You can mark you interesting snippets of text that will be available through a unique link in your browser.


Samuel Klein (businessman)

Samuel Klein (businessman)

Samuel Klein (born 15 November 1923 in Zaklików, Poland) is a business person who founded the Casas Bahia string of department stores in Brazil.

Early life

Klein worked as a joiner at the time of the Nazi invasion of Poland in World War II, when he was taken to the Maidanek concentration camp along with his father. His mother and siblings went to Treblinka. He was later transported to Auschwitz in 1944. He escaped from the soldiers on July 22; in his own words, "I didn't know where I was going, but I was certain to get far from the group." He spent the night in the fields, where some Christian Polish fugitives helped him flee. He managed to return to his old house, which was ruined, and worked on a small farm in the area in exchange for food.

After the war, he met his sister Sezia and brother Solomon (who live today in New York). The Klein brothers went to Germany, and were able to find their father alive. Klein lived in Munich until 1951, where he met Chana, his future wife.

Brazil and Casas Bahia

Klein's father went to Brazil, together with his sister Esther. He himself wanted to emigrate to the United States, but the immigration quota was full. So he decided to go join his father and sister in South America instead. He managed to make his way to Brazil via Bolivia, and settled with his family in São Caetano do Sul, in greater São Paulo.

There he began working in business, selling sheets, tablecloths, and towels door to door. After five years, he opened his first store, Casa Bahia. The name was an homage to his patrons, the majority of whom were migrant workers from the northeast state of Bahia. Today, there are more than 500 of these stores, making Casas Bahia the largest warehouse distributor in Latin America.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

  
Share  

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Samuel Klein — may refer to: * Samuel Klein (businessman), founder of the Casas Bahia chain of stores in Brazil * Samuel Klein (doctor), doctor and nutritional expert based at Washington University * Samuel J. Klein, blogger and director of One Laptop per Child …   Wikipedia

  • List of Canadian Jews — The Jewish population of Canada is approximately 385,000, with a majority living in either Toronto (200,000) or Montreal (100,000). Following the end of World War II, some 40,000 Holocaust survivors, stemming mainly from Eastern Europe, resettled …   Wikipedia

  • 1971 in Canada — See also: 1970 in Canada, other events of 1971, 1972 in Canada and the Timeline of Canadian history. Incumbents * Monarch: Queen Elizabeth II * Governor General: Roland Michener * Prime Minister: Pierre Trudeau * Premier of Alberta: Harry Strom… …   Wikipedia

  • Sam Schulman — Samuel Sam Schulman (April 10 1910 June 12 2003) was an American businessman from New York who was a founding owner and President of the Seattle SuperSonics of the National Basketball Association and an owner of the San Diego Chargers of the… …   Wikipedia

  • literature — /lit euhr euh cheuhr, choor , li treuh /, n. 1. writings in which expression and form, in connection with ideas of permanent and universal interest, are characteristic or essential features, as poetry, novels, history, biography, and essays. 2.… …   Universalium

  • performing arts — arts or skills that require public performance, as acting, singing, or dancing. [1945 50] * * * ▪ 2009 Introduction Music Classical.       The last vestiges of the Cold War seemed to thaw for a moment on Feb. 26, 2008, when the unfamiliar strains …   Universalium

  • Deaths in December 2007 — Contents 1 December 2007 1.1 31 1.2 30 1.3 29 …   Wikipedia

  • Deaths in 1997 — For earlier deaths, see Deaths in 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992 1991, ... For later deaths, see Deaths in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, ... Contents 1 …   Wikipedia

  • List of people from Hamilton, Ontario — The following people were born in, residents of, or are otherwise closely connected to the city of Hamilton, Ontario. Arts Architecture and design * Lida Baday, (1957 ), fashion designer. Her namesake label is sold at Holt Renfrew across Canada,… …   Wikipedia

  • List of Barack Obama presidential campaign endorsements, 2008 — This is a list of prominent groups who formally endorsed or voiced support for Senator Barack Obama s presidential campaign during the Democratic Party primaries and the general election. Contents 1 Campaign endorsements 1.1 U.S. Presidents and… …   Wikipedia