Aldi Portugal, Spain and Poland, while Aldi Süd operates in Ireland, Great Britain, Hungary, Switzerland, Australia, China, Italy, Austria and Slovenia. Both Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd also operate in the United States with 1,600 stores as of 2017. The earliest roots of the company trace back to 1913, when the mother of Karl and Theo Albrecht opened a small store in a suburb of Essen. Their father was employed as a miner and later as a baker's assistant. Karl Albrecht was born in 1920, Theo Albrecht in 1922. Theo Albrecht completed an apprenticeship in his mother's store, while Karl Albrecht
Archduke Karl Albrecht of Austria Archduke Karl Albrecht of Austria Archduke Karl Albrecht of Austria-Teschen ("Karl Albrecht Nikolaus Leo Gratianus von Österreich", later "Karl Albrecht Habsburg-Lothringen", since 1919 – "Karol Olbracht Habsburg-Lotaryński"; (Pula, 18 December 1888 – Östervik, near Stockholm, 17 March 1951). He was an Austrian archduke, the oldest son of Archduke Charles Stephen and Archduchess Maria Theresia, Princess of Tuscany. He was a landowner in Żywiec, a colonel of artillery in both the Imperial Austro-Hungarian Army (cavalry) and the Polish Army, and the 1,175th knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1910, etc. In 1918 and again in 1939 he became