Anna Ottendorfer
Encyclopedia
Anna Ottendorfer was a United States
journalist
and philanthropist
. She was associated with the development of the German-language
New Yorker Staats-Zeitung into a major newspaper
.
.
. In 1845, her husband purchased the New Yorker Staats-Zeitung, then a small weekly paper edited by Gustav Adolph Neuman. Jacob Uhl's young wife helped him constantly, and, after a brief period, the weekly changed to a daily. When, in 1852, Jacob Uhl died, leaving Anna Uhl with six children and a daily paper, she assumed the management
of the paper. She declined several offers for the Staats-Zeitung, and, by her own energy and sagacity and the co-operation of Oswald Ottendorfer
, who became editor in 1858 and who Anna married in 1859, made it one of the chief papers in the United States. By the 1870's, its circulation was comparable to English-language
newspapers like the New York Tribune
and the New York Times. Anna Ottendorfer took an active part in the management of the paper until almost the time of her death.
In 1879, the property of the company was changed into a stock company. At Anna Ottendorfer's suggestion, the employees were provided with a 10% dividend on their annual salary. Later this was increased to 15%.
.
In 1875, she established the Isabella Home for Aged Women in Astoria, Long Island, named in memory of a deceased daughter, expending $150,000 on the building and endowment. She contributed $40,000 to an education
al fund, built the women's pavilion of the German Hospital
, New York City, at a cost of $75,000, and gave $100,000 for the German Dispensary
. In 1883, Ottendorfer received a gold medal from the Empress Augusta
of Germany
in recognition of her aid to flood victims in that country in 1882 and 1883. In her will, she left additional sums for her charitable foundations, and bequeathed $25,000 to the employees of the Staats-Zeitung.
A son and three daughters survived her. Two of her children had died, Hermann Uhl and Isabella Uhl. The surviving children were Emma Schalk; Edward Uhl, who succeeded as business manager at the Staats-Zeitung; Mathilde von Riedl; and Anna Woerishoffer. She had no children with Oswald Ottendorfer.
Her funeral was the largest up to that time for a woman in New York City
; the eulogy was by Carl Schurz
. She left an estate of $3,000,000, and was buried in Greenwood.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
. She was associated with the development of the German-language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
New Yorker Staats-Zeitung into a major newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
.
Early life
She was born the daughter of a poor man named Behr. She came to the United States in 1837, and remained for a year with her brother in Niagara County, New YorkNiagara County, New York
Niagara County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 216,469. The county seat is Lockport. The county name is from the Iroquois word Onguiaahra; meaning the strait or thunder of waters. It is the location of Niagara Falls and Fort Niagara, and...
.
Journalism
In 1838, she married Jacob Uhl, a printerPrinter (publisher)
In publishing, printers are both companies providing printing services and individuals who directly operate printing presses. With the invention of the moveable type printing press by Johannes Gutenberg around 1450, printing—and printers—proliferated throughout Europe.Today, printers are found...
. In 1845, her husband purchased the New Yorker Staats-Zeitung, then a small weekly paper edited by Gustav Adolph Neuman. Jacob Uhl's young wife helped him constantly, and, after a brief period, the weekly changed to a daily. When, in 1852, Jacob Uhl died, leaving Anna Uhl with six children and a daily paper, she assumed the management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
of the paper. She declined several offers for the Staats-Zeitung, and, by her own energy and sagacity and the co-operation of Oswald Ottendorfer
Oswald Ottendorfer
Valentin Oswald Ottendorfer was a United States journalist associated with the development of the German-language New Yorker Staats-Zeitung into a major newspaper.-Education:...
, who became editor in 1858 and who Anna married in 1859, made it one of the chief papers in the United States. By the 1870's, its circulation was comparable to English-language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
newspapers like the New York Tribune
New York Tribune
The New York Tribune was an American newspaper, first established by Horace Greeley in 1841, which was long considered one of the leading newspapers in the United States...
and the New York Times. Anna Ottendorfer took an active part in the management of the paper until almost the time of her death.
In 1879, the property of the company was changed into a stock company. At Anna Ottendorfer's suggestion, the employees were provided with a 10% dividend on their annual salary. Later this was increased to 15%.
Philanthropy
She devoted much attention to charitable enterprises, her main interests being the welfare of women and children and German cultureCulture of Germany
German culture began long before the rise of Germany as a nation-state and spanned the entire German-speaking world. From its roots, culture in Germany has been shaped by major intellectual and popular currents in Europe, both religious and secular...
.
In 1875, she established the Isabella Home for Aged Women in Astoria, Long Island, named in memory of a deceased daughter, expending $150,000 on the building and endowment. She contributed $40,000 to an education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
al fund, built the women's pavilion of the German Hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
, New York City, at a cost of $75,000, and gave $100,000 for the German Dispensary
Dispensary
A dispensary is an office in a school, hospital or other organization that dispenses medications and medical supplies. In a traditional dispensary set-up a pharmacist dispenses medication as per prescription or order form....
. In 1883, Ottendorfer received a gold medal from the Empress Augusta
Empress Augusta
Empress Augusta can refer to:* Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, the spouse of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany* Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, the spouse of Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany...
of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in recognition of her aid to flood victims in that country in 1882 and 1883. In her will, she left additional sums for her charitable foundations, and bequeathed $25,000 to the employees of the Staats-Zeitung.
Death
She died at her home at 7 East 17th Street.A son and three daughters survived her. Two of her children had died, Hermann Uhl and Isabella Uhl. The surviving children were Emma Schalk; Edward Uhl, who succeeded as business manager at the Staats-Zeitung; Mathilde von Riedl; and Anna Woerishoffer. She had no children with Oswald Ottendorfer.
Her funeral was the largest up to that time for a woman in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
; the eulogy was by Carl Schurz
Carl Schurz
Carl Christian Schurz was a German revolutionary, American statesman and reformer, and Union Army General in the American Civil War. He was also an accomplished journalist, newspaper editor and orator, who in 1869 became the first German-born American elected to the United States Senate.His wife,...
. She left an estate of $3,000,000, and was buried in Greenwood.
External links
- Zur Erinnerung an Anna Ottendorfer, 1884 at Google Books (mostly in GermanGerman languageGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, but some biographical and other information is in EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.) - Biography at germanamericanpioneers.org