Herbert Brutus Ehrmann, 1891-1970: Lawyer, author. Member, War Labor Policies Bd., 1918-1919; director, Industrial Relations Div. U.S. Shipping Bd., 1919. Junior counsel for Sacco and Vanzetti, 1926-1927. Pres., American Jewish Committee, 1959-1961. Author: The Untried Case (1933 and 1960); The Case That Will Not Die (1969); Under This Roof (1940); The Criminal Courts of Cleveland (1921, with Reginald Haber Smith).
From the description of Papers of Herbert Brutus Ehrmann, 1906-1970 (inclusive), 1926-1968 (bulk). (Harvard Law School Library). WorldCat record id: 122335940
Ehrmann (1891-1970; A.B., 1912, LL.B., 1914) was an American dramatist and author.
From the description of Papers, 1915-1968 (inclusive), 1938-1942 (bulk). (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 79392314
From the guide to the Papers, 1915-1968 (inclusive), 1938-1942 (bulk)., (Harvard Theatre Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard University)
- b.
Louisville, Kentucky, Dec. 15, 1891.
- s. Hilmar and Ernestine (Heissman) E.
- A.B., cum laude, Harvard University, 1912; LL.B., Harvard Law
School, 1914.
- m.
Sara Emilie Rosenfeld, May 12, 1917; children: Hilmar Bruce, Robert Lincoln.
- Admitted to the Massachusetts bar, 1915, and began practice at
Boston; member of law firm Goulston & Storrs, 1921-1970.
- Board of Directors, U.S. Trust Company, Boston.
- Chairman, Women's Clothing Wage Board of Massachusetts,
1915-1919.
- Member, War Labor Policies Board, 1918-1919.
- Director, Industrial Relations Division, U.S. Shipping Board,
1919.
- Counsel (with William G. Thompson) for Sacco and Vanzetti,
1926-1927.
- President, Hale House Association, Greater Boston Federation of
Neighborhood Houses, 1934-1937.
- Trustee, Massachusetts Training Schools, 1933-1937.
- Member, Massachusetts Judicial Council, 1934-1937.
- Member, Massachusetts Civil Service Commission, 1939-1945.
- Referee and panel chairman, N.W.L.B.
- Arbitrator, American Arbitration Association.
- Trustee of Social Law Library, Boston.
- Member, American Jewish Committee; president, 1959-1961; honorary
president, 1961-1970.
- d. 1970.
- The Untried Case: Sacco and Vanzetti and the Morelli Gang,1933; new edition, 1960.
- The Case That Will Not Die: Commonwealth v. Sacco and Vanzetti,1969.
- "Sacco and Vanzetti: The Magnetic Point and the Morelli Evidence." (
Harvard Law Review,vol. 79, no.3), Jan. 1966.
- Under This Roof (play), 1940.
- (With Reginald Heber Smith) "The Criminal Courts" (Part I of the
Cleveland Foundation Survey of Criminal Justice in Cleveland), 1921.
- "Felix." In
Felix Frankfurter: A Tribute,ed. by Wallace Mendelson,
1964.
- "Administration of Criminal Justice" in
Annals of Political Science.
- Also author of book reviews, memorials, and miscellaneous
unpublished pieces, including unpublished fragments of an autobiography.
From the guide to the Papers, 1906-1970, (Harvard Law School Library, Harvard University)
Herbert B. Ehrmann (HBE) was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1891. He graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School and practiced law in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1917 HBE married Sara Emilie Rosenfeld. They had two sons: Hilmar Bruce and Robert Lincoln. With William G. Thompson, HBE served as associate counsel for Sacco and Vanzetti during the closing years of their trial. He wrote two books, The Untried Case and The Case that Will Not Die, about the trial and also wrote articles, an additional book, and a play, "Under this Roof," which was produced on Broadway in 1942. He also translated poetry from the Hebrew language.
He was active in civic affairs and in Jewish organizational life and in 1957 was a member of a nine-man delegation which conducted a 15,000-mile fact-finding survey in Europe, North Africa, and Israel. This delegation was granted a special audience with Pope Pius XII, and was the only Jewish group to be awarded such an honor. The delegation also met with Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and other Israeli officials, and with government leaders in France, Italy, Tunisia, and Morocco. HBE was elected president of the American Jewish Committee in April 1959 and served in that capacity until 1961. He died in 1970. 1
-
Footnotes
- 1"Biographical Sketch: Herbert B. Ehrmann, President, American Jewish Committee," 1959, P-94, Herbert B. Ehrmann Papers, American Jewish Historical Society
- 2"The Tragedy of the S.S. St. Louis," The Jewish Virtual Library, http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/Holocaust/stlouis.html
1891
HBE born in Louisville, Kentucky
1912
Receives A.B. from Harvard
1914
Receives LL.B. from Harvard Law School
1917
Marries Sara Emilie Rosenfeld
1918
Son Hilmar Bruce is born
1921
HBE becomes partner in law firm Goulston and Storrs, Boston, MA; Criminal Courts of Cleveland, Ohio published
1926
Counsel, with William G. Thompson, for Sacco and Vanzetti
1933
The Untried Case (about Sacco and Vanzetti) published
1942
"Under this Roof" produced on Broadway
1954
HBE serves as Chair of the Greater Boston Tercentenary Committee
1957
HBE participates in American Jewish Committee fact-finding mission in Europe, North Africa, and Israel
1959
HBE elected president of American Jewish Committee
1969
The Case that Will Not Die published
1970
HBE dies
From the guide to the Papers of Herbert Brutus Ehrmann papers, undated, 1913-1970 (bulk 1922-1949, 1959-1961), (American Jewish Historical Society)