Fred Biermann
Encyclopedia
Frederick Elliott Biermann (March 20, 1884 – July 1, 1968) was a three-term Democratic U.S. Representative
from Iowa's 4th congressional district
. Elected as part of the 1932 Roosevelt landslide, he was defeated when running for a fourth term by an opponent from his own small community of Decorah, Iowa
.
in 1884, Biermann moved to Decorah four years later, following his mother's death, to live with an aunt. After graduating from Decorah High School in 1901, he attended the University of Minnesota
in Minneapolis for three years before transferring to Columbia University
in New York City
, where he graduated in 1905. He returned to Decorah and taught at Valder's Business College. He homesteaded
in Morton County
, North Dakota
, then attended Harvard Law School
in 1906 and 1907, before returning to Decorah the following year to become half-owner of the Decorah Journal. He became the sole owner in 1911. Starting in 1913, he also served as Decorah's postmaster.
His service as editor and postmaster was interrupted when he volunteered for service in the U.S. Army during the First World War.
He was commissioned as a second lieutenant and then as a first lieutenant in the 88th Infantry Division.
He served from April 1917 until June 1919, including ten months overseas.
After the war, he continued to serve as postmaster (until 1923) and editor and publisher of the Journal. In the 1920s his editorials and speeches were often repeated and critiqued on the editorial pages of other area newspapers, such as the Mason City Globe-Gazette and the Oelwein Daily Register. When he sold the Journal in 1931, he explained that burns he had received nine years earlier in an X-ray accident had crippled him.
In March 1932 Biermann announced his candidacy for the U.S. House seat in Iowa's 4th congressional district
, then held by the longest-serving member of Congress, sixteen-term Republican Gilbert N. Haugen
. As part of the Roosevelt landslide, Biermann won by over 20,000 votes
.
Biermann won the next two elections, but by increasingly narrow margins. His adversary in 1936 was Henry O. Talle
, a Professor of Economics at Luther College
in Decorah. While Biermann defeated Talle that year, two years later (as part of a Republican sweep of all but two U.S. House seats) Talle defeated Biermann by over 4,000 votes.
Biermann's Congressional service, which began March 4, 1933, ended on January 3, 1939. As a congressman, Biermann served as delegate to the Interparliamentary Union Conference at Paris in 1937.
He was also a delegate to Democratic National Conventions in 1940 and 1956.
He died in La Crosse, Wisconsin
, on July 1, 1968. He was interred in Phelps Cemetery, in Decorah.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Iowa's 4th congressional district
Iowa's 4th congressional district
Iowa's 4th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that covers most of the north-central part of the state....
. Elected as part of the 1932 Roosevelt landslide, he was defeated when running for a fourth term by an opponent from his own small community of Decorah, Iowa
Decorah, Iowa
Decorah is a city in and the county seat of Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 8,172 at the 2000 census. Decorah is located at the intersection of State Highway 9 and U.S...
.
Personal background
Born in Rochester, MinnesotaRochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
in 1884, Biermann moved to Decorah four years later, following his mother's death, to live with an aunt. After graduating from Decorah High School in 1901, he attended the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in Minneapolis for three years before transferring to Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
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...
, where he graduated in 1905. He returned to Decorah and taught at Valder's Business College. He homesteaded
Homestead (buildings)
A homestead is either a single building, or collection of buildings grouped together on a large agricultural holding, such as a ranch, station or a large agricultural operation of some other designation.-See also:* Farm house* Homestead Act...
in Morton County
Morton County, North Dakota
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 25,303 people, 9,889 households, and 6,932 families residing in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile . There were 10,587 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, then attended Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1906 and 1907, before returning to Decorah the following year to become half-owner of the Decorah Journal. He became the sole owner in 1911. Starting in 1913, he also served as Decorah's postmaster.
His service as editor and postmaster was interrupted when he volunteered for service in the U.S. Army during the First World War.
He was commissioned as a second lieutenant and then as a first lieutenant in the 88th Infantry Division.
He served from April 1917 until June 1919, including ten months overseas.
After the war, he continued to serve as postmaster (until 1923) and editor and publisher of the Journal. In the 1920s his editorials and speeches were often repeated and critiqued on the editorial pages of other area newspapers, such as the Mason City Globe-Gazette and the Oelwein Daily Register. When he sold the Journal in 1931, he explained that burns he had received nine years earlier in an X-ray accident had crippled him.
Political service
During the 1920s, Biermann was actively involved in the Democratic Party, serving on the Central Committee of the Iowa Democratic Party for eight years, and as delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1928.In March 1932 Biermann announced his candidacy for the U.S. House seat in Iowa's 4th congressional district
Iowa's 4th congressional district
Iowa's 4th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that covers most of the north-central part of the state....
, then held by the longest-serving member of Congress, sixteen-term Republican Gilbert N. Haugen
Gilbert N. Haugen
Gilbert Nelson Haugen was a seventeen-term Republican U.S. Representative from Iowa's 4th congressional district, then located in northeastern Iowa. For nearly five years, he was the longest-serving member of the House...
. As part of the Roosevelt landslide, Biermann won by over 20,000 votes
Iowa's 4th congressional district
Iowa's 4th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that covers most of the north-central part of the state....
.
Biermann won the next two elections, but by increasingly narrow margins. His adversary in 1936 was Henry O. Talle
Henry O. Talle
Henry Oscar Talle was an economics professor and a ten-term Republican U.S. Representative from eastern Iowa. He served in the United States Congress for twenty years from 1938 until 1958.-Background:...
, a Professor of Economics at Luther College
Luther College (Iowa)
Luther College is a four-year, residential liberal arts institution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, located in Decorah, Iowa, USA...
in Decorah. While Biermann defeated Talle that year, two years later (as part of a Republican sweep of all but two U.S. House seats) Talle defeated Biermann by over 4,000 votes.
Biermann's Congressional service, which began March 4, 1933, ended on January 3, 1939. As a congressman, Biermann served as delegate to the Interparliamentary Union Conference at Paris in 1937.
After Congress
Biermann was appointed United States Marshal for northern Iowa in October 1940, in which capacity he served until 1953.He was also a delegate to Democratic National Conventions in 1940 and 1956.
He died in La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse is a city in and the county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. The city lies alongside the Mississippi River.The 2011 Census Bureau estimates the city had a population of 52,485...
, on July 1, 1968. He was interred in Phelps Cemetery, in Decorah.