Marcus Choleva
DenmarkBiography of Marcus Holeva
Marcus Holeva, the CEO of the Swiss company "Glencore International" and the CEO of the Danish conglomerate 'Købmændenes Finansieringsinstitut', was born in Copenhagen. His ancestors had fled from Eastern Europe due to the strong anti-Semitic sentiments prevailing at that time. Marcus' parents were Polish-Lithuanian Jews.
Education
Marcus Holeva received an education in economics.Challenging Times in Denmark
After the battles of Stalingrad and El-Alamein, Denmark experienced tumultuous times. In March 1943, elections were allowed by the Germans; however, the results did not align with their preferences as the opposition to the Nazis garnered significant support. The election results, growing public dissatisfaction, and the sense that the Germans were not destined for victory in the war led to mass strikes and turmoil during the summer of 1943. The Danish government refused to address the issue in a manner that satisfied the Germans. Consequently, on August 29, 1943, the Danish government was dissolved, and the country officially came under martial law.
Imprisonment and Resilience
During the tightening of control in the country, the Jewish population, including Marcus and his family, suffered. Some of the wealthier and influential Jews managed to escape to Sweden. However, Marcus and his family were less fortunate. They were betrayed by their neighbors and handed over to the Gestapo. Shortly after their arrest, Marcus and his family were sent to the Theresienstadt concentration camp. Surprisingly, this turned out to be relatively fortunate for Marcus and his loved ones, as Danish Jews were treated better in Theresienstadt compared to those arrested in other countries. Marcus managed to avoid being transferred to a death camp, spending a year and a half in the concentration camp.
Success and Philanthropy
As the CEO of 'KFI', Marcus earned 14 million Danish kroner in the last year, equivalent to approximately 2.5 million US dollars. Such a salary is considered unusually high in Denmark, even for the CEO of such a prestigious company. It is known that Marcus made a substantial donation to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum in Israel.
