Obwohl enorm umtriebig und in zahlreichen Organisationen engagiert, ist Theodor Julius
Beyer überzeugter Familienmensch.
Beyer überzeugter Familienmensch.
TIME LAPSE - 1946
Winston Churchill gives the victory sign on Münsterhof. And Theodor Julius Beyer (1887–1952) consults his horoscope.
Joins his father’s business in 1911 at the age of 24: Theodor Julius Beyer.
Münsterhof is bursting at the seams; people are even sitting on the surrounding rooftops. Children have off from school and are waving flags; adults shower the open-top limousines in the triumphal procession with roses. On the morning of 19 September, British wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill gives hope to tens of thousands of Zurich residents after holding his famous speech on European unity at the University of Zurich. The war has been over for a year. And although new structures are tentatively taking shape and cautious spirit of optimism is emerging, they are overshadowed by the fear, poverty and horror of the war years. There is little trust in the future.
Everyone wants to see him: Münsterplatz in thrall to Winston Churchill.
INVENTOR AND GO-GETTER
One of the many people on Münsterhof that day is Theodor Julius Beyer. The owner of Beyer Chronometrie is a courageous man – and a true go-getter. In his younger years, he boxed, rode motorcycles and was generally fearless. An innovative tinkerer, he invented an automatically triggered time measurement system for hill climbs and developed a vacuum device on behalf Rolex to test water-tightness. He also made waves as the President of the Zurich Watchmakers’ Association. Especially when he sold watches at discounts of up to 50 per cent during the economic downturn, much to the displeasure of his own association, which in turn published ads warning against such transactions. Theodor Julius Beyer is an influential figure in the city of Zurich.
However, even his optimism has limits. The 59-year-old is doubtful about the future of Beyer Chronometrie, which he is the sixth generation to run. The family fortune is gone; the villa on Zürichberg has been sold (see beyond No. 39). The only reason the business still exists is that the landlord and the banks have been lenient, and long-standing partners like Rolex and Patek Philippe have stepped in. How long can this go on? In times of uncertainty, people tend to turn to higher powers for advice. After all, our brains find it difficult to accept randomness, and therefore, in an attempt to impose order, we will take any form of explanation over chaos. Which is why Theodor Julius Beyer did something he had already done many times in his life: he had a detailed horoscope drawn up – this time by the astrologer A. Keller in Geneva.
Brust raus, Bauch rein: Theodor Julius (unten links) in jungen Jahren als Boxer.
A CLEAR WARNING
The horoscope is twelve pages long and describes the Aries (Scorpio rising) personality in the first lines: “These constellations give you a firm will; a nimble, at times dreamy spirit; and a great deal of interest in the domestic sphere. You are often distrustful, and you may, at times, be overly stubborn in your views.” In contrast to earlier horoscopes, which went as far as to predict winning lottery numbers, the letter from 1946 is rather vague.
It’s possible that Theodor Julius Beyer had hoped for more and read the clear warning at the end with disappointment. It says: “What’s most important is for you to force yourself to calm down, think carefully, act with restraint and avoid excess.” In the coming years, Beyer would do exactly the opposite, spending much of his time in Zermatt, playing trumpet in jazz bands and selling beautiful watches to well-heeled clients – after all, the business had to survive somehow.
At the age of 65, he would die “after six weeks of sickbed”, and would not live to see everything work out in the end: Under his son Theodor R. Beyer, Beyer Chronometrie would flourish, becoming a true legend and achieving renown far beyond Switzerland’s borders.
Futilely advises calm and restraint: Beyer’s
horoscope from 1946.
horoscope from 1946.
More articles
