Aimé-Auguste Hahn

Aimé-Auguste Hahn (1821-1905) was a co-founder of Hahn Frères in Le Landeron with his brother Charles-Alfred Hahn.

Biography

Aimé-Auguste Hahn was born on August 30, 1821 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. His father was apparently also named Aimé-Auguste Hahn.

David-Henri Tissot-Vougeux worked with him under the name Hahn et Tissot in La Chaux-de-Fonds, but this business was dissolved on December 21, 1844.

On December 31, 1844, Aimé-Auguste Hahn founded the firm of Hahn Frères with his brother Charles-Alfred Hahn. The company was established for the manufacture and trade of watches. The firm was located in La Chaux-de-Fonds, though it would famously open a factory for the production of ebauches in Le Landeron in 1875. This was the same year that Charles-Alfred Hahn died, though his son, also named Charles Hahn, was quick to step into the business.

The company was reorganized as Hahn Frères et Cie on January 19, 1883. In 1889 the partnership was dissolved and reformed with just Charles Hahn the younger and his sisters Laure Reutter and and Julie Hahn as members, with Aimé-Auguste reduced to representative. Laure Reutter retired in 1898 but the young Charles continued to work with his uncle until his death in 1905.

Hahn was a member of the board of Union Horlogere in the 1860s, working with Zelime Perret and Auguste Robert-Stanfler. Edouard Robert was manager of the company.

He was very active politically, known as one of the last survivors of the so-called "Pierre-Henri Sandoz café". In 1848 he was part of the Republican movement, becoming one of the patriots who stormed the castle of Neuchâtel in 1856. he was elected municipal councilor in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1857 and served through 1861. In 1860, he joined the Grand Council and was a member of it for many years.

Aimé-Auguste Hahn died on March 31, 1905 at the age of 84.