Alvin Ferdinand Weichel (September 11, 1891 – November 27, 1956) was an American politician who served as a Republican member of the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

from 1943 to 1955.

Life and politics

Weichel was born in

Sandusky, Ohio Sandusky ( ) is a city in Erie County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Situated on the southern shore of Lake Erie, Sandusky is located roughly midway between Toledo, Ohio, Toledo ( west) and Cleveland ( east). At the 2020 United Stat ...

, three of his grandparents were

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

immigrants.

World War I

During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, he enlisted on December 14, 1917, and assigned to Company P, Ordnance Training Camp, and later to Headquarters Supply Company at Camp Hancock, Georgia, and was discharged a sergeant on January 31, 1919. He was appointed second lieutenant, Ordnance Section, Officers' Reserve Corps, December 10, 1918, and commission terminated December 8, 1928.

Legal career

He was graduated from Ferris Institute in

Big Rapids, Michigan Big Rapids is a city and the seat of government of Mecosta County, Michigan, United States. The population was 7,727 at the 2020 census, down from 10,601 in 2010. The city is surrounded by Big Rapids Charter Township but they are completely s ...

, from the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

Ann Arbor Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the List of municipalities in Michigan, fifth-most populous cit ...

, and from the

University of Michigan Law School The University of Michigan Law School (branded as Michigan Law) is the law school of the University of Michigan, a public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Founded in 1859, the school offers Master of Laws (LLM), Master of Comparati ...

in 1924. He was admitted to the bar in 1924. He served as commissioner of insolvents for the State of Ohio, and prosecuting attorney of

Erie County, Ohio Erie County is a county in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 75,622. Its county seat and largest city is Sandusky. The county is named for the Erie tribe, whose name was their word for ...

, from 1931 to 1937. He served as special counsel for the attorney general of Ohio and a lecturer for the School Police Administration at the

Ohio State University The Ohio State University (Ohio State or OSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. A member of the University System of Ohio, it was founded in 1870. It is one ...

Columbus, Ohio Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...

Congress

Weichel was elected as a Republican to the Seventy-eighth and to the five succeeding Congresses. He served as chairman of the

United States House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries The United States House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries is a defunct United States Congressional committee, committee of the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives. The Committee on Merchant Marine and Fish ...

during the Eightieth and Eighty-third Congresses. Weichel made national media attention when he claimed that the Soviet Union had failed to return lend-leased ships. Weichel issued a subpoena for U.S. army General and then Secretary of State George C Marshall drawing criticism from many of his colleagues. The subpoena was withdrawn after no evidence of Soviet reluctance was found. He was not a candidate for renomination in

1954 Events January * January 3 – The Italian broadcaster RAI officially begins transmitting. * January 7 – Georgetown–IBM experiment: The first public demonstration of a machine translation system is held in New York, at the head ...

Later career and death

He resumed the practice of law and died in Sandusky, Ohio, on November 27, 1956. Interment in Calvary Cemetery.

References

Retrieved on 2009-03-01
The Political Graveyard
{{DEFAULTSORT:Weichel, Alvin F. 1891 births 1956 deaths American military personnel of World War I Ohio State University faculty American people of German descent Politicians from Sandusky, Ohio University of Michigan Law School alumni Ferris State University alumni United States Army officers County district attorneys in Ohio Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives