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file portion of www.watertownhistory.org
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Weltburger / Weltbuerger
Wepeo Printing
1853-54
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
Another source states that the first Weltburger
location was in the Werner building on the north side of the Main Street bridge
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.
