Early life Julius Kemna was born the only son of Johann Abraham Kemna and Carolina Wilhelmina (Wilhelmine) van Hees on December 8, 1837 in
Barmen. The family of Johann Abraham Kemna, a wine wholesaler from Barmen and Royal Prussian purveyor to the court (1810–1878), can be traced back to the 15th century, where they lived in the
Kemna manor. Kemna's mother, Carolina Wilhelmina van Hees (1814-1880), was the niece of the well known Barmer school founder
Susanna Sophia Antoinetta van Hees Philippine Kemna bore 3 sons, one of them Erich Kemna.
The company's ascent After the end of the
1870–1871 war, Kemna believed the time had come to bring steam plows to German agriculture in large numbers, achieving his desire by acquiring English steam plow etchers and making them known to landowners through contract plowing. Kemna had recognized that the
steam engine was revolutionary for industry as well as for agriculture and road construction. His many years of experience with English steam plow systems supported his company's upswing. He is considered a "pioneer in agriculture and machine construction." Following Julius Kemnas death, his company developed into a large-scale industrial enterprise at the turn of the century. Due to capacity expansions, about 900 workers were employed on a 52,000 m2 industrial site in 1905. At the beginning of the 20th century,
Julius Kemna's company became "the leading steam plough company on the European continent and invaded the monopoly position of English companies on the world market". In 1923, Kemna's company became the first company in Germany to launch a
road roller with a crude oil engine (Deutz diesel engine). == References ==