Background
He was born February 15, 1902, in Milwaukee and was educated in public grade schools.
He was born February 15, 1902, in Milwaukee and was educated in public grade schools.
He held various offices in the Milwaukee labor movement. and at the time of his election was vice-president of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 494. He was assigned to the Assembly"s standing committee on education. He was defeated in his 1928 bid for re-election by Republican Alex Chmurski, who polled 3358 votes to 3056 for Democrat George Brier and 2989 for Baumann.
He served for some time on the Milwaukee Board of School Directors, and died in March 1935 while seeking re-election to that office, in which he was seen as a strong advocate for higher pay for teachers and educational staff
He had never held public office until his successful 1926 bid for the Assembly to replace fellow Socialist Olaf C. Olsen.
He became an electrician and a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, served as assistant business agent of his local union in 1925, and as a delegate to the 1925 international convention of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Seattle, Washington.