Wilhelm Conen (Düsseldorf, 16. 5. 1866 – Subotica, 22. 12. 1938) was a merchant and industrialist. His father was a trader and exporter of poultry, being in business contacts with Rafael Hartmann. The old Conen sent him his son with 10,000 marks to Subotica, where they founded a company for exporting poultry and eggs. Their company was the second one in Europe that built its own cold storage at the beginning of the century, and some time later they were the first owners of refrigerator wagons in this part of Europe. They particularly used them for exporting frozen meat to Great Britain. Company Hartman and Conen established its joint stock companies in Szeged and Szentes, and sales offices in Vienna, Berlin, London, Zürich etc. He married Ilona Jakobcsics (ca. 1877 – Subotica, 3.8.1958) in 1895 (Neven, 44/1938). From their marriage there were born their son, Vilmos (Subotica, 25.5.1903 – Germany, 1993) and their daughter, Vera (GMS, I – 2894). In 1924, they built very harmonious two-storey mansions on the corner of today’s Square of the Victims of Fascism and of Sándor Petőfi Street, designed by architect István Váci.
Mirko Grlica