Audiotur Walk with Hermann Schwab

Hermann Schwab was born in Frankfurt am Main on April 7, 1879. His father, Moses Löb Schwab (1846-1913), sent the commercially trained son to the brass works of the Hirsch family in Eberswalde in 1900. From Eberswalde, Schwab joined the metal works "Aron Hirsch & Sohn" at the Abtshof in Halberstadt. He marries Dina Berlin, daughter of the Tora scholar Som Berlin from Hamburg.

In 1905, as a member of the Association for the Promotion of Tourism, he writes the tourist guide through Halberstadt. A new edition appears in 1916. 30,000 copies were sold in total.

In 1927, the headquarters of the company "Aron Hirsch & Sohn" is moved from Halberstadt to Eberswalde. However, the Schwab family remained in Halberstadt. As a theater reviewer, he already wrote for various newspapers, including the Frankfurter Zeitung. Schwab becomes a freelance journalist and founds the "Mitteldeutsche Presse- und Bilderdienst".

Shortly after its founding, Schwab's press service received a "rocket boost." In neighboring Blankenburg, the first rocket car was presented. Impressively, the vehicle passed through the rail track, then exploded and disintegrated into its components. Schwab rushed to the post office and reported by telephone to the editors of various newspapers. When he presented himself to the leading newspaper publishers in Berlin a few weeks later, both Ullstein Verlag and Mosse became buyers of the "rocket author." He intensified his contacts with the foreign press, such as the AP in Berlin, Reuters in Switzerland and London newspapers.

In January 1934, Schwab was banned from working. In March he leaves for London with his family. His son Ernst was already living there. In exile, he continued his journalistic work and once again established a press service. Schwab succeeded in winning 58 newspapers and (trade) magazines as customers, including London's Daily Telegraph newspaper. After the outbreak of the Second World War, however, his press service led a shadowy existence. Schwab often had to make do with smaller assignments. His journalistic work accompanied Schwab into old age.

On June 1, 1962, Hermann Schwab died in London.