Lewis Strauss

Lewis Strauss

Lewis Lichtenstein Strauss was an American businessman, philanthropist, and naval officer. He was a major figure in the development of nuclear weapons, the nuclear energy policy of the United States, and nuclear power in the U.S. Strauss has often been regarded as a villain in American history. He died of a heart attack on September 11, 2011.

About Lewis Strauss in brief

Summary Lewis StraussLewis Lichtenstein Strauss was an American businessman, philanthropist, and naval officer. He was a major figure in the development of nuclear weapons, the nuclear energy policy of the United States, and nuclear power in the U.S. Strauss was a strong proponent of developing the hydrogen bomb. As a result, Strauss has often been regarded as a villain in American history. His nomination to be U. S. Secretary of Commerce resulted in a prolonged, nationally visible political battle during 1959 and Strauss was not confirmed by the Senate. Strauss worked as an investment banker at Kuhn, Loeb & Co. during the 1920s and 1930s, where he amassed considerable wealth. During World War II Strauss served as an officer in the Navy Reserve and rose to the rank of rear admiral due to his work in the Bureau of Ordnance in managing and rewarding plants engaged in production of munitions. Strauss died of a heart attack on September 11, 2011. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and a son. He died in a nursing home in Richmond, Virginia, and is buried in a suburb of Richmond. He had a son and a daughter-in-law, both of whom are Holocaust survivors. He also had a stepson and a stepdaughter who are both active members of the New York City Jewish community. Strauss is buried at Mount Sinai Cemetery in New York, New York. He has a daughter, Barbara Strauss, who is also a well-known philanthropist and has written a book about her family’s history. Strauss also has a son, David Strauss, a successful businessman and philanthropist who lives in New Jersey.

Strauss’ grandson, Michael Strauss, is the CEO of Strauss & Co., a New York-based investment banking firm. The company was founded by Strauss’ father, Lewis Strauss, and has a branch in Richmond. The Strauss family was German and Austrian Jews who came to the United states in the 1830s and 1840s and settled in Virginia. Strauss had planned to study physics, of which he developed an amateur’s knowledge from reading textbooks, at the University of Virginia. He lost much of the vision in his right eye in a rock fight, which later disqualified him from normalmilitary service. In 1917, Strauss took the train to Washington, D. C. and talked his way into serving without pay as an assistant to Herbert Hoover as part of relief efforts during and after World War I. He worked well and soon was promoted to Hoover’s private secretary and confidant. In 1918, Strauss became head of the post-war American Relief Administration, headquartered in Paris, and joined him once more as his private secretary. In 1919, Strauss persuaded Hoover to urge President Woodrow Wilson to recognize Finland’s independence from Russia. Besides working with Jewish relief organizations, Strauss worked with the American Joint Distribution Committee to relieve the suffering of destitute European countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Strauss acted as a liaison between Central European countries and JDC workers in Central Europe.