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what does “x” next to a name in a directory mean?

Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 7:50 pm
by shloime
in this directory page from 1924, for instance, there’s an “x” beside GESCHEIDT Márkus. (under “vegyeskereskdők”.)

https://library.hungaricana.hu/hu/view/ ... 4/?pg=1117

there’s also another entry for “GESCHEITH Márk.-né” on the same page. (under “szatocsok”.)

i would have guessed that the “x” marked deceased people, except that it’s unusual to include them in a trade directory, and there seem to be quite a few, and the person whom i assume was his wife, isn’t marked as “özv.” (widow), even though several others are.

Re: what does “x” next to a name in a directory mean?

Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2019 9:13 am
by logan
It means the company was officially registered. This is explained at https://library.hungaricana.hu/hu/view/ ... 8&layout=s under "Protokollierte Firmen". In general, the meaning of symbols and, sometimes, abbreviations used in a directory is explained at the beginning of the directory or the beginning of the section in which they are used. For the precise meaning of "registered," however, you would need to research the relevant Hungarian business laws of the time.

Using "x" to denote a registered company is also common in other directories by the same publisher, Rudolf Mosse, not limited to Hungary (e.g., there are all-Poland business directories on Genealogy Indexer by this publisher).

For registered companies, there were sometimes separate directories containing additional details (e.g., names of top company officials). Several of these for Poland are searchable on Genealogy Indexer with "Public Companies" in their translated titles ("Rocznik Informacyjny o Spółkach Akcyjnych w Polsce").

Logan