Johanna Borski
Johanna Borski | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1764 Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Died | 1846 |
| Occupation | Banker |
| Years active | 1814–1846 |
| Known for | Managing the Wed. Borski banking firm; aiding De Nederlandse Bank and stabilizing Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij |
Johanna Borski (1764–1846) was a prominent Dutch banker who managed the "Wed. Borski" banking firm from 1814 until her death in 1846. In 2022, discussions arose concerning whether her fortune had connections to slavery.
Biography
Johanna was born in Amsterdam to flax merchant Johannes van de Velde and Bruna Jacoba Schouten. In 1790, she wed banker Willem Borski (1765-1814). The couple resided at Keizersgracht 566 starting in 1809 and acquired the Elswout estate in Overveen in 1805.
Throughout her marriage, Johanna played an active role in supporting her husband’s business endeavors. Willem Borski was a leading entrepreneur frequently engaged by Hope & Co. for exchange operations in Amsterdam. By 1812, he had become the city’s second wealthiest individual. Following his unexpected passing in 1814, Johanna assumed control of the bank under the name Wed. W. Borski, with Johannes Bernardus Stoop assisting her.
Among her significant contributions were aiding De Nederlandse Bank during its establishment in 1816 and stabilizing the Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij in 1830 after it extended credit to King Willem I. In 1832, Stoop departed for Hope & Co., and her son Willem Borski II entered the partnership. The banking institution retained the Borski name until 1884, when it transitioned into Van Loon & Co.
At the Overveen estate, Johanna entertained notable figures such as Napoleon and Empress Marie Louise. Although the original main residence was designed by Jacob van Campen, the family favored living in the gatehouse until her grandson, Willem Borski III, demolished it in 1882 to construct a contemporary palace, which ultimately remained incomplete.
Johanna Borski passed away in Amsterdam and was interred at Nieuwe Kerk alongside family portraits.
Controversy over slavery involvement
A 2022 Volkskrant article brought attention to research examining De Nederlandse Bank’s indirect associations with slavery, indicating that part of Borski’s wealth derived from income linked to Surinam plantations housing 565 enslaved individuals. The investigation revealed that she had financed a mortgage on three plantations in 1804, equivalent to approximately €650,000 today—accounting for only about 1.5% of her overall assets. The study also noted that she neither actively promoted abolition nor opposed it as some of her contemporaries did.