HIRSCH, ARON SIEGMUND

HIRSCH, ARON SIEGMUND (1858–1941?), German industrialist. Hirsch, who was born in Halberstadt, became one of the principals of the Halberstadt metal business of Aron Hirsch and Sons which his grandfather, ARON HIRSCH (1783–1842), had established in 1806 and in which his own father was a partner. Aron Siegmund early recognized the importance of unifying trade and industry in the production and sale of metals, and he devoted himself to the reorganization of the firm. In 1906, on his initiative, the copper and brass foundry Hirsch Ltd. was founded, and the original firm of Aron Hirsch and Sons was merged in the new concern. The Kupferwerke Ilsenburg und Harz and the Messingwerke at Eberswalde were added later to form one giant enterprise under Aron Hirsch's direction and the enlarged firm achieved a leading role in German economic life. Hirsch held an important place in the life of the Jewish community and was a noted philanthropist. He was chairman of the administrative council of the Akademie fuer die Wissenschaft des Judentums. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: K. Zielenziger, Juden in der deutschen Wirtschaft (1930), 199–205. ADD. BIBLIOGRAPHY: P. Schulze, "Vom Handelshaus 'Aron Hirsch & Sohn' zu den 'Hirsch Kupfer- und Messingwerken,'" in: J. Dick (ed.), Wegweiser durch das jüdische Sachsen-Anhalt (1998), 290–99.