An ORT Reformer
In 1939, a group of Jewish public figures, ORT
activists and craftspeople gathered in the
assembly hall of the organisation’s secondary
trade school to mark the 70th birthday of Leon
Bramson, a distinguished world public figure.
At the event, A. Jodidio, Chairman of ORT
Lithuania, spoke in detail about two features of
Bramson’s character: first, about his
“incomparable diligence” that the speaker knew
at first hand from the time when L. Bramson
arrived to organise the first efforts for
establishing the house of ORT Kaunas and,
secondly, “his extraordinary modesty when in
1935 the Chairman of World ORT did not allow
the house to be named after him, despite
meriting the honour as both a Kaunas resident
and a person who contributed much of his time
and efforts to the construction of the house.”
Throughout his life Bramson was engaged in
diverse social activities. However, the last
decade of his life and work (from 1930) was
devoted to organising and strengthening World
ORT. Thanks to him the one-time Russian-
centred ORT became a world organisation that
embraced thirteen countries in 1939 at the time
of Bramson’s 70th birthday.
One interesting episode illustrates Bramson’s
influence within World ORT. At an
international ORT conference held in the inter-
war period in Paris, Jews from the United
States and South Africa could not agree who
allocated more funds to World ORT (according
to the number of Jews in each country). The
representatives from Lithuania then intervened,
pointing out that the Lithuanian Jews who gave
the organisation its chairman from Kaunas, Dr
Leon Bramson, contributed more.
1869, April 29, born in Kaunas.
1883 left Kaunas gymnasium, entered the Department of
Law at Moscow University.
1890 after graduation left for St Petersburg, worked as a
lawyer, engaged in active social activities.
1892 started work for the Jewish Education Society, headed
several schools of the society.
1906 elected to the first Russian Duma [a legislative
assembly in the late Russian Empire], as a Kaunas
province deputy; a fine public speaker, L. Bramson
defended Jewish interests. Alexander Kerensky, future
head of the provisional government after the February
Revolution, offered L. Bramson the post of minister in
the government, but he declined.
1917, March 22, the Russian provisional government
adopted a decree about the equal rights of Jews; one of
its authors was L. Bramson.
1917, 20-21 December, the Russian military tribunal tried
L. Bramson, for his political views. He was sentenced
to “social condemnation” and sent to southern Russia.
1920 immigrated to Berlin.
1921 in Berlin, L. Bramson helped organise the founding
conference of World ORT Union, where he was
elected Vice-Chairman of the (executive) Central
Council and member of the Board.
1933 transferred the ORT headquarters to Paris.
1941 left for Vichy (southern France); fell ill with
pneumonia in Marseilles.
1941, 2 March died; buried in Marseilles.
Leon Bramson, his wife Vera Bramson and sister Sofy Bramson-Finkelstein, Marienbad, 1926.
Efir Bramson’s personal archive
Headstone of Leon and Vera Bramson at Marseilles cemetery.
Esfir Bramson’s personal archive
Leon Bramson’s family members, Berlin, 1930. Esfir Bramson’s personal archive
Leon Bramson’s family, St Petersburg, before 1917.
Esfir Bramson’s personal archive
Notification of Leon Bramson’s death.
Esfir Bramson’s personal archive