Emanuel Bronner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Emanuel Bronner
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| Born |
Emanuel Theodor Heilbronner
February 1, 1908 |
| Died | March 7, 1997 (aged 89) Escondido, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Soap maker, entrepreneur |
| Known for | Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps |
Emanuel Theodore Bronner (born Emanuel Heilbronner, February 1, 1908 – March 7, 1997) created Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps. He was famous for using the soap labels to share his ideas about kindness and how all people are connected. He believed in the goodness and unity of everyone.
Early Life and Moving to America
Emanuel Bronner was born in Heilbronn, Germany, on February 1, 1908. His family, the Heilbronners, had been soap makers for a long time. In 1929, he moved to the United States. He changed his name, dropping "Heil" because it sounded like "Heil Hitler," which was connected to the Nazi Party in Germany.
He became a citizen of the United States in 1936. Emanuel's family was Jewish. He tried to convince his parents to leave Germany and join him in America because he was worried about the rising Nazi Party. Sadly, they chose to stay. The last message he got from them was a censored postcard that said, "You were right.—Your loving father." His parents later died during the Holocaust, a terrible time when many Jewish people were killed.
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Emanuel Bronner's certificate from 1936, showing he became a U.S. citizen.
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A portrait of Emanuel Bronner from his naturalization certificate.
Building a Soap Business
Emanuel Bronner started his soap business by making products like castile soap by hand at his home. What made his soaps special were the labels. They were covered with his unique ideas and beliefs. He called his philosophy "All-One-God-Faith" and the "Moral ABC." He printed these messages on every bottle of soap he made.
His ideas came from many different sources. Some were from Jewish and Christian teachings, like the Shema and the Beatitudes. Others came from famous writers such as Rudyard Kipling and Thomas Paine. On his labels, he called the Jewish wise man Hillel the Elder "Rabbi Hillel" and Jesus Christ "Rabbi Jesus." These labels became very well-known for their unusual style, using many hyphens and exclamation marks.
In 1946, while sharing his "Moral ABC" ideas at the University of Chicago, Bronner faced some trouble. He was asked to leave the dean's office but refused, even though a student group had invited him to speak. He was then taken to a mental hospital in Elgin, Illinois. He later escaped after receiving some treatments. Bronner believed these treatments caused him to lose his eyesight later in life.
Growing the Company and Legacy
After moving his family a few times, Emanuel Bronner settled in Escondido, California. There, his soap-making business grew into a small factory. When he passed away in 1997, his company was producing over a million bottles of soap and other products each year. Even with so many products, the process was still done by hand, not by machines.
Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps has been featured in many articles and has supported many good causes. After Emanuel Bronner's death, his family continued to run the business. His grandson, David Bronner, is now the CEO.
Emanuel Bronner's life was also featured in a 2007 documentary film called Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox. It first aired on the Sundance TV channel on July 3, 2007. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an organization that protects ocean wildlife, has a ship named the MV Emanuel Bronner. This ship was donated by the soap company.
