John Konig
John Frederick Konig B.Sc.(Eng.), A.C.G.I., husband to former classmate of Anne Frank and Bergen-Belsen survivor, Nanette Blitz Konig, and resident of the city of São Paulo, Brazil since 1951, passed away on 9th November 2022, in São Paulo, his home for almost 70 years. He was 95 years old.
He always said that he could do nothing for those who perished in the Holocaust, but for this survivor, his adored wife Nanette, he would do everything in his power to love, care and make her happy, and he kept by his promise. His total devotion to Nanette is something that is greatly admired and respected by his children and grandchildren alike. Nanette and John's love story is one of a kind and on an epic scale. With his passing, a great void has been left in her life that will be difficult to be filled by her loving family. Similarly, he lived and breathed for his family; their home of 63 years was referenced fondly as "The Cafelandia" which represented a welcoming beacon of love to all.
A compassionate, kind and loving man, he had a keen mind to the end, was always involved in business matters, but also loved to read, and was a gifted photographer and destined to be a film director, but he studied engineering instead as he said he needed to make a living. He was ahead of his time, and always embraced technological advancements. He enjoyed everything that involved art, music and culture, as well as current affairs and history. He loved to travel and had a sense of adventure that brought him to Brazil in the first place.
Born in 1927 in Budapest, Hungary, John lived in London from 1935 to 1951 when he became a naturalized British Subject and graduated with honors as a mechanical engineer from the City & Guilds College of the Imperial College of Science and Technology of the University of London.
Between 1947 and 1954, he worked in various engineering positions in England and Brazil, mostly with Messrs. Foster Wheeler and I.C.I.
In 1953, he proposed to Nanette Blitz, former classmate of Anne Frank and Bergen-Belsen survivor, on a train to London returning from São Paulo, Brazil after the two had corresponded by mail for over two years; they were married in London that year. Nanette and John have three children, Elizabeth Helene Konig Kahn, Judith Marion Konig Arato, and Martin Joseph Konig.
Brazil became their permanent residence from 1953 and from 1954 to 1957, John was the Department Manager for E. R. Squibb in Brazil where he participated in the final stages of construction, start-up and operation of the first Penicillin Plant in the country.
1957 - 1960, he was a key member of the construction and start-up team as Technical Director at Pfizer, for both Argentina at first then Brazil, for the Guarulhos Plant after extensive training in the U.S. John was responsible for the production of antibiotics, pharmaceutical and veterinary products, and much more.
By 1969, he had reached senior management level, becoming Vice President of Johnson & Johnson, Brazil where he worked until 1986.
Retiring from Johnson & Johnson, he set himself up as a consultant for businesses that wished to open in Brazil as well as for established industries in the country.
In 1990, he co-founded and was partner for Injeflex Ind, e Com Ltda to manufacture state-of-the-art copper intrauterine devices (IUD) and was able to attend to backlogged orders from around the world as well as supply the local government as part of their Family Planning Programs. After selling his share of the company at the age of 93, he was given a contract to act as a consultant for them.
He was the proud recipient of the Quarter Century Honorary Life Member of the American Chamber of Commerce of São Paulo.
John is survived by Nanette, 3 children, 5 grandchildren, 1 deceased, and 5 great grandchildren.
Contact details: elizkahn@aol.com
