Louis Swartberg was the son of Barend Swartberg and Martha Asser. Before the war Louis worked with his father in the family business Swartberg Bags Trade, based in Assen. This company was started by Barends father, Levie Swartberg but was taken over around 1920 by Barend and greatly expanded. Also Barends sister Rozetta and her husband Emanuel Schelvis worked for this company, as did a child of Barend that survived the war. This bags trade was located in the Rolderstraat in Assen. In 1928 the company completely burned down. In several newspapers was written about the fire, for example in Het Vaderland on 5 January 1928: "Last night a fire broke out in the warehouse of Mr. Zwartenberg (Swartberg) at the Rolderstraat in Assen. The warehouse, which is partly an auction building, was filled with a great amount of bags. The owner and his staff had left the warehouse around a quarter to six. About six o’clock he was warned that the warehouse was on fire. The fire brigade, who quickly arrived, could fight the fire succesfully. A large stock of bags has been burnt. Insurance covers the damage".
The company was not sufficiently insured and Barend and his son Louis stopped their business. Subsequently, Barend and Louis started a wholesale business in light bulbs.
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