George Marzbach
George Merzbach, also known as George Merzbach Bey, (born 1876), a Belgian lawyer who was the head of one of the mixed courts in Egypt, and the founder of Zamalek soccer club in Egypt as it was named Qasr Al-Nil in 1911 and was the first Belgian ever to make zamalek egyptian.
Professional life
Merzbach was a senior lawyer in Egypt, and one of the guests invited by Hussein Kamel of Egypt to Abdeen Palace, for official banquets and advice. He was given the Bey title by the Sultan Hussein Kamel along with other medals like Nishan Al-Nabil, Légion d'Honneur. He had a distinctive legal experience and for that, he became one of the few advisors of Baron Empain during the foundation of Heliopolis suburb. Also, he was one of the few lawyers that the Attorney General heard and took advice from in order to resolve the constitutional crisis between King Fouad and Saad Zaghloul Pasha. Or resorted to King Fouad fighting a legal war have rebelled law courts against Mustafa el-Nahhas.
Contributions
Merzbach won the confidence of his fellow lawyers and was elected as captain of the lawyers in front of the mixed courts. Howard Carter took him and his wife to Luxor during the discovery of the important and magnificent Tomb of Tutankhamun.
Foundation of Zamalek Club
Merzbach founded Zamalek Club under the name of Qasr al-Nil with his Belgian secretaries Mr. Shoduan then Mr. Bouchut. He then moved it to the place of the High Court and changed its name to Club Al-Mokhtalat. Zamalek started out and continued under the presidency of Merzbach until 1915, leaving the presidency to the French Nicolas Arfagi Bianchi who also played as a left-winger in the club's football team.