Julius Petschek

Julius Petschek (14 March 1856 – 22 January 1932) was an industrialist of Jewish origin in Austria-Hungary and later in Czechoslovakia. Together with his brother Ignaz, he was one of the wealthiest persons of interwar Czechoslovakia.

Early life Petschek was born in Kolín. He was a younger son of Moses Petschek (1822–1888) and Sara (née Wiener) Petschek (1827–1894). He had a sister, Rosa Petschek (1855–1934), and two brothers, Isidor Petschek (1854–1919), father of Otto Petschek, and Ignaz Petschek (1857–1934), father of Frank C. Petschek.

Career He and his brothers Isidor and Ignaz played an important role in the coal industry of the young Czechoslovakia. Their concern controlled also 30% of the German and in total almost 50% of the European brown coal mining industry in the years after World War I. In 1920 Ignaz founded the Petschek Brothers Bank (Bankhaus Petschek & Co.) in Prague that was directed by 6 family members including Julius. After he died in 1932 his son Walter and Isador's son Hans ran the company until 1938 when they moved to New York as a consequence of the Munich Agreement. Julius is known for commissioning the bank's Petschek Palace in Prague that was used by the Gestapo in World War II.

Personal life Julius Petschek died in Prague on 22 January 1932 and is buried at the New Jewish Cemetery.