History of the Mosse Family

The Mosse publishing empire began in the late 1800s when Rudolf Mosse moved to Berlin and launched a business that would eventually span over 130 publications. Soon he was one of the wealthiest men in Germany. He and his wife, Emilie, were patrons of the arts, sciences, and a variety of charities, establishing values that would inspire the family for generations to come.

The Mosse empire passed on to Rudolf and Emilie’s daughter Felicia in 1920, and her husband Hans Lachmann-Mosse took over as publisher. His newspapers firmly opposed the rise of National Socialism in Germany, and after Hitler assumed power the Nazis seized the Mosse empire and assets and forced the family into exile.

Hans and Felicia’s children Hilde, Rudolf, and George settled in America and soon became luminaries in their chosen fields. Hilde was a noted doctor and psychiatrist who dealt with children’s mental health and learning issues, while George became a world-renowned historian and scholar of the Third Reich. Hans and Felicia divorced soon after their exile and Hans gained a stepson, Karl, when he remarried. Karl also found academic success in America as an expert in particle physics, eventually becoming the chairman of the Harvard Physics Department.

Karl’s sons Roger and Hans now lead The Mosse Foundation, continuing the family history of philanthropy and patronage of innovative academic and societal advancement. Roger is a venture capitalist and Hans is an architect, and they created the foundation to honor their family legacy and continue its proud traditions.

The following biographies provide more information about each member of the Mosse family, as well as additional resources on their many contributions:

Rudolf and Emilie Mosse
Hans and Felicia Lachmann-Mosse
Dr. Hilde L. Mosse
Rudolf Lachmann-Mosse
George L. Mosse
Karl Strauch
Roger Strauch
Hans D. Strauch