Axel Rosin

Axel Gerhardt Rosin (December 11, 1907 March 27, 2007) was a philanthropist, president of the Book-of-the-Month Club and chairman emeritus of the Scherman Foundation.

Rosin was born in Berlin, and was graduated from Berlin University with a law degree in 1930.[1] He worked as a lawyer for the Supreme Court of Prussia until 1934, when he emigrated to the United States after the Nazis banned Jews from entering courthouses.[1] He subsequently worked for a shoe manufacturer in Virginia. In 1943 he married Katharine Scherman, and was made comptroller of the Book-of-the-Month Club, which had been founded by Ms. Scherman's father Harry Scherman in 1926.[1] Rosin became president of the company in 1960, a position he held until 1973, and was then chairman until his retirement in 1979. His decision in 1967 to pay $250,000 for the right to offer William Manchester's book, The Death of a President as a club selection helped to foster the company's resurgence.[2] During Rosin's leadership the company's annual sales doubled and membership reached 1.25 million.[1]

Overseeing the Scherman Foundation, Rosin was responsible for distributing grant monies to organizations promoting the arts, social welfare programs, the environment, disarmament, and reproductive rights.[1]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 The New York Times
  2. Los Angeles Times

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