Hendrik Meijer

Hendrik Meijer (December 28, 1883 – May 31, 1964) was a Dutch businessman who founded the supercenter chain Meijer in the United States. He is the great-grandfather of former Republican Michigan congressman Peter Meijer.

Early life Meijer was born on December 28, 1883, in the town of Hengelo, Overijssel, in the eastern Netherlands. With the town being recently industrialized following the Industrial Revolution, his father worked under harsh conditions at a Stork B.V. mill. Beginning at the age of 12, Meijer worked at the mill himself, adopting anarchist and socialist views during this time. Meijer later joined the Dutch military to avoid further factory work. He immigrated to the United States beside his parents and sister in 1907. Mantel wrote him often to ensure that Meijer remained active with anarchism and the teachings of social anarchist Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis. The group, possibly called "Modern Sons of Marx", met on Sunday; the city and the Christian Reformed Church strictly believed Sundays were for the Sabbath and rest, though the group countered this by holding socialist meetings on Sunday. In 1912, Mantel arrived in the United States and the two settled in Greenville, Michigan. The couple married on November 11, 1912, to commemorate the date anarchists were executed following the Haymarket affair. This same year, Meijer opened a barber shop in Greenville. With the help of his son Frederik, the two began to operate the grocery store.

On May 31, 1964, Meijer died at the age of 80 and Frederik took his position as head of the supermarket chain.

Personal life

Meijer and his wife espoused anarchist and socialist views at a young age. Meijer's household also did not smoke, did not drink alcohol, and advocated for the respect of all people regardless of race or social class. Meijer did not affiliate with organized religion. He instead focused on the overall morality of affairs occurring during his lifetime.

Such political beliefs were passed on to Meijer's son Frederik, with one teacher stating that Frederik defended anarchists in class, describing them as "peace-loving people who don't like unjust governments and who try to bring them down". His daughter Johanna Meijer would later leave her position at Meijer and work for civil rights and arms control groups. It is unknown if Meijer ever separated from his anarchist views.