The story of the creation of RTBR#1 is
as far as I remember as follows:
It was sponsored by a Danish RT,
as reflected in the toast.
The sponsoring table was in Aalborg,
Denmark's third city. The person who actually carried it out was one
of the Emborg brothers, a member of that RT. It is my understanding
that during the fifties one of the brothers visited Brazil several
times to prospect for business.
The Emborg brothers were comparatively well known in Danish business circles, as they had
created a foreign trading company, mainly exports, just after WW2,
called Emborg A/S or something like that. This was quite a dynamic
company. I believe the Emborg brothers were also quite active in
US-Danish relations, both business-wise and culturally.
I knew about the Emborg's reputation before I came to Brasil, not the least
because they were competitors of the export company I worked for in
Denmark, and I had considerable dealings with the company after I
returned to Europe, when I worked for the New Zealand meat
industry. In respect of the actual Emborg-Round Table Brasil
connection, I am pretty well convinced that I got the info from Tony
Hart who was an honorary tabler in the 1960's . He was "over-age" by
then. Tony was a Round Table stalwart and, even as an honorary member,
he regularly came to the meetings. Without him, the meetings would not
have been the same. I believe Tony was among the first members of
RTBR#1, perhaps even a founding member? Tony was gen.manager of
Yorkshire Insurance, then at rua Pedro Américo 32, the building which
caught fire and thereby made world news (I worked in same building
but quit SP in the nick of time). That's about all I can tell
regarding what I believe is the genesis of RTBR#1
There are plenty of RT's in Belgium, as well as in many other European countries.
I have very fond memories of the RTBR meetings, activities, parties etc.
At one point I was treasurer, then chairman and the table's
representative on the National Council of RT's. Do raise your glass on
my behalf, at the next gathering, and say hello to all those cheerful
tablers.
Um abração
Svend "Félix" Larsen
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