Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-21
Louis Won Baumbach.


The following Geographic sketch of this
distinguished citizen of Milwaukee and
father of our popular secretary of state
whose recent decease was mentioned at the
time IN the GLOBE, is translated from the
InternGtionale FreundSchGftS und Handels
Beziehangen, published at Stuttgart, Ger
many.
Louis Won Baumbach, who departed this
life on the 18th of January last, in the
eighty-fourth year of his age, in the city
OF Milwaukee, formerly occupied prom
lnent political position in Germany, being
distinguished member of the Frankfort
parliament of 1S4S. He was born on the
I'D of April, 1899, in the old electorate of
Hesse Cassel. and his older brother, Moritz
Won Baumbach,is known to history as hay
ing been president of the first elected
constitutional diet of the electorate, over
which he presided from April 1881, till July,
1882. He was also a member of the
commission of impeachment against
Hassenpfug, whose tyranny won for him
the title of "Hessenduch," the curse of
Hesse. He became again president of the
diet in 1889, which position he occupied
till he was promoted, in March, 1848, to
the chair of minister of justice, in which
latter position he acquired an honorable
celebrity. A younger brother, Ernst, also
participated conspicuously in the constitu-
tional contest Tor revolution) of the cleo
torate.
Like his brothers, Louis was also de-
termined and Jealous adherent to the cause
of constitutional liberty. He was not
without considerable military experience,
likewise, having enlisted enthusiastically
in the war for German independence
against the French giant (Napoleon II
and the remembrance of the deeds achieved
in this service in his early youth remained
dear to him in his old age. He retired
from the army with the rank of captain,
and devoted himself to the
management of the family
estates, until in 1888, he was chosen a
member of the diet, by which body he was
elected to the presidency. Nov. %, 1S48
he entered the parliament of Frankfort
remaining member till Feb. 16, 1849
and associating himself with that center
which held their sessions in the court of
Augsburg.
The situation of Germany, and especial
ly of his fatherland, Hesse Cassel,
at that time, filled the heart
of this observing patriot with deepest con-
Germ. He foresaw the coming reaction, and
perceived that one of its results would be
the restoration to power in the electorate
of the party of Hassenphug and the re-
vival of their system of atrocious tyranny
which had so recently threatened the peace
and happiness of the country. Not upon
his own account, for he was already too
we'll advanced in years to be seriously in
| convenienced by the approaching change,
but for the sake of his children, he dis
posed of his property and emil
grated to America. He de-
| sired to place his sons where
they might enjoy an opportunity to de-
velop fully whatever talents they pos
| sessed, and the Germany of that day af-
forded no ground for the hope that they
| would be able to do so there.
Mr.. Baumbach first went to Ohio and
| purchased farm, dividing his time about
equally between its management and de-
| votioA to public affairs. He correspondent
| with several of the most influential news
papers of Germany and his letters have
been published in book form in
| two volumes, under the title:
'Briefe aus den Vereinigten
Staten in die Heimath." In 1857 he re-
| moved to Milwaukee and was appointed
| consul for Bavaria, Wurtemburg, Baden,
Nassau, Weimar and Mecklenburg, and
later, until the inauguration of its present
system of permanent consulates, acted,
| also, for the German government. He
was universally held in high esteem, and
up almost to the hour of his peaceful de-
mise, interested himself actively in public
| and benevolent enterprises.
He had the satisfaction of witnessing
the fulillnent of his hopes and wishes con-
corning his family. Four of his CONS,
Moritz, Ernst, Wilhelm and Carl, are much
esteemed citizens of Milwaukee, and the
fifth, Friedrich, is the present secretary of
state of Minnesota. One of his
daughters, Mrs. Rudolph Won Kelten
born. lately of Milwaukee, deceased before
her father, and the other, Mrs. Rosenthal,
is wife of the German consul of San Fran
cisco.