Willem Jan Holsboer
Willem Jan Holsboer | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Zutphen, Netherlands |
| Died | June 8, 1898 (aged 63) Schinznach, Switzerland |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, hotelier |
| Years active | 1860s–1898 |
| Known for | Founder of the Rhaetian Railway, development of tourism and hospitality in Davos |
Willem Jan Holsboer (; 23 August 1834 – 8 June 1898), also referred to as Jan Holsboer or W. J. Holsboer, was a businessman and hotelier of Dutch origin who became a Swiss national. He played a crucial role in advancing tourism and railway development, notably establishing the Rhaetian Railway and enhancing the hospitality sector in Davos.
Early life and education
Holsboer was born in Zutphen, Netherlands, as the third child among eight siblings to Matthijs Arnoldus Holsboer, a cotton industrialist and mayor, and Maria Lucretia van Enschut. His early training encompassed navigation and commerce, which led him to extensive voyages during his maritime career, including a journey to California amid the Gold Rush period.
Career
During the 1860s, Holsboer secured a position as an authorized agent for Twentsche Bank in Enschede and subsequently became director of its London branch in 1865. Due to his wife's respiratory illness, the family relocated to Davos, Switzerland, where she passed away circa 1868. Holsboer settled permanently in Davos, where he acquired and reconstructed the Palace Hotel und Kurhaus Davos following its destruction by fire in 1872. He further expanded his hotel portfolio by developing Hotel Rhätia, Zur Post, and Hotel Schweizerhof, while also managing the Kurhaus Davos (presently known as Schatzalp).
In addition to his hospitality ventures, Holsboer spearheaded significant infrastructure initiatives as the inaugural president of Davoser Gesellschaft der Elektrizitätswerke, overseeing electricity provision. He was instrumental in founding both the Bank of Davos and the Rhaetian Railway, contributing substantially to economic progress within the region.
Personal life
Holsboer married Margreth Elisabeth Navelle Jones (1847–1867) in London in 1865. After her demise from tuberculosis, he wed Ursula Büsch, a local from Davos, in 1868. The couple had seven children, including:
- Helene Holsboer (1869–1943), who became wife to Lucius Spengler, son of Alexander Spengler—the tuberculosis specialist who treated Holsboer's first spouse. Helene’s daughter married Dr. Oscar Miller, an industrialist and paper manufacturer based in Solothurn; their son Oscar L. Miller later assumed management of the Berghotel Schatzalp.
- Willem Alex Holsboer (deceased 1943), married H. Greve; their son was Max Holsboer (1902–1932).
- Wilhelm Max Gerhard Holsboer (1883–1958), a Swiss ice hockey athlete, married Anna Seibold.
At age 63, Holsboer passed away after a brief illness in Schinznach and was interred in Davos. He acquired Swiss citizenship in 1888, officially recorded with Chur as his place of origin.
See also
- Swiss Radio and Television (SRF); DOK – Cuntrasts – Die Pioniere der Eisenbahn in Graubünden (German language)