Plaque
Josef Weiermann
born 26 March 1863 Burgkunstadt
died 23 August 1939 München
Marie Weiermann
born 24 October 1868 Burgkunstadt
died 16 October 1944 Theresienstadt
Introduction
Josef (sometimes spelt Joseph) Weiermann was born in Burgkunstadt, Bavaria, on 26th March 1863, son of Simon Weiermann and Johanna née Hellborn. He married Marie Steinhäuser, born on 24th October 1868 also in Burgkunstadt, daughter of Juda Steinhäuser and Sophie née Springer.
Family
Julius Weiermann, Selma Kupfer, Josef and Marie Weiermann, Karl and Erich Kupfer
Josef and Marie had three children, Selma, Julius and Dora. Dora died in 1917 aged 18. For Selma and Julius, please see entries for Karl and Selma Kupfer and Julius Weiermann.
Career
In 1888 Josef established the first mechanical shoe factory in Burgkunstadt in the back rooms of a tavern. This was the first step in a complete revolution in the social and economic structure of the town. Over the course of the following 40 years, five further shoe factories were established and by the 1960s, the peak of the industry in Burgkunstadt, 2,300 workers were producing 12-14,000 pairs of shoes every week. After this time, the industry went into decline due to cheap imports from the Far East. The last factory closed in 1990. The industry is commemorated in the town by a museum which includes details of the Weiermann family, and a street on the industrial estate near the station is named for Josef Weiermann. Josef Weiermann’s enterprise became a public company in 1911.
Later Years
After his retirement, Josef moved to Munich where his daughter Selma lived with her husband Karl and son Erich. Josef died on 23rd August 1939. Following his death, his wife Marie went to live with her daughter and son-in-law. On 22nd July 1942 she was deported to Theresienstadt ghetto, where she died on 16th October 1944.
