Zelman Cowen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Zelman Cowen
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Cowen in 1968
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| 19th Governor-General of Australia | |
| In office 8 December 1977 – 29 July 1982 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Malcolm Fraser |
| Preceded by | Sir John Kerr |
| Succeeded by | Sir Ninian Stephen |
| Provost of Oriel College, Oxford | |
| In office 1982–1990 |
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| Preceded by | Baron Swann |
| Succeeded by | Ernest Nicholson |
| Vice Chancellor of the University of Queensland | |
| In office 1970–1977 |
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| Preceded by | Sir Fred Schonell |
| Succeeded by | Brian Wilson |
| Vice Chancellor of the University of New England | |
| In office 1966–1970 |
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| Preceded by | Sir Robert Madgwick |
| Succeeded by | Alec Lazenby |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 October 1919 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Died | 8 December 2011 (aged 92) Toorak, Victoria, Australia |
| Spouse |
Anna Wittner
(m. 1945) |
| Children | 4 |
| Profession | Legal professor |
| Signature |  |
Sir Zelman Cowen (7 October 1919 – 8 December 2011) was an important Australian legal expert and university leader. He served as the 19th Governor-General of Australia from 1977 to 1982. The Governor-General is the King's representative in Australia.
Zelman Cowen was born in Melbourne. He went to Scotch College and then the University of Melbourne. His studies were paused during World War II, where he served in the Royal Australian Navy. After the war, he studied at New College, Oxford in England as a Rhodes Scholar. He was a brilliant student and won a special award called the Vinerian Scholarship. He stayed at Oxford for a few years as a fellow at Oriel College, Oxford.
In 1951, Cowen returned to Australia. He became the head of the law school at the University of Melbourne. He was known as an expert in constitutional law, which is about the rules that govern a country. He also taught at many universities overseas. Later, he became the Vice-Chancellor (a top leader) of the University of New England (1966–1970) and the University of Queensland (1970–1977). In 1977, the Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser, chose him to be the Governor-General. He was a popular choice and was the second Jewish person to hold this important role. After his time as Governor-General, he went back to Oxford University.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Zelman Cowen was born in Melbourne in 1919. His family was Jewish, and his grandparents had moved to Australia from Belarus. His family's name was originally Cohen, but it was changed to Cowen when he was young. He went to school at Scotch College and then the University of Melbourne.
During World War II, he joined the Royal Australian Navy. He was in Darwin when it was bombed in 1942. Later, he worked in a special code unit for General MacArthur in Brisbane. In 1945, he married Anna Wittner. After the war, he received a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford University in England. He earned a law degree and won a top award for his studies. He also worked as a legal advisor for the British government in Germany.
A Career in Education and Law
In 1951, Cowen returned to Australia and became the Dean of the Law Faculty at the University of Melbourne. He held this position until 1966. During these years, he often visited and taught at American universities. He also advised the British government on legal matters for countries like Ghana and Hong Kong. He wrote a book about Sir Isaac Isaacs, who was the first Australian-born Governor-General.
In 1966, Cowen became the Vice-Chancellor of the University of New England. A Vice-Chancellor is like the chief executive of a university. The next year, he helped create a TV program that supported a change to the Australian Constitution. This change allowed the Australian government to make laws for Aboriginal people. From 1970 to 1977, he was the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Queensland. This was a challenging time with many student protests, but he managed them with great skill. By this time, he was known as one of the best constitutional lawyers in the world.
Serving as Governor-General
When Sir John Kerr finished his time as Governor-General in 1977, Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser offered the job to Zelman Cowen. He was an excellent choice because he was a respected Australian with a global reputation. His knowledge of the Australian Constitution and law was outstanding. Also, his political opinions were not widely known, which made him a neutral choice. The fact that he was Jewish also showed Australia's growing diversity. He served as Governor-General for four and a half years, from December 1977 to July 1982.
Life After Public Office
After being Governor-General, Sir Zelman Cowen returned to Oxford University. From 1982 to 1990, he was the Provost of Oriel College, Oxford. A Provost is a senior leader in a college. After he retired from this role, he came back to Australia. He became involved in Jewish community activities in Melbourne. He also served on the board of a major newspaper company for five years. He was also a patron of the St Kilda Football Club.
Family Life
On 7 June 1945, Zelman Cowen married Anna Wittner. They had four children: Shimon, Yosef, Kate, and Ben. His son, Rabbi Shimon Cowen, is a director of an important Jewish institute in Melbourne.
Later Years and Legacy
Sir Zelman Cowen had Parkinson's disease for about 15 years before he passed away. He died on 8 December 2011, at the age of 92, at his home in Toorak, Victoria. This was exactly 34 years after he became Governor-General.
His state funeral was held at Temple Beth Israel in St Kilda, Melbourne. Many important people attended, including the Governor-General, Dame Quentin Bryce, Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and several former Prime Ministers.
Awards and Recognition
Sir Zelman Cowen received many honours for his service. In 1976, he was made a Knight. When he became Governor-General in 1977, he received more high honours, including the Knight of the Order of Australia (AK). In 1980, Queen Elizabeth II herself gave him another special award.
The Royal Australian Institute of Architects created the Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture in 1981. This is a very important award for public buildings in Australia.
Melbourne Law School also has a special scholarship named after him, called the Zelman Cowen Scholarship. It is given to top law students based on their academic achievements.
Images for kids
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Cowen in 1968
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Sir Zelman Cowen in July 1979
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Sir Zelman Cowen's signature
