E. H. Bronner
|
|
Emanuel H. Bronner (February 1, 1908 - March 7, 1997) was the eccentric maker of Dr. Bronner's soap, a concentrated liquid notable for the vast amount of lather produced from a few drops and the vast amount of tiny text on its packaging. Although his parents were killed in the Holocaust, Rabbi Bronner believed in the goodness and unity of humanity.
He was born in Heilbronn, Germany to the Heilbronner family of soap makers. He emigrated to the United States in 1929, dropping "Heil" from his name to protest the rise of Hitler.
He started his business making products by hand in his home. The product labels were crowded with statements of Bronner's philosophy, which he called "All-One-God-Faith" and the "Moral ABCs". Many of Bronner's references came from Jewish and Christian sources, such as the Shema and the Beatitudes; others from poets such as Rudyard Kipling. Sometimes they contained unusual product statements, for example suggesting a contraceptive use for the soap. They became famous for their idiosyncratic style, including hyphens to join long strings of words and the liberal use of exclamation points.
Eventually his operation grew into a small factory in Escondido, California. At his death in 1997, it produced over a million bottles of soap and other products a year but was still not mechanized. The firm did no advertising but has been the subject of many published articles. It supported many charitable causes.
After Bronner's death, his family continued the business. They have said the labels he wrote will not change except when required by government regulations.
Sample text
The following is from the side of one of his bars of soap, literally every centimeter of which is covered with similar dense text.
- Absolute cleanliness is Godliness! Who else but God gave man Love that can spark mere dust to life! Poetry, uniting All-One! All brave! All life! Who else but God! "Listen Children Eternal Father Eternally One!"
- Einstein, 1939, after Nazis & Commies united, proposed spacebombs that destroy all, unless we finally teach the Moral ABC's the real Rabbi Hillel taught Jesus to unite all in All-One-God-Faith. As teach astronomers Abraham-Israel-Moses-Buddha-Hillel-Jesus-Spinoza-Paine-Sagan & Mohammed, inspired every 76 years, 6000 years by the Messenger of God's Law, the sign of the Messiah, Halley's Comet: "WE'RE ALL ONE OR NONE!" "THERE IS NO GOD BUT GOD!" "TEACH LOVE THY ENEMY!" "LISTEN CHILDREN ETERNAL FATHER ETERNALLY ONE!" Israel-Moses-Buddha-Jesus-Mohammed: ONE! ALL ONE!
External links
- Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps Home Page (http://www.drbronner.com/)
- Dr. Bronner Fan Page (http://www.insolitology.com/topten/emanuelbronner.htm)
- On his soapbox: Man of ideas lathered his cleansing product with messages (http://www.jsonline.com/news/sunday/lifestyle/0608bronner.stm)
- Next to Godliness: The story behind Dr. Bronner's soap (http://www.thesunmagazine.org/bronner.html)
- Dr. Bronner Quote Generator (http://iconocla.st/dr.bronner/)
- Why the weird religious ravings on Dr. Bronner's soap? (http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_386.html) (from The Straight Dope)