Treasures of the past are revealed: Zwack and the Hungarian National Archives work together to preserve values

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 11. 27. 11:56

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Many memories of the past are never truly lost, they just wait to be discovered. When Zwack applied to the Ministry of Commerce in 1895 for the title of court supplier, the minister’s letter of recommendation also referred to confidential reports from the mayor of Budapest and the chamber of industry. The correspondence reveals that the “owners of the company are reliable, skilled merchants” who built a “new, large-scale factory” with several significant innovations at the time. Zwack eventually became one of the monarchy’s important industrial companies and a world-renowned beverage manufacturer, but the background to this was unknown for a long time. This story – and many like it – have only recently emerged from the archival sources that form the basis of the partnership between Zwack Unicum Plc. and the Hungarian National Archives (MNL). The aim of the cooperation agreement is to jointly explore and share with the public the more than 200-year-old legendary heritage of the Zwack family and Unicum, thus opening a new chapter in the research of Hungarian economic history.

Not only the walls tell the story

The story of the Zwack family can also be interpreted as a kind of national treasure: a tradition that goes beyond recipes and objects, based on credibility and authenticity. One of the premier documenters of the Zwack heritage is Unicum House, which has been preserving the priceless values of the family and the brand for twenty years. The objects in the museum speak for the heirs and make the more than 230-year-old tradition accessible to visitors, which is still the basis of Zwack’s quality-focused activities and innovations.

“I am very pleased with this cooperation, as our cultural heritage is one of the pillars of the company. Our own museum collection also richly illustrates our story, and the Hungarian National Archives gave us the opportunity to learn more about this story,” said Sándor Zwack, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Zwack Unicum Nyrt. “They shared many documents with us that further enrich our past and our collection presenting it. At the same time, I would like to emphasize that the partnership is also about the future, we are thinking long-term, including by digitizing the documents that preserve our common values – so that the next generation can learn about this wonderful heritage.”

Zwack Unicum Plc. and the Hungarian National Archives signed an official cooperation agreement on November 20, 2025, which will allow new memories of the past to be revealed. With the involvement of the archive’s experts, exciting, forgotten chapters were brought to light even in the first research phase.

Among the invaluable documents were, for example, numerous economic documents that outline the path and success story of the Zwack family and the company. For example, they recall how in 1846, the young József Zwack settled in Pest and obtained a distilling license and began his work in the Moroccan House – from which he was later forced to move due to growing demands and the rapid expansion of the distillery. In the 19–20. Exhibition documents from the 18th century also testify to the company’s successes, including the results achieved at the Vienna World Exhibition of 1873 and the honor awarded by the National Association of Industries.

The collection also provides an insight into the company’s daily operations: for example, we can find a Peruvian export case in which the Hungarian foreign mission helped the company collect its debts. The documents also include negotiations on the raw materials for liqueur production, lists of trademarks, or patent documentation for a special neon sign. They not only tell the story of the business practices of the past 200 years, but also of Zwack’s pioneering and pioneering activities in areas such as marketing and foreign trade.