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 Holl Karl Holl Karl Holl (May 15, 1866—May 23, 1926 in Berlin) was a Professor of theology and church history at Tübingen and Berlin and is considered one of the most influential church historians of his era. Karl Holl studied philosophy and theology at the Tübinger Stift. He became a member of the Studentenverbindung (student association) Normannia. While serving as a minister in Württemberg, he completed his doctorate and became the lead tutor ("Repetent") at the Tübinger Stift in 1891. From 1894 he was active as a research assistant at the Prussian Academy of Sciences at the instigation of Adolf von