01 — The Origin
From Mikulasovice to Nova Scotia
Before the Second World War, Rudolph Grohmann worked as a production manager in the town of Mikulasovice, then part of the old cutlery-making region of Nixdorf. He turned down early invitations to relocate to Canada — but in 1949, with political circumstances in Europe growing desperate, he accepted an offer from a buyer based in Quebec.
Arriving in Nova Scotia with his family, Rudolph partnered with Pictou Cutlery, an arrangement supported by the provincial government. When that company eventually closed, Rudolph and his son-in-law, Michael Babinec Sr., moved between various trades to make ends meet.