Later Life
Siegfried Bettmann’s success enabled him to become President of the Coventry Liberal Association. A Freemason and founder member of Coventry’s Chamber of Commerce, he was also a Justice of the Peace and in 1913 became Mayor of Coventry, the first non-British subject to have the position.
His German origins resulted in him being removed from this position on the beginning of the First World War.
In 1914 Siegfried Bettmann founded the Annie Bettmann Foundation with his wife to help young Coventry men and women between the ages of eighteen and forty who wished to start a business. Preference was given to ex-servicemen and the fund, which is still in existence, was extended subsequently to include grants for further education. Bettmann also commissioned a memorial for the 66 employees of the Triumph company killed in action during the First World War, built in Coventry's London Road cemetery in 1921.
The Triumph Motorcycle Company became one of the most famous motorcycle marques of the world and Bettmann retained an association with the company until his death. Siegfried Bettmann died on 23 September 1951 at his home "Elm Bank", Stoke Park, Coventry.
Read more about this topic: Siegfried Bettmann
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