Merck family
The Merck family is a
History
The family first appeared in Hammelburg in the 15th century. The family has a long history in pharmacy going back to the 17th century. The Merck family controls a majority of 70.3% of the company's shares. An American former subsidiary of the Merck company, Merck & Co. (MSD), was also established by the Merck family and still carries the family's name, but, unlike its former parent company, is no longer owned by the Merck family, since it was nationalized by the American government in 1917 because of World War I and the stock was bought back by George F. Merck in 1919. Merck & Co. was also led by family member George W. Merck (son of George F. Merck) from 1925 until 1950.
A branch of the family descended from Heinrich Johann Merck (1770–1853) belonged to
Family members
- Friedrich Jacob Merck
- Heinrich Emanuel Merck
- George W. Merck
- Timothy and Elizabeth Merck, founders of the Merck Family’s Old World Christmas