Frederick Brockhausen
Encyclopedia
Frederick Carl Brockhausen, Jr. (May 20, 1858 - 1929) was a cigar maker and trade union
activist from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
who spent four terms as a Socialist
member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
.
, Denmark
on May 20, 1858. He attended public schools and became a journeyman
cigar maker in 1877. While working on the German
island of Föhr
in North Frisia
, he joined both the Social Democratic Party
and the cigarmakers' union. He migrated to the United States
in 1879, and to Milwaukee soon after; but later spent some time in New York
, Iowa
, Montana
, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
, and St. Paul, Minnesota, before finally settling permanently in Milwaukee in 1894. He joined the Cigar Makers' International Union
in 1890 while working in St. Paul, and in 1897, after participating in the People's Party
during the 1896 election, joined the Milwaukee branch of the Social Democracy of America
. He was an associate of fellow Socialist Frank J. Weber
in the early years of the Wisconsin State Federation of Labor, and served as its unpaid secretary-treasurer from 1900-1912; the Wisconsin Historical Society
's Dictionary of Wisconsin History describes him as "in effect, its executive officer and legislative representative". In 1903 he was among the leaders of the push for worker's compensation: statutory recognition of an injured worker's right to compensation without court action.
of the City of Milwaukee) in 1904, defeating former Assemblyman Republican
Herman Pomrening by 9 votes in a three-way race, with 1924 votes for Brockhausen, 1915 for Pomrening, and 1163 for Democrat
Charles Miksch. (Democratic incumbent Frank Haderer, who had ousted Pomrening in 1902, was not a candidate.) Brockhausen was assigned to the standing committee
on manufactures
. He was more easily re-elected in 1906, and remained on what was now the committee on manufactures and labor. In 1908, with no Republican in the race, he defeated Miksch 1575 to 1288, and moved to the committee on municipalities. In 1910, with the Socialists sweeping Milwaukee's elections, he won 1983 votes to a total of 998 for his three opponents combined. He moved to the committees on taxation, on charitable and penal institutions, and the newly-created committee on workmen's compensation. This session of the Legislature was to see worker's compensation enacted into law in 1911, the first such statute in the United States.
. Rather than run against Vint (who won re-election) he ran for the Wisconsin State Senate
, losing to Democrat Alexander E. Martin by a narrow margin in a five-way race. After his loss, he relinquished his union and party responsibilities to devote his time to his cigar business, but retained his Socialist and labor zeal.
In 1916 he ran again for the Assembly's 14th Milwaukee County district, losing by 29 votes to Democrat Thomas Szewczykowski.
He served on the State Council of Defense (chairman of its labor committee) during World War I
, and on the board of trustees of the Milwaukee County Institutions (1921-1929). He died in 1929. His papers are in the collections of the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
activist from Milwaukee, 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...
who spent four terms as a Socialist
Socialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Wisconsin State Assembly
The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin....
.
Background
Brockhausen was born in FredericiaFredericia
Fredericia is a town located in Fredericia municipality in the eastern part of the Jutland peninsula in Denmark, in a sub-region known locally as Trekanten, or The Triangle...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
on May 20, 1858. He attended public schools and became a journeyman
Journeyman
A journeyman is someone who completed an apprenticeship and was fully educated in a trade or craft, but not yet a master. To become a master, a journeyman had to submit a master work piece to a guild for evaluation and be admitted to the guild as a master....
cigar maker in 1877. While working on the German
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
island of Föhr
Föhr
Föhr is one of the North Frisian Islands on the German coast of the North Sea. It is part of the Nordfriesland district in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein. Föhr is the second-largest North Sea island of Germany....
in North Frisia
North Frisia
North Frisia or Northern Friesland is the northernmost portion of Frisia, located primarily in Germany between the rivers Eider and Wiedau/Vidå. It includes a number of islands, e.g., Sylt, Föhr, Amrum, Nordstrand, and Heligoland.-History:...
, he joined both the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
and the cigarmakers' union. He migrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1879, and to Milwaukee soon after; but later spent some time in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Chippewa Falls is a city located on the Chippewa River in Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 13,661 at the 2010 census. Incorporated as a city in 1869, it is the county seat of Chippewa County....
, and St. Paul, Minnesota, before finally settling permanently in Milwaukee in 1894. He joined the Cigar Makers' International Union
Cigar Makers' International Union
The Journeymen Cigar Makers' International Union of America was a labor union established in 1864 that represented workers in the cigar industry...
in 1890 while working in St. Paul, and in 1897, after participating in the People's Party
People's Party
The People's Party, Peoples Party, or Popular Party, is any of several political parties claiming to speak for the people.People's Parties in various countries run the gamut from left to right...
during the 1896 election, joined the Milwaukee branch of the Social Democracy of America
Social Democracy of America
The Social Democracy of America , later known as the Co-operative Brotherhood, was a short lived party in the United States that sought to combine the planting of an intentional community with political action in order to create a socialist society...
. He was an associate of fellow Socialist Frank J. Weber
Frank J. Weber
Frank J. Weber was a seaman, carpenter and union organizer from Milwaukee who between 1907 and 1926 served five terms as a Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.- Background :...
in the early years of the Wisconsin State Federation of Labor, and served as its unpaid secretary-treasurer from 1900-1912; the Wisconsin Historical Society
Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society is simultaneously a private membership and a state-funded organization whose purpose is to maintain, promote and spread knowledge relating to the history of North America, with an emphasis on the state of Wisconsin and the trans-Allegheny West...
's Dictionary of Wisconsin History describes him as "in effect, its executive officer and legislative representative". In 1903 he was among the leaders of the push for worker's compensation: statutory recognition of an injured worker's right to compensation without court action.
Legislative service
He was first elected to the Assembly from Milwaukee County's 11th Assembly district (the 11th WardWards of the United States
In the United States, a ward is an optional division of a city or town, especially an electoral district, for administrative and representative purposes...
of the City of Milwaukee) in 1904, defeating former Assemblyman Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Herman Pomrening by 9 votes in a three-way race, with 1924 votes for Brockhausen, 1915 for Pomrening, and 1163 for Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Charles Miksch. (Democratic incumbent Frank Haderer, who had ousted Pomrening in 1902, was not a candidate.) Brockhausen was assigned to the standing committee
Standing Committee
In the United States Congress, standing committees are permanent legislative panels established by the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate rules. . Because they have legislative jurisdiction, standing committees consider bills and issues and recommend measures for...
on manufactures
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
. He was more easily re-elected in 1906, and remained on what was now the committee on manufactures and labor. In 1908, with no Republican in the race, he defeated Miksch 1575 to 1288, and moved to the committee on municipalities. In 1910, with the Socialists sweeping Milwaukee's elections, he won 1983 votes to a total of 998 for his three opponents combined. He moved to the committees on taxation, on charitable and penal institutions, and the newly-created committee on workmen's compensation. This session of the Legislature was to see worker's compensation enacted into law in 1911, the first such statute in the United States.
After the Assembly
In 1912, his Assembly district had been merged with part of that represented by fellow Socialist James VintJames Vint
James H. Vint was a machinist from Milwaukee, Wisconsin who served three terms as a Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.- Background :...
. Rather than run against Vint (who won re-election) he ran for the Wisconsin State Senate
Wisconsin State Senate
The Wisconsin Senate, the powers of which are modeled after those of the U.S. Senate, is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature, smaller than the Wisconsin State Assembly...
, losing to Democrat Alexander E. Martin by a narrow margin in a five-way race. After his loss, he relinquished his union and party responsibilities to devote his time to his cigar business, but retained his Socialist and labor zeal.
In 1916 he ran again for the Assembly's 14th Milwaukee County district, losing by 29 votes to Democrat Thomas Szewczykowski.
He served on the State Council of Defense (chairman of its labor committee) 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...
, and on the board of trustees of the Milwaukee County Institutions (1921-1929). He died in 1929. His papers are in the collections of the Wisconsin Historical Society.