Anton
Cermak was
born in Kladno, Austria-Hungary (now Czech
Republic), on 9th May, 1873. The following year his parents emigrated
to the United States. After three years at school Cermak joined his
father as a coal miner in Braidwood, Illinois.
In 1890 Cermak moved to Chicago and found
work on the railways before starting his own haulage business in the
city. Cermak became active in the Democratic
Party and in 1902 was elected to the state legislature. Seven
years later Cermak became a Chicago City Council alderman. Cermak
was able to use his inside knowledge of proposed government land purchase
to speculate on real estate. Cermak became extremely wealthy and soon
became leader of the party in the city.
In 1931 Cermak challenged Bill Thompson,
the Republican mayor of Chicago. Cermak
accused Thompson of being under the control of Al
Capone and other gangsters in the city. He campaigned for social
reform and an end to prohibition.
On 7th April, 1931, Cermak defeated Thompson, by 200,000 votes.
In 1933 Cermak helped Franklin D. Roosevelt
gain the majority of voters in Chicago
during the 1932 presidential election. On 15th February, 1933, Cermak
appeared with Roosevelt at Belmont Park in Miami. An Italian immigrant,
Guiseppe Zangara, fired five shots at
Roosevelt. They all missed the president but one hit Cermak in the
stomach. On the way to the hospital Cermak told Roosevelt, "I'm
glad it was me and not you, Mr. President."
Anton Cermak died three weeks later on 8th March, 1933. Guiseppe
Zangara claimed in court he was trying to kill Roosevelt but some
political commentators such as Walter Winchell
believed that Cermak was the real target. It was argued that Al
Capone or Bill Thompson had hired
Zangara to assassinate Cermak. However, a FBI
investigation concluded that Zangara was a mentally deranged loner
and was not involved in any conspiracy to kill Cermak.
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