Ben Lewis Reitman M.D. (1879–1943) was an American anarchist and physician to the poor ("the hobo doctor"). He is best remembered today as one of radical Emma Goldman 's lovers. Martin Scorsese 's 1972 feature film Boxcar Bertha is based on Sister of the Road , one of Reitman's books.
17-975: Reitman (alternate spelling Reitmann) is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: Ben Reitman (1879–1943), American physician Catherine Reitman (born 1981), Canadian-American actress Dorothy Reitman (born 1932), Canadian community volunteer Greg Reitman (born 1971), American film producer Herman Reitman (1870–1941), Romanian-Canadian businessman Ivan Reitman (1946–2022), Czechoslovak-born Canadian film and television director, producer and screenwriter Jason Reitman (born 1977), Canadian-American movie director and writer, son of Ivan Reitman Jerry Reitman (born 1938), American author, businessman and advertising executive Joseph D. Reitman (born 1968), American actor Sarah Reitman (1881–1950), Romanian-Canadian businesswoman; wife of Herman Francis Reitmann (1905–1955), British psychiatrist See also [ edit ] Reitmans Limited (RET),
34-704: A Canadian retailing company Reitman v. Mulkey Martín Rejtman [REDACTED] Surname list This page lists people with the surname Reitman . If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name (s) to the link. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Reitman&oldid=1219847087 " Categories : Surnames Surnames of Jewish origin Germanic-language surnames Yiddish-language surnames Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description
51-657: A fortune but chose to live a hobo life. IBWA was less radical than the IWW, focusing on education and cooperation rather than direct political action. It published the Hobo News , distributed through street sellers. The IBWA was centered in the midwest ( St. Louis , Kansas City , Chicago ) and had locals in about twenty cities including Baltimore , Buffalo , Philadelphia and San Francisco . The centers, called "Hobo Colleges," offered lodging, hot meals and education. They also became important meeting places for migrant workers during
68-481: A handsome brute. His hands, narrow and white, exerted a peculiar fascination. His finger-nails, like his hair, seemed to be on strike against soap and brush. I could not take my eyes off his hands. A strange charm seemed to emanate from them, caressing and stirring... Emma Goldman on Reitman in Living My Life , Volume 1 Reitman met Emma Goldman in 1908, when he offered her use of the college's Hobo Hall for
85-579: A speech, and the two began a love affair, which Goldman described as the "Great Grand Passion" of her life. The two traveled together for almost eight years, working for the causes of birth control , free speech , worker's rights , and anarchism . During this time, the couple became involved in the San Diego free speech fight in 1912–13. Reitman was kidnapped by a mob, severely beaten, tarred and feathered , branded with " I.W.W. ," and his rectum and testicles were abused. Several years later,
102-700: Is different from Wikidata All set index articles Ben Reitman Reitman was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota , to poor Russian Jewish immigrants in 1879, and grew up in Chicago. At the age of twelve, he became a hobo , but returned to Chicago and worked in the Polyclinic Laboratory as a "laboratory boy". In 1900, he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Chicago , completing his medical studies in 1904. During this time he
119-601: The First World War . Not formally, but because the organization was dependent on his financial support. The IBWA was separate, but supporting, of the IWW. There were however failed attempts by IWW to take over IBWA. After the Big Pinch of government action against the IWW in 1917, the IBWA grew rapidly but was radicalized by in inflow of Wobblies (IWW people), attracting negative government attention. Radical members of
136-575: The City of Chicago, establishing the Chicago Society for the Prevention of Venereal Disease in the 1930s. His second wife died in 1930, and Reitman married a third time, to Rose Siegal. Reitman later became seriously involved with Medina Oliver, and the couple had four daughters – Mecca, Medina, Victoria, and Olive. Reitman died in Chicago of a heart attack at the age of sixty-three. He
153-584: The couple were arrested in 1916 under the Comstock laws for advocating birth control, and Reitman served six months in prison. Both believed in free love , but Reitman's practice incited feelings of jealousy in Goldman. He remarried when one of his lovers became pregnant; their son was born while he was in prison. Goldman and Reitman ended their relationship in 1917, after Reitman was released from prison. Reitman returned to Chicago, ultimately working with
170-553: The hobos cooked their favorite mulligan stew . The houses often failed, and How had to spend much time going around and restarting them. The Chicago branch was started by Ben Reitman , and when he was out travelling by Irwin St. John Tucker and the Episcopal minister Michael C. Walsh . It graduated hundreds of hobos every year, 164 of them in 1926. According to Anderson, the IBWA was largely controlled by J. E. How, at least before
187-411: The homeless workers could express themselves. It was held mainly in winter when there were fewer jobs and more hobos in the cities. The success of the "colleges" varied. The Chicago branch was the biggest and one year debated with University of Chicago students. A hobo college was usually a rented building in the hobo area of a city. There would be blankets for sleeping, a washroom and a kitchen, where
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#1732772656422204-744: The masses. The hobo colleges, which How started in several cities, primarily offered lodging and meals, but as the name implies also education and a place to meet. The education would be scheduled certain nights and included basic social science, industrial law, vagrancy laws, public speaking, searching for jobs, venereal disease and anything that may be understood and useful for the hobos. They also covered subjects like philosophy, literature and religion. The lectures were held by street orators as well as academics. How often talked about social politics subjects such as 8-hour working day , pensions and unemployment. The discussions following were known to be very lively. They also served as community meeting places where
221-621: The time. In 1907, Reitman became known as "King of the Hobos" when he opened a Chicago branch of the Hobo College , which became the largest of the International Brotherhood Welfare Association centers for migrant education, political organizing, and social services. His eyes were brown, large, and dreamy. His lips, disclosing beautiful teeth when he smiled, were full and passionate. He looked
238-401: The unemployed. D. To furnish medical, legal and other aid to its members. E. To organize the unorganized and assist them in obtaining work at remunerative wages and transportation when required. F. To educate the public mind to the right of collective ownership in production and distribution. G. To bring about the scientific, industrial, intellectual, moral and spiritual development of
255-568: The winter months. The object of the 'Welfare Brotherhood' is twofold. I want to make the 'hoboes' not only better citizens, but better 'hoboes,' and I want the public to appreciate what the 'beat' is, what his rights are, and how he should be looked upon. Contemporary sociologist Nels Anderson wrote in 1923 that the official program of the IBWA was: A. To bring together the unorganized workers. B. To co-operate with persons and organizations who desire to better social conditions. C. To utilize unused land and machinery in order to provide work for
272-480: Was briefly married; he and his wife had a daughter together. His wife was Mae Schwartz, and their daughter was Jan Gay (born Helen Reitman), the author, nudism advocate, and founder of the nudist Out-of-Door Club at Highland, New York. He worked as a physician in Chicago , choosing to offer services to hobos, prostitutes, the poor, and other outcasts. Notably, he performed abortions , which were illegal at
289-647: Was buried at the Waldheim Cemetery (now Forest Home Cemetery), in Forest Park, Illinois . International Brotherhood Welfare Association The International Brotherhood Welfare Association ( IBWA ) was a mutual aid society for hobos founded in 1905–1906. It was the second largest after the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). It was started by James Eads How who had inherited
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