Levy Summer Series – Professor Frank Tuerkheimer

“Bronisław Huberman and the Heroic Origins of the Israel Philharmonic” – Professor Frank Tuerkheimer
Professor of Law Emeritus – University of Wisconsin Law School, Madison

Professor Tuerkheimer will describe a story of courage and perseverance. When Hitler came to power, he was quick to apply his anti-Semitic policies to music, getting Jewish musicians removed from German orchestras. The process was so abrupt that conductor Wilhelm Steinberg had his baton taken from him by Nazis who entered the opera house where he was rehearsing. It is a remarkable story of personalities and politics, and the key role of violinist Bronislaw Huberman, who formed this orchestra.

Through the last several decades Professor Tuerkheimer has taught courses, wrote and researched on many aspects of the law. As to service beyond the Law School and University community, Frank Tuerkheimer has worked on the Watergate Prosecution staff where he was in charge of the investigation into illegal dairy industry contributions and was chief trial counsel in the case against former Secretary of the Treasury John Connally. He has served as U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, where, among other things, he initiated a model Clean Water Act enforcement program.