The chain and jewelry factory Jakob Bengel has no more successors after four generations of successful running. From different sides, the creation of a foundation is suggested, to honor the Idar-Oberstein jewel industry, that employed and fed hundreds of thousands people for over 130 years. The Jakob Bengel Foundation is created by Mrs. Christel Braun, one of the great-granddaughters of the original company founder Jakob Bengel, and approved on October 17th 2001 by the regulatory authority Trier. The goals of the foundation are:
- The safeguard of the infrastructure and production facilities of Idar-Oberstein companies, to protect historic knowledge about economic, social and technical progress from the early days of the industrialization to the rebuilding period after world war II and also the evolution until the reunification of Germany.
- To stimulate the infrastructure by conveying knowledge about skills and capabilities on the basis of the present machines and tools. Support of new talents in the art of jewelry design and crafting.
- Keeping the memory alive about the life’s work of all those involved in this industry branch.
(as published in the government gazette of Rhineland-Palatinate Nr. 42, pages 2174 and 2175)
Christel Braun, geborene Hartenberger, Familie Jakob Bengel Gründerin und Förderin der Jakob-Bengel-Stiftung Idar-Oberstein
