George Brumder
Encyclopedia
George Brumder
was a German-American newspaper
publisher and businessman born in Breuschwickersheim
, Alsace-Lorraine
, France
. He was the fifteenth of sixteen children born to Georg and Christina Brumder. In 1857, at the age of 18, Brumder immigrated to Wisconsin
with his older sister, Anna Maria, to attend her wedding to a Lutheran minister, Gotlieb Reim. George's first employment was clearing land near Helenville, Wisconsin
, though shortly after arriving in the United States, he bade his sister and new brother-in-law farewell and set off on foot on a 45 mile journey to Milwaukee. He became a member of a crew that laid Milwaukee's first street car tracks and later became the foreman of the crew—a fact he remained proud of throughout his life. Brumder soon joined Grace Lutheran Church in Milwaukee where he met his future wife, Henriette Brandhorst, a Prussia
n immigrant who was born in 1841 and arrived in America in 1853.
The two were married on July 16, 1864 and they invested what little money they had in a small bookstore George opened a few months earlier at 306 W. Water Street. The bookstore flourished and the Brumders added a small printing
department and book bindery
and began publishing books for the Lutheran Church. Around the same time, a group of prominent German immigrants formed the German Protestant Publishing Company and selected the name Germania for their name of their first publication, a weekly and daily newspaper. That venture ran into financial difficulty due to cost overruns and limited circulation and the group sought Brumder's assistance. Under his stewardship, the publication eventually thrived. Brumder bought out controlling interest in the company in 1874. In 1897, Brumder bought the Milwaukee daily Abend-Post and Sontags Journal and changed the name of Germania to Germania Abend-Post. Brumder acquired several other papers over the years including the Lincoln Freie Presse (1904) and the daily Milwaukee Herold
(1906). Brumder eventually controlled most of Milwaukee's German language
newspapers and also owned German papers in Chicago
and Lincoln, Nebraska
, as well as in several other Wisconsin towns. He was also president of the Germania National Bank (1903–1910) and of the Concordia Fire Insurance Company (1897–1909). Among other business ventures, Brumder briefly owned the American League
Boston Red Sox
from 1903 to 1904, during their first pennant
win.
In 1896, Brumder built a new headquarters for his growing publishing empire at 135 W. Wells St. The 8-story Germania Building
, as it was called, was designed by German-trained architects Schnetzky & Liebert and was, at the time of its construction, the largest office building in the city of Milwaukee. In 1918, the building's name was changed to the Brumder Building in response to anti-German sentiment
during World War I
but was changed back to the Germania Building after a significant renovation in 1981. 17 years after Brumder's 1910 death, the printing presses were removed from the basement levels of the building, giving the city its first underground parking garage. The Beaux-Arts/Classical Revival building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1983.
George and Henriette had eleven children, seven of whom survived them. Amalie Christine was born April 29, 1865, Ida Johanna was born April 27, 1867, William Charles was born October 8, 1868, Emma Dorothea was born July 12, 1870, Alfred William was born April 16, 1871 (died at four and a half months), Alfred Julius was born April 9, 1874, Henriette Mathilda was born May 28, 1875 (died two and a half months), Ella was born in March 1876 (died at one month), George Fredrick was born May 27, 1878, Herman Otto was born May 21, 1880, and Herbert Paul was born July 21, 1885.
Brumder died unexpectedly at the age of 71 on May 9, 1910 from a brain hemorrhage. He is buried at Forest Home Cemetery
in Milwaukee (Section 33, Lots 31 and 32).
Brumder's business and social contributions to Milwaukee, to Wisconsin, and to the United States were signified in part by several conferences with President William McKinley
when he was in Milwaukee, a meeting with President Theodore Roosevelt
at the White House
, and dinner with President William Howard Taft
at the White House. Upon his death, his wife received letters of condolence from President Taft as well as many leading officials and citizens of this nation, and the flag at Milwaukee City Hall
was flown at half mast.
was a German-American newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
publisher and businessman born in Breuschwickersheim
Breuschwickersheim
Breuschwickersheim is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
, Alsace-Lorraine
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He was the fifteenth of sixteen children born to Georg and Christina Brumder. In 1857, at the age of 18, Brumder immigrated to Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
with his older sister, Anna Maria, to attend her wedding to a Lutheran minister, Gotlieb Reim. George's first employment was clearing land near Helenville, Wisconsin
Helenville, Wisconsin
Helenville is a census-designated place in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 249 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Helenville is located at ....
, though shortly after arriving in the United States, he bade his sister and new brother-in-law farewell and set off on foot on a 45 mile journey to Milwaukee. He became a member of a crew that laid Milwaukee's first street car tracks and later became the foreman of the crew—a fact he remained proud of throughout his life. Brumder soon joined Grace Lutheran Church in Milwaukee where he met his future wife, Henriette Brandhorst, a Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n immigrant who was born in 1841 and arrived in America in 1853.
The two were married on July 16, 1864 and they invested what little money they had in a small bookstore George opened a few months earlier at 306 W. Water Street. The bookstore flourished and the Brumders added a small printing
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
department and book bindery
Bindery
Bindery refers to a studio, workshop or factory where sheets of paper are fastened together to make books, but also where gold and other decorative elements are added to the exterior of books, where boxes or slipcases for books are made and where the restoration of books is carried out.-Overview:A...
and began publishing books for the Lutheran Church. Around the same time, a group of prominent German immigrants formed the German Protestant Publishing Company and selected the name Germania for their name of their first publication, a weekly and daily newspaper. That venture ran into financial difficulty due to cost overruns and limited circulation and the group sought Brumder's assistance. Under his stewardship, the publication eventually thrived. Brumder bought out controlling interest in the company in 1874. In 1897, Brumder bought the Milwaukee daily Abend-Post and Sontags Journal and changed the name of Germania to Germania Abend-Post. Brumder acquired several other papers over the years including the Lincoln Freie Presse (1904) and the daily Milwaukee Herold
Milwaukee Herold
The Milwaukee Herold was a German language daily newspaper, published from 1860-1931 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It had a weekly edition for some time, which in 1918 was merged with the weekly edition of Germania to form the new Milwaukee America. It was part of the publishing empire of George Brumder....
(1906). Brumder eventually controlled most of Milwaukee's German language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
newspapers and also owned German papers in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
, as well as in several other Wisconsin towns. He was also president of the Germania National Bank (1903–1910) and of the Concordia Fire Insurance Company (1897–1909). Among other business ventures, Brumder briefly owned the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
from 1903 to 1904, during their first pennant
Pennant (sports)
A pennant is a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular athletic team. Pennants have been historically used in all types of athletic levels: high school, collegiate, professional etc. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the official colors of a...
win.
In 1896, Brumder built a new headquarters for his growing publishing empire at 135 W. Wells St. The 8-story Germania Building
Germania Building
The Germania Building is an eight-story historic Beaux-Arts/Classical Revival building at 135 W. Wells St. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was built in 1896 for George Brumder to house the headquarters of his burgeoning publishing empire...
, as it was called, was designed by German-trained architects Schnetzky & Liebert and was, at the time of its construction, the largest office building in the city of Milwaukee. In 1918, the building's name was changed to the Brumder Building in response to anti-German sentiment
Anti-German sentiment
Anti-German sentiment is defined as an opposition to or fear of Germany, its inhabitants, and the German language. Its opposite is Germanophilia.-Russia:...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
but was changed back to the Germania Building after a significant renovation in 1981. 17 years after Brumder's 1910 death, the printing presses were removed from the basement levels of the building, giving the city its first underground parking garage. The Beaux-Arts/Classical Revival building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1983.
George and Henriette had eleven children, seven of whom survived them. Amalie Christine was born April 29, 1865, Ida Johanna was born April 27, 1867, William Charles was born October 8, 1868, Emma Dorothea was born July 12, 1870, Alfred William was born April 16, 1871 (died at four and a half months), Alfred Julius was born April 9, 1874, Henriette Mathilda was born May 28, 1875 (died two and a half months), Ella was born in March 1876 (died at one month), George Fredrick was born May 27, 1878, Herman Otto was born May 21, 1880, and Herbert Paul was born July 21, 1885.
Brumder died unexpectedly at the age of 71 on May 9, 1910 from a brain hemorrhage. He is buried at Forest Home Cemetery
Forest Home Cemetery
Forest Home Cemetery located in the Lincoln Village neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the final resting place of many of the city's famed beer barons, politicians and social elite...
in Milwaukee (Section 33, Lots 31 and 32).
Brumder's business and social contributions to Milwaukee, to Wisconsin, and to the United States were signified in part by several conferences with President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
when he was in Milwaukee, a meeting with President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, and dinner with President William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
at the White House. Upon his death, his wife received letters of condolence from President Taft as well as many leading officials and citizens of this nation, and the flag at Milwaukee City Hall
Milwaukee City Hall
City Hall is the scene of the largest Socialist victory ever registered in an American city, when in 1910 Emil Seidel and a majority Socialist Common Council swept into office. Although the Socialist majority on the Common Council was short-lived, the city was led by Socialist mayors from 1916 to...
was flown at half mast.