PHILIPS, ANTON

(1874–1951)

Industrialist. Born into a German Jewish immigrant family (who changed their original name of Ephraim), Philips became associated with his brother Gerard in 1892 to found a lightbulb factory in the city of Eindhoven. Anton Philips left the company in 1939 to his son-in-law Frans Otten (1895–1969). Otten’s successor, from 1961 until 1971, was An ton’s popular son Frederik Jacques (“Frits”) Philips (1905–2005), who saved the lifes of some 400 Jews during World War II by starting a factory in the concentration camp at Vught (near ’s Her togenbosch). The famous international concern is now called Philips Electronics.