Louis Bamberger | |
---|---|
![]() Louis Bamberger, date unknown | |
Born | |
Died | 11 March 1944 | (aged 88)
Nationality | American |
Family |
Felix Fuld (brother-in-law) Caroline Bamberger Fuld (sister) Moses Hutzler (grandfather) |
Louis Bamberger (15 May 1855 – 11 March 1944) was a citizen of Newark, New Jersey, from the early 1900s until his death in 1944. [1] [2] He and his sister Caroline Bamberger Fuld co-founded the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. [1] [2] He was a businessman and philanthropist and at his death all flags in Newark were flown at half-staff for three days, and his large department store closed for a day. [2]
Louis Bamberger was born in 1855 to a German Jewish family in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Theresa (née Hutzler) and Elkan Bamberger. [1] [2] His mother belonged to the family that ran Hutzler Brothers in Baltimore. [1] His grandfather was Moses Hutzler. [1] He had six siblings: Caroline Bamberger Fuld; Clara "Lavinia" Bamberger; Rosa Bamberger; Julius Bamberger; Pauline Bamberger; and Julia Bamberger. [3]
He came to Newark in 1892 and bought at auction a failing general goods store on Market Street, renaming it L. Bamberger & Company, [1] [2] with his partners, brothers-in-law Felix Fuld and Louis M. Frank. [4] [2] The store was an immediate success, and Bamberger was able to open an ornate chateauesque building in 1912 that covered a whole city block. [2] For decades, Bamberger’s clock was the downtown meeting place for Newarkers. [2] In 1928, the store's sales were $28 million (equivalent to $497 million in 2023), making it the fourth highest grossing store in the United States. [5]
In 1929, Bamberger sold his department store to R.H. Macy and Company, which kept the original Bamberger name. [2] Bamberger knew that he owed his success to hundreds of able employees, and split $1 million among 240 employees. [2] The Bamberger name remained in use for the stores in the New Jersey division of Macy's until 1986. [2]
Bamberger supported both secular and Jewish charities. [2] Bamberger personally funded the buildings for Newark’s YMHA, the Newark Museum, and the New Jersey Historical Society. [2] He worked to help persecuted Jews escape from Germany's Third Reich. [5] Bamberger was also a major contributor to the Community Chest and Beth Israel Hospital. [5]
Bamberger and his sister Caroline Bamberger Fuld worked with Abraham Flexner to found the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. [6] They gave a $5 million endowment to the Institute. Upon Bamberger's death the bulk of his estate was left to the Institute. [1]
Bamberger was a shy man who never married and focused on running his store. [1] [2] His partner Felix Fuld was the more outgoing of the two, and his sister Caroline Bamberger Fuld was most involved in the charity activities of the family. [1]
Louis Bamberger | |
---|---|
![]() Louis Bamberger, date unknown | |
Born | |
Died | 11 March 1944 | (aged 88)
Nationality | American |
Family |
Felix Fuld (brother-in-law) Caroline Bamberger Fuld (sister) Moses Hutzler (grandfather) |
Louis Bamberger (15 May 1855 – 11 March 1944) was a citizen of Newark, New Jersey, from the early 1900s until his death in 1944. [1] [2] He and his sister Caroline Bamberger Fuld co-founded the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. [1] [2] He was a businessman and philanthropist and at his death all flags in Newark were flown at half-staff for three days, and his large department store closed for a day. [2]
Louis Bamberger was born in 1855 to a German Jewish family in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Theresa (née Hutzler) and Elkan Bamberger. [1] [2] His mother belonged to the family that ran Hutzler Brothers in Baltimore. [1] His grandfather was Moses Hutzler. [1] He had six siblings: Caroline Bamberger Fuld; Clara "Lavinia" Bamberger; Rosa Bamberger; Julius Bamberger; Pauline Bamberger; and Julia Bamberger. [3]
He came to Newark in 1892 and bought at auction a failing general goods store on Market Street, renaming it L. Bamberger & Company, [1] [2] with his partners, brothers-in-law Felix Fuld and Louis M. Frank. [4] [2] The store was an immediate success, and Bamberger was able to open an ornate chateauesque building in 1912 that covered a whole city block. [2] For decades, Bamberger’s clock was the downtown meeting place for Newarkers. [2] In 1928, the store's sales were $28 million (equivalent to $497 million in 2023), making it the fourth highest grossing store in the United States. [5]
In 1929, Bamberger sold his department store to R.H. Macy and Company, which kept the original Bamberger name. [2] Bamberger knew that he owed his success to hundreds of able employees, and split $1 million among 240 employees. [2] The Bamberger name remained in use for the stores in the New Jersey division of Macy's until 1986. [2]
Bamberger supported both secular and Jewish charities. [2] Bamberger personally funded the buildings for Newark’s YMHA, the Newark Museum, and the New Jersey Historical Society. [2] He worked to help persecuted Jews escape from Germany's Third Reich. [5] Bamberger was also a major contributor to the Community Chest and Beth Israel Hospital. [5]
Bamberger and his sister Caroline Bamberger Fuld worked with Abraham Flexner to found the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. [6] They gave a $5 million endowment to the Institute. Upon Bamberger's death the bulk of his estate was left to the Institute. [1]
Bamberger was a shy man who never married and focused on running his store. [1] [2] His partner Felix Fuld was the more outgoing of the two, and his sister Caroline Bamberger Fuld was most involved in the charity activities of the family. [1]