Carl Geigy (24 June 1860, in

Steinen, Baden-Württemberg Steinen (; ) is a municipality in the Lörrach (district), district of Lörrach in the southwest of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the river Wiese (river), Wiese, 15 km northeast of Basel, and 6 km northeast of Lörrac ...

– 3 January 1943, in

Münchenstein Münchenstein (Swiss German: ''Minggestai'') is a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Basel-Landschaft in Switzerland. Historical records Münchenstein is first mentioned in 1196 as ''Kekingen''. In 1270, it was mentione ...

) (also Karl) was a famous Swiss

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...

Biography

Geigy was son of Carl (1834–1862), Basler Entrepreneur, and Margaretha Emilie Burckhardt (1838–1911). His grandfather was Karl Geigy (1798–1861) President of the Swiss Centralbahngesellschaft. Carl Geigy grew up in

Basel Basel ( ; ), also known as Basle ( ), ; ; ; . is a city in northwestern Switzerland on the river Rhine (at the transition from the High Rhine, High to the Upper Rhine). Basel is Switzerland's List of cities in Switzerland, third-most-populo ...

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

, and visited the Gymnasium and the vocational school in Basel. He served his apprenticeship as mechanical engineer in Lausanne. He continued his professional training in a weaving factory in Bradford and in a spinning mill in Oldham. Here Carl Geigy became acquainted with the social problems of the working class. Following a journey around the world he returned to Switzerland in 1887. He was co-founder of the engineering association in Basel. From 1904 onwards he withdrew from his professional career. Carl Geigy lived in the Bruckgut estate in Münchenstein and built the farm house and barn there in 1888. He married Julia Elisabeth Burckhardt (1872–1949) from Basel in 1897. They had four children, Eduard (1899–1941), Julie (1900–1966), Jenny (1903–1990) and Karl Felix (1904–1977). Following his withdrawal from his occupation, he devoted his time to the social humanitarian and religious tasks. He dedicated himself to the building of the children's hospital in Basel. Carl Geigy became famous as philanthropist and was a ''father figure'' in Münchenstein, where he was awarded the honorary citizenship in 1937.

Literature

personal data in: Zur Erinnerung an Carl Geigy-Burckhardt, printed brochure 1943, pages 5 to 11. - Nekrolog in: BN 5.1.1943 {{DEFAULTSORT:Geigy, Carl People from Basel-Stadt Münchenstein 1860 births 1943 deaths