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
Karl Mache Karl Mache Karl Mache (9 December 1880 – 19 October 1944) was a German politician (SPD). Between 1928 and 1930 he served as a member of the national parliament (Reichstag). Karl Mache was born in , then a small industrial town a short distance to the west of Breslau, as Wrocław was known till 1944/45. Very little is known of his early years. He attended junior and middle school in Breslau between 1886 and 1894. He trained for work in the bakery and confectionery sector and worked as a baker's assistant in various places in central Germany. He was also