Hausmann's work during WW1 and WW2
The time of the First World War was somewhat difficult for Hausmann & Co.: having such a German name, being managed by German owners (both Ernst and Hermann had kept their original nationality) and employing many technicians coming from the enemy country, Germany, certainly did not help the shop. What is more, as a result of the subsequent economic crisis, the shop in Genoa had to be closed down and the business in Naples transferred to the manager of that time.
With the next generation, represented by Franz Hausmann, the youngest of Ernst’s nine children, and Maurizio Frielingsdorf, Hermann’s son, the business arrived at the treshold of the Second World War. During those years commerce in general, and luxury goods in particular, suffered a hard crisis. The salary was sometimes paid with food or other first need goods. However, during those years, Franz Hausmann had established sound working and friendly relations directly with the owners of the most renowned watchmaking Houses.
From that age, Hausmann & Co.’archive still preserves some documents, among which two are particularly interesting.
The first one is written on a paper headed with the name of the “National Fascist Commerce Federation”, still nowadays existing, without the Fascist indication.
The second one is a declaration, signed by one of Hausmann & Co. employers, who received the payment of the closing of the working relationship due to the “call for army”.
Both documents are dated 1934, but are marked with two different addictional numbers: XII and XIII. Those numbers refer to the Fascist Era, which started the day after the 1922, 28th of October 28nd, when Mussolini marched on Rome.