Moving on to New Pastures

6)

1938

Hugely successful were all kinds of animals;
it's light hearted during difficult times

These are all original photographs from back then

Father's business was outgrowing his workshop. Almost 100 people were crowded into the available space to work the coveted jobs. But the Boss had already planned ahead. Was it a coincidence that ground was broken for a new, larger building on the very same day that his first child, Edith, was born? May 5, 1938

1939

The finished building had more likeness to a Sanatorium than a factory

Creating our own steel moulds

Injection moulding section

Ladies scraping the seams off and hand painting many items

1939 - 1940

By the time the new factory was ready, the old shop was bursting at the seams with a work force of over 150. Yet, the optimistic expansion of the business occurred in step with darker political and military developments of the nation. Despite the attempts of Western Allied Powers to appease Hitler's own designs for expansion, Poland, Denmark, Norway, The Netherlands, Belgium and then France all succumbed to the blitzkrieg as the Reich swept through western Europe.

Honestly, I am cringing here ... I know the entire history but it hurts me to put all this into writing - AGAIN.
Understandably the political changes had huge impacts on Father and his company though.

Inevitably, the rapid expansion of the German frontier beyond its borders prompted greater control of resources within them. Father had just finished a major order for a national social relief organization when the order came.
His business was to cease fabrication of jewelry and vanity items and turn to production of war and survival materials, instead.

1942 - 1943
The company suffered the same fate as so many others did. Parts for tanks, radios, and ignition devices had to be produced from now on. There was no "beauty", no more Ivory.
The male work force count went down to 40 employees; women had to take over the brunt, 20 of "our" soldiers did not come home anymore.

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Please don't forget to hug your kids ... to be continued.
Thank you JS Geare for correcting my sometimes "very personal English" ;)

In the meantime, please leave a message? Click on +1 ...?? I'd be grateful. Thank you!

 

This is my birth town, Michelstadt, dubbed "The Pearl of Odenwald". Enjoy my little Video presentation ;)

And this is what I am doing now, trying to pay my bills:

This is my Store - Offering OLD Ivory and MUCH more

My personal Web Site

And I am selling part of my jewelry HERE

Kindly
Johanna (YooHUNNa)

A Milestone

5)
1935

Proving to be quite prophetic was a small new figure: an ascending Dove carved to be a pin, carrying a fish or perhaps a heart ♥

Koziol had acquired something totally new to the area. An injection molding machine. This was unheard of and called the "Devil's machine" by Father's fellow Ivory carving guild. He had his windows smashed, stones flew, a riot and an uproar ensured. Trying to explain that this had nothing to do with real Ivory carving didn't do much good.

The company "drove two-tired". Ivory was still worked, but at the same time, the new machines were also used. A figure, or part of a bracelet, had to be worked by hand into a steel mould to produce a 10 gram "heavy" dove from plastic granulate. These appeared to be just like the "real" ones that were carved from Ivory. 

Koziol offered both versions and was successful from the start.

Non-Ivory was called "imitation" and mostly hand decorated, hand painted.

1936

The year of the Berlin Olympic Games. Nazi-Germany mocked the entire world, feigned and presented itself as friendly and peaceful.

My Father had found his soul mate (don't know how he managed THAT one... working so hard and courting a girl) but without big ado they announced their wedding on Dec. 19, 1936.

However, we learned 60 years later that our Mother had been in love with another man named Georg.  Unfortunately "Georg" was not Catholic - so, a marriage between him and my Mother was a strict no-no. We never found out who this Georg was - after her passing we found love letters that Mother kept hidden for more than half a century.

Mother had everything and more, my Father adored and worshipped her but to me she always seemed bitter, snippy ... not quite sad, but just not "there".

She was not able to show or give love although she had a very loving childhood home. I do not remember that she ever hugged me in a warm loving, or comforting way - when tears had to be dried, she always said: "Oh come on, don't be such a wuss." Or even better: "Get out of here" and she meant it.

Nor did my Father show any loving gestures ever - I HAD to go to our so-called "Gentlemen's* Meeting Room", say "good night" and give a kiss; a kiss which really wasn’t one - it was just something I HAD to do. No, back then I didn't think anything about the lack of affection; it was just normal. I feared Father down to my bones (being a bad tomboy I surely had done SOMEthing wrong again).

And, believe it or not, I still feared him when I was 40 years old.

*This Gentlemen's Room, or "Library" was a cozy room with a huge tile stove (heated from a fire “hole” in the kitchen), a

big  round table, rugs everywhere, also on the walls, round sofas, big chairs and heavy curtains.

Lots of business and POLITICS were brewed up there. NO access for kids, except when we had to say our formal ‘good night’.

Father was politically VERY active too – I sat on the first German Chancellor’s - “Konrad Adenauer’s” - lap...

See, there was no "dad or "mom" (Mutti) in our house. We had to call our parents "Father" and "Mother". This might explain a little more...???

But now, I am getting WAY ahead of myself - 1936/37 was no offspring in sight.

So, please don't forget to hug your kids ... this will be continued.

In the meantime, please leave a message? Tell me what you think, correct my typos and grammar - Click on +1 ...?? I'd be grateful. Thank you!

And this is what I am doing now, trying to pay my bills:

This is my Store - Offering OLD Ivory and MUCH more

My personal Web Site

And I am selling part of my jewelry HERE

Kindly
Johanna (YooHUNNa)

... it wasn't easy...

Follow me?? Please?

4)
1931/32
Germany now had 6 million unemployed people. The economical adversities gave radical parties more and more influence. National Socialists won one election after another.

Father had 32 employees by now - 32 families plus his own were fed. The company's revenue reached a whopping 132,000 "Reichs Mark" and half of it were international orders.

I put an x over my father ;)

There surely were no toilets in this old barn-factory. So, saga has it that Father asked a worker to clean the "outhouse" which the employee refused: 'I am an Ivory Carver, I am not hired to clean the shit.'
Now, Father ordered him to get a chair. The man did. Then Father told him to sit down beside the out-house hole. The man did. Father grabbed shovel and bucket and started to clean out the hole.
It's said that the onlooking man got up and without a word took shovel and bucket out of the boss' hands and finished the job.
(Ok, I KNOW this story is true!! There are more like this to come.)

 It's all Ivory Jewelry

We all know what hellish times dawned next. Compulsory service was ordered as well as the construction of the Autobahn.

Beautiful Ivory carvings continued to be created at the Koziol Ivory factory, located hidden in the small town of Michelstadt in a serene forest - something like the Black Forest, just much smaller.

There were many more Ivory carving businesses, of course. After all it was the Ivory Capital of Europe.
But Father was such a hard worker, was so committed that he grew by leaps and bounds and while others "went out for a beer" he toiled away. Never took free time or God-forbid a vacation. Times were just not cut out for such.

As the very first of all of the region's Ivory Carvers in 1934 Koziol presented his goods at the Leipzig (East Germany) international fair.
The attendance' result was an immediate duplication of the company's revenue. Koziol achieved business connections that should persist over decades.

1935

Meanwhile the Government dictated what was "cultur" and what NOT. In many exhibits people were shown what was meant by 'degenerated art'...

... and Father took on yet another mile stone that should change and define his (affectionally 'my') company for the next 50 years and beyond.

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As always! Stay tuned, this will be continued - slowly but surely it's getting more personal then - not so much sad politics anymore. Well, yes, a little.
This is my birth town, Michelstadt, dubbed "The Pearl of Odenwald". Enjoy my little Video presentation ;)

I sincerely hope I am getting you hooked - please tweet, +1, send it to FB

AND ... visit my little adventures. All comments are welcome, especially the nice ones ;-)

Please visit me and say 'hi'    or here, at my private website

Don't forget to hug your kids and tell them they are doing GREAT!
I NEVER got one or a pat on my shoulder growing up!

Johanna (YoooHUNna)

My Father, The Ivory Carver

3)

Going back just one step:
My Father registered his Ivory Ware business in November 1927 at the age of 19.

I don't know who did this rendering, but it definitely is him

Just matching some history here:
T'was May 20, 1927 when Charles Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic during his legendary non-stop flight and famously landed the "Spirit of St. Louis" in Paris after a 33 hour trip.



1928
Father already had 3 helpers, still working in his mother's small kitchen and living room. They produced the world renown 'Erbacher Rose', as well as Daisies, Pansies (we call them 'little Mother-in-Law ;), and then of course the wonderful 'Edelweiss' as pins, brooches, tie-clips or pendants.

The pioneer Count Zeppelin made waves with his invention - the famed Blimp 'Zeppelin'. He awed the world for an entire decade, generating lots of admiration and sensation where ever he appeared.

1929
The world came to a screeching halt - when on October 24th the inglorious "Black Friday" caused the collapse of all Stock Markets, resulting in rattling the German economy structure too.
1930 The bad outcome of WWI and global economic crisis strained the German 'Weimarer' government to the point that emergency regulations had to be decreed.
My Grandmother and her two children, Bernhard & Lucie, were used to meager times though. Oma kept cleaning, washing, and ironing for strangers, after school Lucie helped my father and in the house where ever she could.


Lucie as a young Lady, not a kid anymore (notice 'our' noses!!!)

Father seems to have been BORN a workaholic. I never knew him any differently.
Unfortunately, in later years, he demanded the same from us. Oh BOY, was he strict and hard on us.
(And honestly, especially on me... but that comes later - in 1930 it was a loooong way for the world to meet ME. I still was in Abraham's lap, how my Oma used to say) 

With hard work Father 'made it' through. He fed his family and also his workers, employees.
He had to hire more and more helpers and in 1931 he acquired an old run down barn in the neighbor town of Michelstadt and with much sweat, self-help and do-it-yourself the young company had a 'real' work shop. Father always called it affectionally HIS 'Werkstatt' (work place... kinda)

And guess what! I still was able to see it - I remember the old barn to this day.

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Thank you for your visit - comments are VERY welcome and a +1 on the bottom too ;)

As usually: This shall be continued. Stay tuned.

Johanna (YooHUNna)

More about the family, me, and company today: Right here

See, what I have to offer:
Interesting, elegant, pretty, unusual, new, vintage, unique, bizarre, and just plain fun

There is also an OUTLET Store  ;)

An Ivory Carver's Story

2)

I am remembering now when I was told that my Grandmother had to wear a black wedding dress because ... she was catholic and shame on her ... she was pregnant with her first son: Bernhard. But yes, she was allowed to wear a white veil. Rough custom rules there...
My father always held his mother up sky high and presented her to us kids as THE shining example.
After her husband's tuberculosis related death she cleaned people's houses, washed and ironed stranger's clothes to feed her two children.
Yet when she passed in 1958 we found out that our oh-so-holy upheld Oma was no virgin when she married, although our father made us believe it.

Johanna and Bernhard Koziol on their Wedding day: March 17, 1908
My father was born on May 30, 1908

I still have my Grandfather's Wedding Ring, which bears
a nice diamond now wearing it proudly almost daily.

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After registering his Ivory Carver's (Elfenbeinwaren) Business in 1927 father quickly had to hire one and then 2 more helpers. Father worked using my grandmother's sewing machine and it's pedal to drive his grinder, sander and Ivory polisher, despite Oma's constant protests. She would lay it into him to save the lights and get sleep. But my father would keep working and to save power he used candle light. 

On the right, my Father

No, he never went out 'for a beer' or meet any pals. His mother was very concerned. But three mouths had to be fed.

Soon, my father would expand and even travel across the ocean to promote his goods in America, which was unheard of - a land so far, far away!

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Bear with me, it's getting interesting - this shall be continued.

My father had an eye for beauty, balance and relevance. I THINK I got this too.
So, now I am trying to sell what I can not take with me... MY last shirt has no pocket either. I really want to find good homes for my treasures and people that APPRECIATE what they are getting there.

Thank you for logging in.
Johanna (YoooHUNna)

Want to check out already what 'we' are all about...???
Look here: This here would be me / see 'Ancestors' and there 'About me'

Some of the special beauties my father created with his hands can be found here: Just peek, real quick 

Besides Ivory I have a vast collection of beautiful and precious cut Crystal items, Bohemian / Czech glasses that you can NOT find in it's originality anymore today.

That's at Bonanza  

Carved Elephant Ivory - some History first. Interesting?

1)

I think so!
Thus let me tell you that I DO know a 'little' about it - my father was an Ivory Carver and mighty proud to even have a master's degree.
HIS father was a master Potter who worked for Royals in what is Poland today in the late 19th and early 20th Century. So, that would be my Grandfather.
They both had the same name: Bernhard Koziol.

Around 1912 my Grandfather packed up his wife (Johanna) and 2 kids (Lucie and Bernhard) and moved from Poland to West Germany because he heard there was a kiln he could work with. Alas, this kiln was defect and then my Grandfather was drafted to serve in WWI. He came home with severe tuberculosis and was not able to work anymore at all.
A gentle whispering wind grazed his grave soon thereafter.
 
That's where my father came in. He started carving wood animals and flowers, sold it to tourists and was able to earn the rent for his family at the age of 12 (Twelve!)
Bernhard jr. had no shoes or a bag for books to go to school, yet he went. He was sincere and was teased by his 'buddies' for not coming out and play. He worked and learned.
After finishing his basic school he went to a technical college nearby at the still existing world renown 'Ivory Carving School' in Erbach/Odenwald in Germany.... that's where I grew up.

An Ivory carver first must be talented enough to draw what he has in mind and has to learn to perfect his skill. Ivory is and always was too precious to be wasted. What you start you have to finish.
At the tender age of 19 years my father registered his own business as an Ivory Carver. (Not a MASTER yet)

                On the left his registration        The first official Company Logo

A little bit about Ivory:
Ivory is a hard, white, opaque substance that is the bulk of the teeth and tusks of some animals such as elephant, hippopotamus, walrus, mammoth, etc
Prior to the introduction of plastics, it was used for billiard balls,
piano keys, buttons and ornamental items
The word "ivory" was traditionally applied to the tusks of elephants
In June of 1997 the ban on ivory trade was lifted under CITES guidelines
and then agreed upon by its member countries
Nothing really comes close or compares to the beauty of ivory
and was admired for centuries by Caesars, czars, kings and queens.

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See, the Ivory carvers are NOT the bad guys. They would not dream
of killing Elephants for their tusks. They would PRESERVE them.
The material they worked with came only from Elephants that
died a natural death. It was later on that ruthless 'killers' went
out and slaughtered those then helpless giants for their tusks.
And we condemn this STRONGLY.

I have been in Africa more than once, I have seen them,
I have HUGE respect for nature and in this case for these
intelligent, amazing creatures. We would not HURT them!

I will continue and show and tell more about Ivory (and cut crystal glass too)
and a little more about my fascinating father and what he accomplished.

Meanwhile you can look some up... my ancestors... right here:
http://www.JFK-Site.com 

Interested in my collections for sale?
I always say: Our last shirt has no pockets - so, I am looking for good homes for my rare treasures.

http://www.Bonanza.com/EuropeanGoodies

See you later.... oh and BTW, my name is Johanna (YoooHUNna) ;)

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I am also creating Videos for fellow Sellers - no matter where, Bonanza, Etsy, eBay, Addoway - using YOUR pictures and what ever YOU want.
It's quite a process and takes me about 3 days to finish one - yup, really.
See my latest? Right here

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