Caspar Voght

Caspar Voght, commonly known as Baron Caspar von Voght, was a German merchant and social reformer from Hamburg.

He was born in the family of Caspar Voght, the Hamburg merchant and later senator who owned the silk and linen trading house. At age of 12 Caspar fell ill of smallpox that left permanent scars on his face. He started to travel on business when he was 20 years old and in the next three years he crossed almost the entire European continent. After his father’s death in 1781, he continued to run a family business in partnership with his close friend, G.H. Sieveking who already worked in the firm. Using American War and newly independent English colonies, two partners built up a lucrative trade with the ports of North America. However, the trade crisis which hit Hamburg in 1799 had bad influence on his firm and he was forced to dissolve the trading house.

By nature more inclined to science, politics and literature Caspar didn’t find a great pleasure in the commercial vocation. Therefore, he left the management of the company in the hands of his partner Sieveking and devoted himself to agricultural and horticultural projects, as well as to social work. He is credited for introducing potato for cultivation which was until then imported from the Netherlands. However, he is best known for another civilizational achievement. Voght was the co-founder (1788) and the most active member of the Hamburg Society which reformed poor relief in Hamburg on the basis of a commitment to preventing poverty and other principles that became standard practice in the 19th century. He traveled widely in Europe with the aim to advocate the Hamburg system of charity reorganization. As recognition for his efforts in reforming poor relief in Austria, he was even ennobled in 1801 by the German Emperor.

He died in 1839 at age of 86.