The Sol Z. and Gisela Imm Bloomenkranz Fund

University of Wisconsin–Madison European Studies

Mr. Sol Bloomenkranz (1923-2017), a friend of the University of Wisconsin–Madison,
established a fund in the Center for German and European Studies as a living tribute to the life
and memory of his wife Gisela, who he described as “the most gentle soul who was selflessly
committed to making everybody’s life a brighter experience.” Sol and Gisela Bloomenkranz
spent the majority of their married life of 58 years in major European capitals and U.S. cities.
Mrs. Bloomenkranz (1917-2014) grew up in different countries around the globe, and due to the
fluency in German, English, French and Spanish, held a position as interpreter for Germany’s
leading newspaper, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

Sol studied Political Science at Northwestern in his native Chicago, until his studies were
interrupted by World War Two. He served in the army, returned to Chicago to finish his degree,
and then went on to graduate studies in history at the University of Zurich. While working for
over a decade for the U.S. government in Europe, Sol met Gisela in Frankfurt. After their
marriage, Gisela raised sons Larry and Dick while Sol left government service and became
successful in European advertising. In their retirement in Florida, Sol’s love of geopolitics
prompted him to found a chapter of the American Council on Germany, a bipartisan organization
which seeks to promote a greater understanding of German and European affairs. Committed
transatlanticists in marriage and life, Sol and Gisela Bloomenkranz embodied the strong
partnership between Europe and the U.S. so central to peace and prosperity since 1945. With his
creation of the Sol Z. and Gisela Imm Bloomenkranz Fund, Sol aimed to ensure the transatlantic
commitment to European and American welfare. This fund memorializes Sol and Gisela’s
important work, with the deepest recognition of their generosity.