10/16/2026
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GERMAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
Today we celebrate the memory of: Brunn, Gustav Charles (2-1893 to 12-23-1985) Old Bay
Gustav Brunn immigrated to Baltimore in 1939 with his wife and two children. There are accounts of his emigration and his horrifying experience at the hands of N**i Germany. Gustav was a Jew. He was born in Bastheim, in southwest Germany. His initial occupation was that of a tanner, however, following WWI, there was a severe lack of spices. Gustav seized the opportunity and began making spices with the help of importers in Hamburg and Holland. When the N**is took over power in Germany he began to lose customers and employees. His children, Ralph and Lore, were also having difficulty in school. He moved his family to Frankfurt, a larger city, hoping for improvement in business. It was not to be and he contacted an uncle in Baltimore and in 1937 applied for a visa. He was due to leave for the US at the end of 1938. Of course in November (9) Kristallnacht brought the looting of Jewish homes, hospitals and synagogues. His family was spared when the N**i’s looted the wrong house. At that time, the government was confiscating the guns of the Jews. They were told to report to the nearest police station and surrender their guns. Gustav being an avid hunter had several ri**es and took the guns to the station to comply. He was detained and within hours was on his way to Buchenwald with several other male Jews. Still early in the war, there were ways to be bailed out of the camps. It was a costly event with the first payment at $5,000 and a final payment upon delivery of $5,000. After paying the fees, the Brunns were ready to leave for the US within one week. Also fortunate for them, at that time, they were allowed to bring furniture. Included in his belongings was a small mixer for seasonings.
The Brunns settled in an apartment in the 2300 block of Eutaw Place. Things began to look up with the exception of Gustav being unable to find a job. He learned some English and went to work for McCormick and Company, but the job lasted only three days due to his inability to speak the language. He finally found a place on Market Place near the Wholesale Food Market above the Southern Seafood Company. He traveled to New York to see suppliers, and advised them he had little capital, but was provided credit by Katz American. Once that was done, doors opened.
He opened the Baltimore Spice Company and began selling spices, which he blended for pickles and cured meats, to local businessmen. The first crab seasoning was made in 1940 and because the law stated every ingredient must be listed, Gustav added some odd spices, primarily to throw off his competitors.
The original blend he made was named, 'Delicious brand shrimp and crab seasoning'. He tested blends until he came up with what most thought was the perfect blend in 1940. 'Old Bay' was born. It was a friend who suggested the name change and the name of a local steamship was used, 'Old Bay'. At first the spice was not well received, but Gustav provided free samples to several seafood companies and it finally took off.
Gustav was naturalized on October 8, 1945.
The company changed hands over the years, with a British Company called Hanson Industries purchased it in 1986 and again in 1990 when McCormick & Company purchased the company. The company was managed by his son Ralph Brunn until his retirement in 1986.
It is such a part of Baltimore, it’s culture and heritage, that there is even an ice cream and a b**r made with Old Bay. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone in the Baltimore or even the Maryland area that was not familiar with and actually have a tin of ‘Old Bay’ in their pantry.
Mr. Brunn is buried at the Baltimore Hebrew Cemetery
Source: Baltimore Jewish Times, March 14, 2018, by Connor Graham, Federal Census Records, FindAGrave.
To read more about the many German pioneers in manufacturing and retail, see https://www.germanmarylanders.org/profile-index/manufacturing-retail
