the number of employees was 600 of which 100 were Polish.
In this period the owners of the factory changed.
Both Oscar and Hugon SENNEWALDT die before 1942. After their death the
firm was taken over by Hugon's daughters Erna and Gertruda and his son-in
law Otto BITTNER. Till 1945 Otto BITTNER was the direct manager of the
factory. In January 1945 the whole BITTNER family moved to Vienna.
Since 1930
together with "SENNEWALDT Brothers" factory another firm, namely Brush
Factory "SANAX" situated at Sukiennicza Street (at present 14, Szkolna Street),
started its production. Two brothers of Jewish descent Henry and Wolf
GOLBERG have been its founders and owners, till 1939. It was a small
factory with a few dozen employees. In 1939 when Henry GOLDBERG left for
the States for the World Trade Fair, the Second World War broke out.
Wolf GOLDBERG escaped from the invader to USSR and then through Palestine
to Mexico where he opened another brush factory.
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