Karl Elsener (inventor) 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 of the Canton of Schwyz. He was married three times. After him his son, Carl Elsener (1886-1950), and
Karl Meyer (aviator) Karl Meyer (aviator) Oberflugmeister Karl Meyer was a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories. He was Germany's first naval ace, and one of the few German two-seater aces. Karl Meyer was born on 29 January 1894 in Mulhouse, Alsace-Lorraine, then part of the German Empire. During his World War I flying service, he was attached to the "Marinefliegerkorps" (German Naval Air Service). His unit, "See-Flug Station 1" was stationed at Zeebrugge. Its duties consisted of using seaplanes for a mixed bag of reconnaissance sorties, bombing raids on England, and aerial combat overwater. Meyer flew Friedrichshafen FF.33