This
file portion of www.watertownhistory.org
website
Weltburger / Weltbuerger
Wepeo
Printing
Kiessling, Elmer C., Watertown
Remembered (Watertown: Watertown Historical Society), 1976, pgs 172-73
David Blumenfeld and D. W. Ballou came here within
the same year, 1853-54. Both were able
editors, loyal Democrats, powerful and fearless editors. Blumenfeld eventually called his paper the Weltburger. Ballou named his the Democrat.
Blumenfeld
edited the Weltburger for over 50
years during an era when it was the most widely read newspaper in the
city. He was prominent in Watertown
society and sired a numerous, talented family, some of whom became linked by
marriage with other old families in the city, while others achieved fame
abroad. His son Ralph told the adventurous story of his
boyhood in Home Town, a book he
published in 1944 after a long career as editor of what was then England's, and
therefore the world's, largest new paper, the London Daily Express. The
elder Blumenfeld died in 1905.
1858
12
23 Arrangements
made for starting another German paper, the Weltburger; Democratic in politics serving the German
population WD
1892
William Reber employed for short while
1950
04 14 Emil Kehl, Printer for 60 Years, Sells
Interest in Weltbuerger
Began Working at Age of 11 Years on Weekly Paper
Emil
Kehl, 502 South Second Street, for 60 years a printer, has retired and has sold
his interest in the Weltbuerger Printing Co. to Charles R. Abel, former
linotype operator for the Jansky Printing Co.
Mr.
Kehl, shown here, is a native of Watertown but left with his parents at the age
of eight and settled at Glenwood. There,
when he was 11 years of age, he went to work for the Glenwood Tribune, a weekly newspaper which is
still being published. He remained with
that paper for some time, then went to work in various newspaper and printing
establishments, earning as he worked. He
worked in Amery and Minneapolis among other places, later returning to
Watertown. Here his first job was with the Republican,
a weekly newspaper which was edited by the late Granton Norris.
German Weekly
He
first became associated with the Weltbuerger,
then a popular German weekly here, when it was edited by the late David
Blumenfeld who was the father of the late Ralph D. Blumenfeld, a famous
newspaper editor in London, editing the famed London Express for many years.
Later
the ownership of the Weltbuerger was
transferred to Milwaukee and then returned to Watertown. Here Mr. Kehl became associated with the late
Otto Krueger and the late Gustav Schwenke in publishing the paper. In 1906 Mr. Kehl left and the paper was
published by Mr. Krueger and Mr. Schwenke.
In 1930 he returned to Watertown and again affiliated with the
publishing concern and remained until his retirement a few days ago.
In
speaking of his experiences, Mr. Kehl said it has been an interesting
career. He witnessed the rise, and
decline of the German newspaper here, for the Weltbuerger is no longer being published. For a time, after it was no longer edited
locally, it was being published in Winona, Minn., and Mr. Kehl served as the
local subscription and advertising representative. He recalls how many difficulties the late Mr.
Blumenfeld had in getting out some issues of the weekly which was then in its
heyday.
Enjoys Wide Clientele
The Weltbuerger, in recent years the
Weltbuerger Printing Co., has enjoyed prosperous business in the job printing
line and Mr. Kehl says he feels certain that it will continue under the present
owners—Adolph Jaeger, who went to work with the Weltbuerger in 1906, and the new partner, Mr. Abel.
In
addition to doing all sorts of job work, the company gets out such publications
as the Northwestern College monthly
magazine, The Black and Red, as well
as the college high school paper and it also does considerable work for the Bethesda Lutheran Home and their clients. In recent years new equipment has been added
to the printing establishment and it enjoys a wide clientele.
Mr.
Kehl will continue to make his home here.
He is a former supervisor for the Twelfth ward, serving on the Jefferson
County board for six years. WDT
2003
Oct Wepco Printing,
Wepeo
Printing Company is the oldest printing operation in Watertown. Founded in
1852, the original "Weltbuerger Printing Co.", published one of the
leading German weekly newspapers in Wisconsin.
The newspaper, titled "der
Weltbuerger" was published until 1932 when English became the dominant
language and the business turned to a commercial printing operation. At that time the business shortened its name
to Wepco Printing (Weltbuerger Printing Company).
Acquired
by Times Publishing, Inc. in 1997, after more than 150 years Wepeo Printing
continues the traditional lead type art as well as utilizing the contemporary
desktop publishing technology giving customers a wide range of quality printing
options. Wepco Printing has four employees:
Cross-References:
Time magazine, 01 02 1933: Last week
the 80-year-old weekly Watertown (Wis.) Weltburger
ceased publication. Famed
German-language publication, it had been edited by Liberal Carl Schurz at one time and by Ralph Blumenfeld, now board chairman of the London Daily Express. Since 1930 the Weltburger had been published by National Weeklies, Inc. in Winona,
Minn.
01 29 1915 Moritz
F. Blumenfeld appointed State Superintendent of Public Property; born in
Watertown in 1859, learned the printer’s trade and was associated with his
father, the late D. Blumenfeld, in the publication of the Watertown Weltberger.
