Friday 27 December 2013

Julius Berger (1862- 1943)

Berger was the founder of the eponymous International Construction firm.
He was a German-Jew who started out in the Transport business and later established Julius Berger Civil Engineering AG in 1905.
It became a major contractor carrying out the construction of roads, drainage systems and railways in the eastern Prussian provinces and also in Turkey, Iran, Romania and Egypt.
In 1942 he and his wife were thrown in a Concentration camp where they died of hunger and exhaustion.
The company was revived after World War II. In 1965 it secured its first job in Nigeria- The construction of Eko Bridge.
It has since become one of Nigeria's leading construction companies securing major projects such as Tin Can Island Port, Ajaokuta Steel Plant,The 3rd Mainland Bridge, Abuja Stadium and Abuja International Airport.
It is currently Nigeria's largest private employer with 18,000 staff. Thank you Bimbola Babarinde
Picture 1 & 2 Julius Berger
Picture 3 Julius Berger in 1925 together with members of his staff at the Teliv Tunnel construction site in Romania

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