Walter Kohler junior

File: Walter Jodok Kohler
, Jr.San Diego Air and Space Museum, SDASM Archives

Walter Jodok Kohler, Jr. ( April 4, 1904 in Sheboygan , Wisconsin , †  March 21, 1976 ) was an American politician and from 1951 to 1957 the 33rd governor of the state of Wisconsin.

Early years

As the son of the former governor of Wisconsin, Walter Kohler Sr. , the younger Walter Kohler was born into the dynasty of owners of the Kohler factories . He attended Phillips Academy in Andover ( Massachusetts ) and then to 1925 the Yale University . He then worked in his family's company, where he soon rose to the position of director. During the Second World War he was in the US Navy reserves until 1943 . Then he was used in the Pacific region. After the war, he returned to the family businesses. He became head of the Vollrather Company , which also belonged to this group of companies.

Political career

As a member of the Republican Party , Kohler was a delegate to the 1948 Republican National Convention , at which Thomas E. Dewey was nominated as a presidential candidate. In 1950 he was elected the new governor of his state with 53.2 percent of the vote against the Democrat Carl W. Thompson. After two successful re-elections in 1952 and 1954, he was able to serve as governor between January 1, 1951 and January 7, 1957. During this time, the Wisconsin constituencies were reorganized according to population density and the educational institutions in the country improved.

In 1956 Kohler decided not to run again. Instead, he ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the US Senate , which had become vacant after the death of Joseph McCarthy . Thereupon Kohler withdrew from politics and became president of the Vollrather Company again. He died in 1976. Walter Kohler Jr. was married twice with a total of two children.

Web links

• Walter Kohler junior in the database of the National Governors Association (English)
• Online biography (English)
• Walter Kohler Jr. in the database of Find a Grave (English)