Al-Khumasiya: Syria&apos;s Industrial Conglomerate of the 1950s

Moubayed, Sami Pierre

doi:10.13169/arabstudquar.43.1.0038

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Arab Studies Quarterly

Volume 43, Issue 1

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Al-Khumasiya: Syria's Industrial Conglomerate of the 1950s

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Author(s): Sami Moubayed

Publication date (Print): 1 January 2021

Journal: Arab Studies Quarterly

Publisher: Pluto Journals

Keywords: Syria, Egypt, Damascus, socialism, industry, Gamal Abdul Nasser

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Abstract

Al-Khumasiya was a highly influential industrial complex that operated in Syria from 1946 until its nationalization in 1961. During the 1950s, it was the pride and joy of Syrian government officials, who took dignitaries on tours of its premises, boasting of the quality of its products. President Nasser of Egypt praised its achievements, before seizing the company in 1961 and transferring its ownership to the state, where it remains as of 2020. Many consider the nationalization of al-Khumasiya as the beginning of the end of the Syrian economy. And yet, nothing has been written about it, either in English or Arabic. Its records were destroyed, and its five founders died without leaving behind a written account of their experience. This article looks at the company, how it was founded, and what was so important for Syria throughout the 1940s and 1950s.

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Journal

Journal ID (doi): 10.2307/j50005550

Journal ID (jcode): arabstudquar

Title: Arab Studies Quarterly

Publisher: Pluto Journals

ISSN: 0271-3519

ISSN: 2043-6920

Publication date (Print): 1 January 2021

Volume: 43

Issue: 1 ( doiID: 10.13169/arabstudquar.43.issue-1 )

Pages: 38-57

Article

Publisher ID: arabstudquar.43.1.0038

DOI: 10.13169/arabstudquar.43.1.0038

SO-VID: 6c5d35d4-7678-448c-9278-6e5ed9697fdb

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ScienceOpen disciplines: Social & Behavioral Sciences

Keywords: Damascus,socialism,industry,Gamal Abdul Nasser,Syria,Egypt

Notes

Al-Khani, 'Abdullah. Souriya bayn al-Democratiya wa al-Hukm al-Fardi (Beirut: Dar al-Nafais, 2004), 262.
Korani, As'ad. Dhikrayat wa Khawater (Beirut: Riad El Rayyes Books, 2000), 335.
Al-Ḥawrany, Akram. Mudhakarat, volume III (Cairo, Madbouli Books, 2000), 2897.
Riad, Mahmud. Mudhakarat, volume II (Beirut: Al-Mou'assasa al-Arabiya lil Dirasat, 1986), 199.
Tlass, Mustafa. Mir'at Hayati, volume II (Damascus, Dar Tlass, 2005), 164.
Seale, Patrick. The struggle for Syria: A study in post-war Arab politics 1945–1958 (New Haven, Yale University Press, 1987), 134.
Khani. Souriya, 226.
Moubayed, Sami. 'Abdul Nasser wa al-Ta'mim (Beirut, Riad El Rayyes Books, 2019), 31.
Author interview with General Wadih al-Muqabari, commander of the Syrian Air Force in the UAR (Damascus, 6 December 2017).
Author interview with 'Abdul Wahab Ḥomad, minister of justice in the UAR (Damascus, 2 February 1998).
Author interview with General Muwafaq 'Assasa, chief architect of the 1961 coup (New Jersey, 1 March 2018).
Ḥomad (1998).
Ibid.
Nasr, Salah. 'Abdul Nasser wa Tajrubat al-Wehda (Beirut, Al Watan al-Arabi Lil Nashr, 1986), 220.
Ḥomad (1998).
Zahr al-Din, 'Abdul Karim. Mudhakarati an fatrat al-Infisal fi Souriya (Damascus, Dar al-Itihad, 1968), 36.
Riad. Mudhakarat, volume II, 195.
Babil, Nasuh. Sahafa wa Siyasa (London, Riad El Rayyes Books, 1987), 224.
Author interview with 'Abdul Ghani Ḥammour, former director of the Damascus Chamber of Commerce (Beirut, 23 October 2017).
Shukry al-Quwatly was founder of the National Conserves Company, the second biggest industrial enterprise in Syria, dating back to 1932. It worked on canning dried vegetables and fruits from al-Ghouta and selling them in the Arab World. The company had been established 30,000 gold Ottoman coins, divided into 15,000 shares. It was subsequently seized by the Ba'ath state in January 1965. Philip S. Khoury. Syria and the French Mandate: The politics of Arab nationalism 1920–1945 (Princeton University Press, 1987), 224.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Khoury. Syria and the French Mandate, 288.
Author interview with Najm al-Din al-Diab, director of finance at al-Khumasiya (Damascus, 14 October 2017).
Author interview with ‘Ismat ‘Abdulhadi al-Rabbat (Beirut, 23 October 2017).
Babil. Sahafa wa Siyasa, 347.
Ḥammour (2017).
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Author interview with Randa Anwar al-Dassouki (Beirut, 3 September 2017).
Author interview with Rifaat al-Qotob, one of the founders of al-Khumasiya (Beirut, 30 August 2017).
Author interview with Yassin 'Abdulḥamid Diab (Damascus, 5 September 2017).
Ibid.
Ibid.
Qotob (2017).
Ibid.
Khoury. Syria and the French Mandate, 281.
Qotob (2017).
Ibid.
Shallah, Badr al-Din. Al-Masira al-Tijariya (Damascus, 1992), 266.
Ḥammour (2017).
Najm al-Din Diab (2017).
Ibid.
Moubayed. 'Abdul Nasser, 230.
Najm al-Din Diab (2017).
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Author interview with Moḥammad 'Adel al-Khoja (Beirut, 6 August 2017).
Ibid.
Author interview with Hazem 'Abdulḥamid Diab (Damascus, 30 September 2017).
Najm al-Din Diab (2017).
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Khoja (2017).
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Author interview with Samer al-Debs, president of the Damascus Chamber of Industry (Damascus, 3 December 2017).
General Abdul Karim al-Neḥlawy interview with al-Jazeera TV (August 2010).
Author interview with 'Alaa al-Sayyed, historian of Aleppo (Damascus, 1 March 2020).
Zahr al-Din. Mudhakarati, 105.
Said Himadeh. Economic Organization of Syria (American University of Beirut, 1936), 287.
Ibid. The Credit Foncier d'Algierie et de Tunisie was founded in 1880 with a capital stock of 15 million francs. It had offices in Algeria and central headquarters in Paris. It started operating in Syria in 1921.
The Arab Bank had been established in Syria in 1943, headed by its founder Abdulhamid Shouman.
Author interview with 'Adel al-Hafi, former director of the Commercial Bank of Syria (Damascus, 10 September 2017).
Author interview with Suhayl al-'Ashi, military escort to President Quwatly (Damascus, 3 March 2001).
Ibid.
Ḥammour (2017).
Nunu, Mutih. Man Ightal al-Wehda al-Masriya al-Souriya (Beirut, Uwaidat lil Nashr, 2003), 492.
Author interview with Faysal Nazem al-Qudsy (London 4 November 2017).
Najm al-Din Diab (2017).
Ibid.
Cairo Radio (5 October 1961).
Ibid (23 February 1962).
Ibid.
Shukry, Salah al-Din. Fada'eh al-Mu'amarat al-Nasriya. Damascus (Damascus 1962), 6.
Farhany, Mohammad. Fares al-Khoury wa Ayyam la Tunsa (Beirut, 1965). 514.
Quwatly, Shukry. Shukry al-Quwatly ukhatib Ummatuh (Beirut, 1970), 451.
Unpublished memoirs of ex-Economy Minister 'Awad Barakat (Paris, 2003).
Ibid.
Neḥlawy (August 2010).
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Samman, Mutih. Watan wa Askar (Beirut, Bissan Books, 1995), 260.
Author interview with Talal Smadi, grandson of Badr al-Din Diab (Damascus, 12 November 2017).
Tlass. Mir'at Hayat, volume II, 505.
Khoja (2017).
Ḥawrany. Mudhakarat, volume III, 3286.
Khoja (2017).
Rabbat (2017).
al-'Aẓm, Khaled. Mudhakarat, volume II (Beirut, Al Dar al-Mutahida, 1973), 242.
Barakat, 'Awad. Al-Qutta al-Khas wa al-Tanmiya al-Iqtisadiya (Aleppo, 1962), 3.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid, 5-7.
'Assasa (2018).
Al-'Adel, Fouad. Qissat Souriya bayn al-Intikhab wa al-Inqilab 1943–1963 (Damascus, Dar al-Yanabe'e, 2001), 78.
Ḥammour (2017).
Ḥomad (1998).
Al-Malki, Riad. Dhikrayat ala Darb al-Kifah wa al-Hazima (Damascus, Al-Thabat 1972), 270.

Comments

Comment on this article

[1] Al-Khani, 'Abdullah. Souriya bayn al-Democratiya wa al-Hukm al-Fardi (Beirut: Dar al-Nafais, 2004), 262.

[2] Korani, As'ad. Dhikrayat wa Khawater (Beirut: Riad El Rayyes Books, 2000), 335.

[3] Al-Ḥawrany, Akram. Mudhakarat, volume III (Cairo, Madbouli Books, 2000), 2897.

[4] Riad, Mahmud. Mudhakarat, volume II (Beirut: Al-Mou'assasa al-Arabiya lil Dirasat, 1986), 199.

[5] Tlass, Mustafa. Mir'at Hayati, volume II (Damascus, Dar Tlass, 2005), 164.

[6] Seale, Patrick. The struggle for Syria: A study in post-war Arab politics 1945–1958 (New Haven, Yale University Press, 1987), 134.

[7] Khani. Souriya, 226.

[8] Moubayed, Sami. 'Abdul Nasser wa al-Ta'mim (Beirut, Riad El Rayyes Books, 2019), 31.

[9] Author interview with General Wadih al-Muqabari, commander of the Syrian Air Force in the UAR (Damascus, 6 December 2017).

[10] Author interview with 'Abdul Wahab Ḥomad, minister of justice in the UAR (Damascus, 2 February 1998).

[11] Author interview with General Muwafaq 'Assasa, chief architect of the 1961 coup (New Jersey, 1 March 2018).

[12] Ḥomad (1998).

[13] Ibid.

[14] Nasr, Salah. 'Abdul Nasser wa Tajrubat al-Wehda (Beirut, Al Watan al-Arabi Lil Nashr, 1986), 220.

[15] Ḥomad (1998).

[16] Zahr al-Din, 'Abdul Karim. Mudhakarati an fatrat al-Infisal fi Souriya (Damascus, Dar al-Itihad, 1968), 36.

[17] Riad. Mudhakarat, volume II, 195.

[18] Babil, Nasuh. Sahafa wa Siyasa (London, Riad El Rayyes Books, 1987), 224.

[19] Author interview with 'Abdul Ghani Ḥammour, former director of the Damascus Chamber of Commerce (Beirut, 23 October 2017).

[20] Shukry al-Quwatly was founder of the National Conserves Company, the second biggest industrial enterprise in Syria, dating back to 1932. It worked on canning dried vegetables and fruits from al-Ghouta and selling them in the Arab World. The company had been established 30,000 gold Ottoman coins, divided into 15,000 shares. It was subsequently seized by the Ba'ath state in January 1965. Philip S. Khoury. Syria and the French Mandate: The politics of Arab nationalism 1920–1945 (Princeton University Press, 1987), 224.

[21] Ibid.

[22] Ibid.

[23] Ibid.

[24] Khoury. Syria and the French Mandate, 288.

[25] Author interview with Najm al-Din al-Diab, director of finance at al-Khumasiya (Damascus, 14 October 2017).

[26] Author interview with ‘Ismat ‘Abdulhadi al-Rabbat (Beirut, 23 October 2017).

[27] Babil. Sahafa wa Siyasa, 347.

[28] Ḥammour (2017).

[29] Ibid.

[30] Ibid.

[31] Ibid.

[32] Author interview with Randa Anwar al-Dassouki (Beirut, 3 September 2017).

[33] Author interview with Rifaat al-Qotob, one of the founders of al-Khumasiya (Beirut, 30 August 2017).

[34] Author interview with Yassin 'Abdulḥamid Diab (Damascus, 5 September 2017).

[35] Ibid.

[36] Ibid.

[37] Qotob (2017).

[38] Ibid.

[39] Khoury. Syria and the French Mandate, 281.

[40] Qotob (2017).

[41] Ibid.

[42] Shallah, Badr al-Din. Al-Masira al-Tijariya (Damascus, 1992), 266.

[43] Ḥammour (2017).

[44] Najm al-Din Diab (2017).

[45] Ibid.

[46] Moubayed. 'Abdul Nasser, 230.

[47] Najm al-Din Diab (2017).

[48] Ibid.

[49] Ibid.

[50] Ibid.

[51] Author interview with Moḥammad 'Adel al-Khoja (Beirut, 6 August 2017).

[52] Ibid.

[53] Author interview with Hazem 'Abdulḥamid Diab (Damascus, 30 September 2017).

[54] Najm al-Din Diab (2017).

[55] Ibid.

[56] Ibid.

[57] Ibid.

[58] Khoja (2017).

[59] Ibid.

[60] Ibid.

[61] Ibid.

[62] Author interview with Samer al-Debs, president of the Damascus Chamber of Industry (Damascus, 3 December 2017).

[63] General Abdul Karim al-Neḥlawy interview with al-Jazeera TV (August 2010).

[64] Author interview with 'Alaa al-Sayyed, historian of Aleppo (Damascus, 1 March 2020).

[65] Zahr al-Din. Mudhakarati, 105.

[66] Said Himadeh. Economic Organization of Syria (American University of Beirut, 1936), 287.

[67] Ibid. The Credit Foncier d'Algierie et de Tunisie was founded in 1880 with a capital stock of 15 million francs. It had offices in Algeria and central headquarters in Paris. It started operating in Syria in 1921.

[68] The Arab Bank had been established in Syria in 1943, headed by its founder Abdulhamid Shouman.

[69] Author interview with 'Adel al-Hafi, former director of the Commercial Bank of Syria (Damascus, 10 September 2017).

[70] Author interview with Suhayl al-'Ashi, military escort to President Quwatly (Damascus, 3 March 2001).

[71] Ibid.

[72] Ḥammour (2017).

[73] Nunu, Mutih. Man Ightal al-Wehda al-Masriya al-Souriya (Beirut, Uwaidat lil Nashr, 2003), 492.

[74] Author interview with Faysal Nazem al-Qudsy (London 4 November 2017).

[75] Najm al-Din Diab (2017).

[76] Ibid.

[77] Cairo Radio (5 October 1961).

[78] Ibid (23 February 1962).

[79] Ibid.

[80] Shukry, Salah al-Din. Fada'eh al-Mu'amarat al-Nasriya. Damascus (Damascus 1962), 6.

[81] Farhany, Mohammad. Fares al-Khoury wa Ayyam la Tunsa (Beirut, 1965). 514.

[82] Quwatly, Shukry. Shukry al-Quwatly ukhatib Ummatuh (Beirut, 1970), 451.

[83] Unpublished memoirs of ex-Economy Minister 'Awad Barakat (Paris, 2003).

[84] Ibid.

[85] Neḥlawy (August 2010).

[86] Ibid.

[87] Ibid.

[88] Ibid.

[89] Samman, Mutih. Watan wa Askar (Beirut, Bissan Books, 1995), 260.

[90] Author interview with Talal Smadi, grandson of Badr al-Din Diab (Damascus, 12 November 2017).

[91] Tlass. Mir'at Hayat, volume II, 505.

[92] Khoja (2017).

[93] Ḥawrany. Mudhakarat, volume III, 3286.

[94] Khoja (2017).

[95] Rabbat (2017).

[96] al-'Aẓm, Khaled. Mudhakarat, volume II (Beirut, Al Dar al-Mutahida, 1973), 242.

[97] Barakat, 'Awad. Al-Qutta al-Khas wa al-Tanmiya al-Iqtisadiya (Aleppo, 1962), 3.

[98] Ibid.

[99] Ibid.

[100] Ibid, 5-7.

[101] 'Assasa (2018).

[102] Al-'Adel, Fouad. Qissat Souriya bayn al-Intikhab wa al-Inqilab 1943–1963 (Damascus, Dar al-Yanabe'e, 2001), 78.

[103] Ḥammour (2017).

[104] Ḥomad (1998).

[105] Al-Malki, Riad. Dhikrayat ala Darb al-Kifah wa al-Hazima (Damascus, Al-Thabat 1972), 270.