Johann Filibert Amonn (fl. c. 1849-1891) is a still-extant grocer, hospitality company, and associated enterprises, including printing and stationery, based in Bolzano (Bozen), the capital city of the Italian region of Südtirol-Alto Adige. The company's origins date back to the opening of an inn in Bolzano in 1754 by Johann Michael Aman (the spelling later changed to Amonn), who later acquired two other hotels. In 1802, his son, Johann Jakob Amonn, obtained a trading license and opened a general store at the family's hotel on the Piazza Municipio, which is seen as the founding of the company. In 1836, Johann Carl Amonn took over the company, and in 1849, he passed it on to his son, Johann Filibert Amonn, who renamed the company J. F. Amonn, a name it continues to use today. Johann Filibert had no children but was assisted in the business by his younger brother, Arnold Secundus Amonn, who expanded into new ventures, especially postcards, stationery, and paper souvenirs (including maps and views) for tourists and hikers visiting the Italian Alps. Like Bolzano (Bozen) itself, the firm's output was often bilingual (Italian-German). In 1886, the company effectively divided its general store and printing businesses, and in 1891, the firm passed on to Emil Dominik Amonn, the nephew of Johann Filibert Amonn. Emil Dominik proved an adept businessman and expanded the company considerably, acquiring competitors, including the printing house Reigl and Co. In 1913, Emil Dominik Amonn died, and the business passed to his sons, Erich and Walter. However, as they were still adolescents, the company was managed by Emil's father-in-law, Josef Dalle Aste. All aspects of the business, particularly groceries and printing, continued to expand in the early 20th century, including the addition of a bookbindery and papermaking plant. In 1922, Erich and Walter, after serving in the First World War, took over management of the business, slightly changing the name of the printing house in 1925 to 'Joh. Fil. Amonn.' The company expanded further in the 1920s and 1930s, moving into the manufacture of radios and chemicals, becoming a joint stock company in 1935. The Second World War badly hurt the company, with German investors buying most of the company's stocks and shifting its focus to war material. Most of the company's facilities, including the flagship store on the Piazza Municipio in Bolzano, were severely damaged by Allied bombings. However, the company rebounded in the postwar period and garnered significant investment in the course of Italy's postwar economic miracle. With the company becoming too large to manage, it was formally divided in 1965, and today consists of four related but distinct enterprises, focusing on chemicals, hospitality, printing, and stationery. These companies have undergone multiple sales and restructurings, but they retain the name Amonn.
