Moritz G. Melchior

Moritz Gerson Melchior (22 June 1816 – 19 September 1884) was a Jewish-Danish businessman. He headed the trading house Moses & Søn G. Melchior from 1845. He owned the property at Ploug House at Højbro Plads 21 in Copenhagen as well as the country house Rolighed. Moritz G. Melchior and his wife Dorothea Melchior were some of Hans Christian Andersen's closest friends in the later part of his life. Early life and education Melchior was born into a wealthy Jewish family in Copenhagen, the son of Gerson Moses Melchior (1771–1845) by his second wife Birgitte (Jette) Melchior née Israel (1792–1855). His father was part of the second generation in the trading house Moses & Søn G. Melchior, founded by Moses Melchior (1736–1817). The family resided at Amagertorv 11. His father had bought the building in c. 1810. Career Melchior joined the family firm just after his Bar Mitzvah at the age of 13. It had initially specialised in the import of tobacco from the Netherlands and Bremen but later engaged in trade in the Danish West Indies. Two elder brothers joined the company but died in 1834 and 1843. Moritz G. Melchior joined the company in 1840 and became its sole owner upon his father's death in 1845. His younger brother Moses Melchior became a partner in the company in 1850. Public life Melchior was elected to the board of representatives of the Jewish community in Copenhagen and served as its president in 1852–1853. He was also a member of Grosserer-Societetet's governing committee and served as its president from 1873 to 1884. He was a member of the Maritime and Commercial Court from 1862 to 1883 and of the Copenhagen City Council from 1851 to 1869. He was elected to the Port Council in 1859 and remained a member even after leaving the city council. He was also involved in reorganizing the Copenhagen Police Force with inspiration from England.