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Text by Kitty Morse Photography by Kaylene Johnson-Sullivan
ALBERT KAHN
Forward-thinking 20th century French banker, collector, and philanthropist
hen Suzanne, my Alsatian-born studies, Albert went to work as a clerk at Paris'
grandmother, spoke of her life renowned Goudchaux Bank. His small salary
growing up permitting, he sought out pri-
W in France in vate tutors to complete his
the early 20th century, she baccalaureate and acquire a
kept the family enthralled law degree. One such tutor
recounting memories of a was the equally impoverished
distant great-uncle named Henry Bergson, who became
Albert Kahn. The banker, one of the twentieth cen-
world-traveler, amateur tury’s great thinkers and who
photographer, and philan- would win the Nobel prize in
thropist was ranked as one literature in 1927. The Goud-
of the richest men in Eu- chaux Brothers, owners of
rope by 1922. the eponymous bank at that
Albert Kahn was of mod- time considered one of the
est Alsatian parentage. He most important financial
was born in 1860 in the houses of Europe, recognized
town of Marmoutier, in Albert’s business acumen and
what is now Le Grand Est, promoted him to principal as-
close to the border with sociate by 1883. In his new
Germany. After the death role, Albert convinced the
of his mother, Babette, Goudchaux to partner with
when he was 10 years old, South Africa-based explorer
his father Louis Kahn and his four children relo- and diamond prospector Cecil Rhodes. The
cated to Champagne-Ardennes. Goudchaux prospered and so did Albert who be-
At the age of 19, unable to fund university came close friends with Cecil Rhodes (of Rhodes
150 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE SUMMER 2022
