Karl Elsener (inventor) his grandson Carl Elsener senior (1922-2013) and his great-grandson Carl Elsener Jr. (born 1958) led the Victorinox company. Karl Elsener (inventor) Karl Elsener (9 October 1860 - 26 December 1918) was a Swiss cutler, inventor and entrepreneur. Karl Elsener completed an apprenticeship as a knife maker in Zug. After some journeyman years he opened a factory in Ibach, Switzerland in 1884 for the manufacture of knives and surgical instruments. He invented the Swiss army knife in 1891 and developed his knife manufacturing company into what has become Victorinox. From 1912 to 1918 Elsener was a member of the cantonal parliament
Friedrich Karl Florian Friedrich Karl Florian Friedrich Karl Florian (4 February 1894 in Essen – 24 October 1975 in Mettmann) was the Gauleiter of Düsseldorf in Nazi Germany. He entered military service in August, 1914, as a Kriegsfreiwilliger and was assigned to Grenadier-Regiment 1 (Garrison: Königsberg). He served in the unit until 1916, when he volunteered for the Fliegertruppe and was assigned after training to Jagdstaffel (Jasta) 51 in Jagdgeschwader Richthofen. Shot down and captured by British troops in May, 1918, he was released from captivity in November, 1919. He joined the NSDAP on 18.8.1925, member number 16,699.. He worked as Gauleiter of