Polak & Schwarz is the name of a company that produced fragrances and that had branches in Zaandam and Hilversum. ...

Polak & Schwarz is the name of a company that produced fragrances and that had branches in Zaandam and Hilversum. The company was founded in 1889 at Zutphen by Levi Schwarz, also called Leopold Schwarz. His brother-in-law, Joseph Polak, became a partner. The company produced fruit-flavors, non-toxic dyes and aetheric oils. They initially worked on the basis of concentrated fruit juice. The factory moved to Zaandam in 1896 under the name: NV Polak & Schwarz's Essence-Fabrieken. The Schwarz family went to live in Amsterdam but also moved to Zaandam in 1914. In 1910, after a conflict, Joseph left the company, which, however, continued to use the name Polak. Leopold's daughter, Henriette Schwarz, belonged to the heirs, who married Leo Polak, who became chairman of the company. In 1930 a new factory was built on the Provincialeweg in Zaandam in a modern building style. At that time, the company was one of the most important fragrance producers in the world. The Jewish family suffered greatly from the occupation. Leo was arrested and killed and Henriette eventually had to go into hiding. Persecution of Henriette was postponed for some time because the company provided the necessary surrogates to the occupier. After the liberation the family got back in 1949 the company,

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