Danish Jewish history in a bottle

Philip W. Heyman was born in 1837. His father was a bill of exchange Wulff Philip Heyman. Philip attended Melchior's civic school and then joined the office of the colonial wholesale company MC Levysohn. After 1864 he built up one of the country's most significant businesses in the export of butter and pork and owned several large slaughterhouses. In 1873 he founded Tuborgs Fabrikker together with the financier CF Tietgen and other investors.

The name Tuborg actually comes from Thuesborg, where brewmaster Jonas Thue built a pub that gave its name to the area on the coast at Hellerup north of Copenhagen. There was already a small port here, which was practical for exports in the 1800th century. The area was bought up for industry by a consortium led by Heyman and Tietgen. They expanded the port and founded a number of factories, including a glass factory that would produce bottles, but also a fertilizer industry. The idea was actually to export beer and import fertilizer.

There was a great demand for Bavarian and not least factory-made beer. However, exports were sluggish, so they switched to factory-made bottled lager for the Danish market. After some initial challenges, including problems with the yeast that made the beer taste bad, things were sorted out. Brewer IC Jacobsen at Carlsberg helped with the yeast and Heyman became director in 1880 (on the board of directors 1873-75). From there, the company grew big both in Denmark and internationally. It also ran in the family. In 1853, Philips' brother, the businessman and citizen representative in Copenhagen Isaac W. Heyman, founded the Svanholm Brewery with their father, which in 1891 became part of De Forenede Brygrier. When Philip Heyman died in 1893, his widow Hanne Emilie Heyman continued the family business, while the brewery's directorship was given to her son-in-law Benny Dessau, who became the new director in 1894. Hanne Emilie was born Adler and came from somewhat poorer circumstances, but was apparently also an enterprising businesswoman.

Jewish life and religion meant a lot to the Heyman family; as did their Danishness. Philip once told a newspaper of the time that “I am a Jew and I am Danish – and the more often I have the opportunity to confess my Faith and my Nationality, the happier I am!”. He was reportedly strict both at home and with his employees, but at the same time he built workers’ housing and initiated a number of social projects and poor relief. Perhaps it was not so different from other entrepreneurs and householders of the time. While Jewishness played a large role in his home and private life, it was not something he outwardly showed. On Jewish holidays he still took a hired cab to the Stock Exchange, because it had to run anyway, as he said, while his own horses and carriage were given the day off. However, he stopped a short distance from the Stock Exchange so as not to offend his fellow believers. And he supposedly loved roast pork. Heyman was both appointed consul and made a Knight of the Order of Dannebrog for his efforts.

Both beers are in 33 cl bottles and come from the range at Ørbæk Brewery, with which the museum has previously collaborated.

They are organic – and of course kosher. They can be purchased in our museum shop for 35 kr. for a bottle and 55 kr. for a pair.