Abraham van Leeuwen
Encyclopedia
Abraham "Bram" van Leeuwen, also known as Prince of Lignac (* Rotterdam
, 18 July 1918 - † Málaga
, 27 May 2001) was a Dutch businessman and high-profile millionaire.
Van Leeuwen wrote an English training course - which was in great demand at that time. To receive permission from the German
occupiers to start his company he was forced to develop a German course as well. He also founded Lecturama, a Dutch publisher specialized in collecting and (re)publishing special series and popular books and doing so making these publications obtainable for the mass market.. After the war Van Leeuwen continued starting companies.
Van Leeuwen sold his companies at the best time. The NTI and Lecturama were sold to the Dutch Vendex concern in the 1970s for 450 million. Dutch guilders and made him his huge fortune.
/Royal van Lent shipyard. He received many guests on board of this 60 meter long ship, where even the air-outlets are said to be solid gold.
Rumors say Van Leeuwen bought the title Prince de Lignac but he always denied this and claimed he received it from a prince
he met during the war. According again to Van Leeuwen his title was acknowledged by the São Paulo Aristocracy Court in 1966
magazines, as did his penchant for hosting extremely lavish parties, and the fact that the servants on his yacht were exclusively Asian males; when asked why he hired only Asian males for these positions, van Leeuwen said only that they "serve the best"
, focusing on the elderly and/or lonely people and young children and orphans.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, 18 July 1918 - † Málaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
, 27 May 2001) was a Dutch businessman and high-profile millionaire.
Poor start
Van Leeuwen grew up in Rotterdam under poverish circumstances. The humiliation that he and only just one other kid had to borrow his schoolbooks made a big impression on him. This memory was one of the reasons Van Leeuwen promised himself to become rich and successful in life. He founded NTI: Nederlands Talen Instituut, one of the first language training companies. Just before and during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Van Leeuwen wrote an English training course - which was in great demand at that time. To receive permission from the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
occupiers to start his company he was forced to develop a German course as well. He also founded Lecturama, a Dutch publisher specialized in collecting and (re)publishing special series and popular books and doing so making these publications obtainable for the mass market.. After the war Van Leeuwen continued starting companies.
Van Leeuwen sold his companies at the best time. The NTI and Lecturama were sold to the Dutch Vendex concern in the 1970s for 450 million. Dutch guilders and made him his huge fortune.
Jetset
Van Leeuwen was seen as an eccentric member of the jet set, living on board of his mega-ship New Horizon L built by FeadshipFeadship
Feadship is a cooperative venture between two shipyards and maritime engineering company De Voogt Naval Architects.-History:...
/Royal van Lent shipyard. He received many guests on board of this 60 meter long ship, where even the air-outlets are said to be solid gold.
Rumors say Van Leeuwen bought the title Prince de Lignac but he always denied this and claimed he received it from a prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
he met during the war. According again to Van Leeuwen his title was acknowledged by the São Paulo Aristocracy Court in 1966
Lifestyle
Van Leeuwen was openly homosexual, which was extremely controversial in the years immediately following World War Two. This openness drew substantial attention from gossipGossip
Gossip is idle talk or rumour, especially about the personal or private affairs of others, It is one of the oldest and most common means of sharing facts and views, but also has a reputation for the introduction of errors and variations into the information transmitted...
magazines, as did his penchant for hosting extremely lavish parties, and the fact that the servants on his yacht were exclusively Asian males; when asked why he hired only Asian males for these positions, van Leeuwen said only that they "serve the best"
Death
Van Leeuwen died on his yacht at the age of 82 years. In his will Van Leeuwen left a small part of his fortune to his longtime partner Hans Verver (Euro 35 million + the yacht). The majority (Euro 100 million) was left to the Stichting Van Leeuwen Van Lignac This foundation aims to help the physical and mental health of the people of RotterdamRotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, focusing on the elderly and/or lonely people and young children and orphans.