Alfred didn't sit still and has moved heaven and earth to get started. You can see that on the picture with his dog in the sidebar of the previous page, he had lost a lot of weight. At a certain moment he comes into contact with a French glass-blower who is well known locally for his Christmas decorations. Negotiations begin and finally there is an agreement between Louis Klotz of Bouxwiller and Alfred Jezelin to found the Sté. JEZELIN-KLOTZ with the aim of producing Christmas decorations. Alfred brings in FRF 1,000,000 (ancien FRF) and FRF 415,000 in materials and raw materials. Don't be put off by the large numbers the value of the FRF as we know it was only introduced in 1960. It is worth 100 times less, i.e. ancien FRF 1,000,000 is FRF 10,000. The capital contributed has been converted to the current value of € 30,677, which is still a considerable amount. The equivalent in BEF in 1953 is BEF 233,759. Louis Klotz contributed the same amount. Of course, such a thing is quite a hassle. Alfred has to get a residence permit in France, he can't transfer his money and goods just like that. For that you have to get permission from the 'Office des changes' (also existed in Belgium). He doesn't move from Luxembourg, but only stays in France. In the end, he didn't get it right. French people have a different mentality and maybe that is not always well understood and not always accepted in by Alfred. See example. He writes very little about it, probably due to lack of time. While he concentrates on his new business, he has to deal with the after effects of AJEKO, Gremoglass and the actual divorce of his wife. A few months later the whole thing is probably bankrupt due to Louis Klotz going bankrupt. I have to find out when this last one has gone over.

One of Louis Klotz's letterheads

Louis Klotz in 1949 with a stand at the foire of Strassbourg.

Station of Bouxwiller.

Station of Bouxwiller. Louis Klotz would be nearby. However, the correct address is nowhere to be found on his letterhead. To be explored further.

There are several documents in preparation of the contract. Some of them are included in the overview. See contract.
Of course, a residence permit is required:

Alfred is very motivated and makes some notes for the contract meeting and immediately makes some sketches of Christmas decorations. He gets to work and makes Christmas decorations for the last time. No more AJEKO's but which one? Louis Klotz himself already has an extensive range. So it's obvious that this will continue. However, no examples have been preserved, perhaps because it was impossible. A few months later, everything is confiscated by a bailiff. Maybe he was developing a new method to make the glass eye. There is an ordinary transparent Christmas ball in his archive with a different type of eyelet. Was it made by Alfred or by a competitor? That question remains unanswered. The fact is that Alfred only made Christmas decorations in Bouxwiller outside of Belgium, but the bailiff took those of Bouxwiller.

Preparation for contract negotiations

Rough sketches of Christmas decorations

Possible new kind of eye made by Alfred but this is absolutely not certain.