Person (Male)

• Antwerp Gallery (in Place de Meir)

• Professional / Connected

Birnbaum [Province Posen, Prussia], 1849 - Cologne [D], 1914

1901 - 1909 Anvers, Marché au Lait, 10-12<01-09>
° 3.3.1849; + 15.11.1914. Tietz was not himself a photographer but the owner of a department store in which a photographic studio was installed. This store opened at the beginning of 1899, but no traces of photographic activity have been found until 1901. Tietz had opened his first shop in Stralsund [Pomerania, D] in 1879. His retail empire expanded rapidly throughout central and western Germany, with department stores opening inter alia in Cologne (1891), Aachen (1892) and Düsseldorf (1899). The business was turned into a joint-stock company in 1905.
1901 * - 1914 Anvers, Place de Meir, 92<04-10> or 82<11-14>
When it opened on 29.4.1901, this became the main store in Antwerp and the shop in Marché au Lait became a branch. This store had an in-house photographer and studio. The identity of one of the operators here has been recorded: Paul Herman Tschischak (° Berlin [D], 21.6.1880) arrived in Antwerp on 15.6.1901 and was a photographer for Tietz at this address earning 200 francs a month. Listed under photographers in 1903-1913.
1901 - 1914 Anvers, Rue Otto-Vénius (offices)
1905 - 1914 Malines, Rue du Bruel, 46<07>
This branch was supposed to open in September 1904 (Le Matin, 27.4.1904), but contemporary advertisements in Antwerp only mention it as a branch by January 1905 (Le Matin, 22.1.1905). Photographic supplies. Also publisher of picture postcards.
1905 * - 1914 Saint-Nicolas-Waes, Rue de la Station
Opened on 6.9.1905 (Le Matin, 3.9.1905). Little documentation exists about this branch and it is unknown if any photographic supplies were sold here.
1906 * / Bruxelles, Rue Neuve, 54
Predecessor: Cohn - Donnay & Cie
Tietz acquired this existing department store and the one in Liège from Cohn - Donnay & Cie on 12.8.1906 (Het Handelsblad, 14.8.1906). The building burned down completely on 31.12.1906.
1906 * - 1914 Liège, Rue de l'Université, 17
Predecessor: Cohn - Donnay & Cie
Probably no in-house photographer in this branch. "For purchases of 5 fr., a portrait in semi-enamel executed by Mr J. Kerckhof, Rue de Gueldre, 4 bis; for purchases of 10 fr., 3 carte-de-visite portraits by the firm of Samson, Rue de l'Université, 26" (La Meuse, 25.7.1908). The sales pitch for a sitting with Samson was repeated in 1909 when a purchase of 10 francs "in a single department" would pave the way for "3 cartes-de-visite or a dozen oranges" (La Meuse, 23.1.1909).
1906 * - 1914 Bruges, Kuipersstraat, 9 [Rue des Tonneliers]
Opening announced for 17.5.1906 (Le Reveil De Bruges, 16.5.1906). Photographic supplies. Postcards, cardboard for photography (Brugsch Handelsblad, 20.3.1909).
1907 * - 1910 / Bruxelles, Rue Neuve, 36-38
Predecessor: Grandes Galeries Belges (Les)
Trading within two weeks after his store at no. 54 had burnt down, Tietz bought the Grandes Galeries Belges (see that name) at this address. He liquidated the entire stock within a few days and officially opened his new branch on 25.2.1907 (Het Laatste Nieuws, 24.2.1907).
1910 * - 1914 Bruxelles, Rue Neuve, 83-97
Opened on 15.4.1910 (Het Laatste Nieuws, 16.4.1910). Photographic supplies.
1910 Bruxelles, Rue du Damier, 10-26
Photographic supplies.

1901 - 1909 Anvers, Marché au Lait, 10-12<01-09>
1901 * - 1914 Anvers, Place de Meir, 92<04-10> or 82<11-14>
1901 - 1914 Anvers, Rue Otto-Vénius (offices)
1905 - 1914 Malines, Rue du Bruel, 46<07>
1905 * - 1914 Saint-Nicolas-Waes, Rue de la Station
1906 * / Bruxelles, Rue Neuve, 54
1906 * - 1914 Liège, Rue de l'Université, 17
1906 * - 1914 Bruges, Kuipersstraat, 9 [Rue des Tonneliers]
1907 * - 1910 / Bruxelles, Rue Neuve, 36-38
1910 * - 1914 Bruxelles, Rue Neuve, 83-97
1910 Bruxelles, Rue du Damier, 10-26

DIRECTORY_1997#4133

SFJ revised 31.12.2017 & 6.1.2018; SFJ revised 14.5.2019, 3.8.2020 & 30.10.2020 based on information supplied by M. Demaeght; MD revised 8.9.2020, 21.10.2020, 18.2.2021, 28.5.2021, 10.6.2022 & 16.6.2022