Hermann David Black AC (1904 - 1990)

Born 15 Nov 1904 in Dulwich Hill, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Katrina Mary (Heyde) Black — married 29 Dec 1928 (to before 1963) in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Husband of Edith Joyce (Ritchie) Black BA — married 22 Nov 1963 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Died 28 Feb 1990 at age 85 in St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Hermann Black AC is Notable.

Doctor Sir Hermann David Black AC HonDLitt MEc FCIS FASA was an economist, public-affairs commentator and university chancellor.

Hermann Black AC was born in New South Wales, Australia

Hermann Black AC has Scottish Ancestors.

Hermann David Black was born on 15th November 1904 in Dulwich Hill, a southern suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He was the younger son of Melbourne-born parents John Niven Black, an accountant of Scottish origin, and Adela Ottilie Püttmann, of Prussian heritage. ^[1] Following his father's death in 1914, Adele married Harry Clarke, also an accountant. Hermann attended Rockdale Public School and, after failing to enter the Royal Australian Navy at the age of 13, gained a bursary to Fort Street Boys’ High School in 1918.

In 1922 Hermann won a Teachers’ College scholarship to the University of Sydney, graduating in 1927 with a Bachelor of Economics (BEc) degree. He also won the Jones Medal at Sydney Teachers’ College in 1926. From 1927 to 1933 he taught at Parkes, Nowra and Randwick Boys’ Intermediate High schools. ^[2]

Hermann married Katrina Heyde on 29th December 1928 in the Pitt Street Congregational (now Uniting) Church, Sydney. ^[3] She later suffered an incurable mental breakdown, but their marriage could not be ended until, with Black’s urging, the New South Wales divorce law was changed.

He was appointed assistant lecturer in economics at the University of Sydney in 1933, being promoted to lecturer two years later. ^[2] Hermann taught at all levels of the economics course from 1932 to 1989. Astutely, he believed, (adult) teaching was intended less to instil knowledge than to develop the intellect. In 1937 he achieved first-class honours for his Master of Economics (MEc) thesis.

Awarded a Rockefeller Foundation fellowship, Hermann spent 1936 to 1938 in the United States of America and Europe. In 1939 he was invited by the New South Wales premier, (Sir) Bertram Stevens, to become adviser to the Treasury and, with the approval of the university senate, served part time with the Treasury throughout the Second World War years. ^[2] About this time he settled in Roseville, in Sydney's northern suburbs, where he would live for the remainder of his long life. Retiring in 1969, he was made senior fellow in economics from 1970.

It was, however, broadcasting that made H D Black a household name. Hermann first spoke on air in 1926 in a Sydney-Oxford university union debate. A news commentator for the Australian Broadcasting Commission from the 1930s and member of discussion panels such as 'Monday Conference', he also captivated generations of children through his talks in school series such as 'The World We Live In'. ^[2]

Hermann married a second time, to Edith Ritchie on 22nd November 1963 in the Registrar General’s Office, Sydney. ^[4]

A member of the University of Sydney senate since 1949, in December 1969 Hermann was elected deputy-chancellor and five months later chancellor. ^[2]

In the Queen's Birthday Honours 1974, Hermann was created Knight Bachelor as Chancellor of the University of Sydney. ^[5] He was appointed Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in the Queen's Birthday Honours 1986 'in recognition of service to learning, education and to public affairs'. ^[6]

In 1982 the Rotary Club of Sydney gave him a vocational service award. He was bestowed Honorary Doctor of Literature (Hon. DLITT) by the University of Newcastle in 1971, and honoris causa Doctor of the University by both the University of New England and University of Sydney in 1988 and 1990 respectively.

Hermann's biographer, Fletcher, wrote of him: 'He derived great pleasure from his own university and participated in every aspect of its life. Fond of sport, he also loved theatre, art and music, played the violin, and wrote poetry and fascinating travel diaries ... In his youth he had attended Anglican and Lutheran services, but while recognising the importance of religion he did not see it as a determining influence in his life.' ^[7]

Aged 85 years, he passed away on 28th February 1990 in Sydney's northern suburbs. ^[8]

Louis Kahan’s 1974 portrait of Hermann is held by the University of Sydney.

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales Birth Index #5079/1905; registered at Marrickville
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} Australian Dictionary of Biography Life Summary; accessed 12 Mar 2024
3. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #58/1929
4. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #24601/1963
5. ↑ Australian Honours: Knight Bachelor; accessed 12 Mar 2024
6. ↑ Australian Honours: AC; accessed 12 Mar 2024
7. ↑ Fletcher, B H. 'Black, Sir Hermann David (1904–1990)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 2007; accessed online 12 Mar 2024
8. ↑ New South Wales Death Index #5040/1990; registered at St Leonards

See also

• Fletcher, B H. 'Black, Sir Hermann David (1904–1990)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 2007; accessed online 12 Mar 2024.
• Wikipedia: Hermann Black; accessed 12 Mar 2024.