Kaiser Family Genealogy & History

Henry J. Kaiser was a pioneering American industrialist renowned for his significant contributions to shipbuilding and construction, particularly during World War II. He founded the Kaiser Shipyards, which produced Liberty and Victory ships using innovative mass-production techniques like welding. Kaiser's ventures extended beyond shipbuilding to include Kaiser Aluminum, Kaiser Steel, and the automobile companies Kaiser-Frazer and Kaiser Motors. He also made a lasting impact on healthcare by organizing Kaiser Permanente. His diverse business interests spanned real estate, civic construction projects, and even television broadcasting, marking him as a versatile and influential figure in American industry.

Born on May 9, 1882, in Sprout Brook, New York, Henry J. Kaiser was the son of Franz and Anna Marie Kaiser, ethnic German immigrants. His father worked as a shoemaker, and Henry started his career as a cash boy in Utica, New York. He later moved to Washington state, where he began a successful career in construction. Henry married Bess Fosburgh, the daughter of a Virginia lumberman, and they had two children, Edgar Kaiser, Sr. and Henry Kaiser, Jr. His family's immigrant background and early experiences played a pivotal role in shaping his industrious spirit.

George Bruce Kaiser, born on July 29, 1942, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is a prominent American billionaire businessman and philanthropist. As chairman of BOK Financial Corporation, Kaiser transformed it into a $23.9 billion bank operating in nine states. He is recognized for expanding Kaiser-Francis Oil Company into one of the largest nonpublic energy exploration companies in the U.S. A notable figure in philanthropy, Kaiser ranks third among top American philanthropists, focusing on childhood poverty and early education through the George Kaiser Family Foundation.

Kaiser's family history is marked by resilience, with his parents being Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany. His father, Herman George Kaiser, was an attorney in Berlin until dismissed by the Nazis. The family settled in Tulsa, where they joined an uncle's oil drilling business, laying the foundation for George's future success.

Gunnar Kaiser (1976–2023) was a German teacher, writer, and YouTuber known for his controversial views during the COVID-19 pandemic. Born in Cologne, he studied philosophy, German philology, and Romance studies at the University of Cologne. After teaching German and philosophy in Bonn and Cologne, he left his teaching career in 2021 to focus on his YouTube channel and writing. His YouTube channel gained notoriety for its association with the "neue Rechte" and conspiracy theories, eventually reaching 258,000 subscribers. Kaiser authored the novel "Unter der Haut" and non-fiction works like "Der Kult," which achieved significant recognition on bestseller lists. His work often critiqued government measures and cancel culture, sparking both support and criticism.

Axel Kaiser, born on July 4, 1981, is a prominent Chilean writer, lawyer, and political scientist, renowned for his expertise in liberalism and free-market economics. He is a member of the Mont Pelerin Society and has contributed to Forbes, among other publications. Kaiser's notable works include "The Tyranny of Equality" and "The Populist Deception." He has also served as a full professor at the Universidad del Desarrollo and Universidad de los Andes, where he taught Latin American Politics. His influence as a public intellectual was recognized in a 2017 La Segunda poll that ranked him among Chile's most admired intellectuals.

Axel Kaiser hails from a German-Chilean family. His father, Hans Christian Kaiser Wagner, was involved in the National Party as a youth leader. Axel's paternal grandfather, Friedrich Ernst Kaiser Richter, was a German immigrant who fled Nazi Germany in 1936 and settled in Villarrica, Chile. Friedrich became the 9th mayor of Villarrica, serving from 1956 to 1957. Axel is also the brother of Vanessa Kaiser, a former scholar and director of a libertarian think tank, and Johannes Kaiser, a right-wing politician in Chile.