Karol Wedel

Karol Ernest Wedel (born in 1813 died in 1902) was a "confectioneer" or candy--and--sweets maker of German ancestry member of the Wedel family, who settled in (then partitioned) Poland.

He was faithful of the Evangelical-Augsburg Church in Poland.

Karol Wedel was a German "confectioneer" or candy-and-sweets maker who came to Warsaw in the beginng of 1845 and began to cooperate with Karol Grohnert who was an owner of a confectionery at 12 Piwna Street. The cooperation between two men lead to a great success and to a large faithful group of consumers.

Soon after, around 1851, Karol Wedel became financially independent and opened his own store at 12 Miodowa Street, and next to it, a steam--powered factory of chocolates. His company, E.Wedel, would grow to become a leading confectionery company of Poland. One year later, he introduced his great hit "karmelki smietankowe" ("butter caramels"); the "karamelki smietankowe" success was aided by a successful commercial campaign in "Kurier Warszawski" or "Warsaw Courier:"

"Totally new and distinct "confectioneer's" (candy--and--sweets maker's added by R.K.) composition, and over all a substance that cures and alleviates all chest pains, extremely effective for the aliments of the spring months, and even for those not suffering and those who favour great delicate flavour -- very pleasant product."

Another product made popular by Wedel was hot chocolate: his store had been selling over 50--fifty cups a day of the hot chocolate. As the years passed, more on more delicious products were introduced; in 1862 his company "C.E. Wedel" placed ads in the Warsaw's news papers for amongst other things hot chocolates such as "Brilliant" and "Dessert" described as "Chocolat praline a'la crem aux nougat, aux pistaches, napolitan, de demes, de brilliant a'la vanille royal, a'la sultan" -- in different shapes and flavours, candy made of almonds, royal marcepan, caramels, and prepared fruit -- "prunelles glaces -- reingloud glaces et fruits cristallises."

As a famous cand--and--sweats maker, Wedel married Karolina Wisnowska (1819-1893), daughter of as famous in Warsaw candy--and-sweats maker. In 1864, Wedel's son, Emil Albert Fredryk Wedel (1841-1919) came back form the working apprenticeship--tour of confectioneries in Germany, Switzerland, England, and France, and received a Ph.D. in Chemistry (Food Chemistry). Immediately, he started helping in the running of the family business. In 1876, his father gave him the company as a wedding gift on the very day of his wedding.

References

Direct translation of [http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karol_Wedel the Polish Wikipedia article]