Herman Bundesen

Herman Bundesen
Bundesen, circa 1925
President of the Chicago Board of Health
In office
1932 – August 25, 1960
MayorAnton Cermak
Frank J. Corr (acting)
Edward J. Kelly
Martin H. Kennelly
Richard J. Daley
Preceded byoffice established
Succeeded byEric Oldberg
Chicago City Health Commissioner
In office
1931 – April 1960
MayorAnton Cermak
Frank J. Corr (acting)
Edward J. Kelly
Martin H. Kennelly
Richard J. Daley
Preceded byArnold H. Kegel
Succeeded bySamuel Andelman
In office
February 1, 1922 – January 1928
MayorWilliam Emmett Dever
William Hale Thompson
Preceded byJohn Dill Robertson
Succeeded byArnold H. Kegel
Cook County Coroner
In office
December 1928 – November 18, 1931
Preceded byOscar Wolff
Succeeded byFrank J. Walsh
Personal details
Born(1882-04-27)April 27, 1882
Berlin, Germany
DiedAugust 25, 1960(1960-08-25) (aged 78)
Chicago, Illinois
PartyDemocratic
SpouseRega Russell
Children6
Alma materNorthwestern University
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Battles/warsWorld War I

Herman Niels Bundesen (April 27, 1882 – August 25, 1960) was a German-American medical professional, politician, and author. He served two tenures as the chief health official of the city of Chicago, holding this role for more than 34 years in total. He also was elected Cook County coroner. In 1936, he ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party nomination for governor of Illinois.

Bundensen was respected in the field of public health. He noted not only for his experience and expertise, but also for his flamboyance. He was perceived to be someone who desired celebrity, often taking advantage of photo ops.

In addition to his tenure as Cook County Coroner and his long service as Chicago's top health official, Bundensen also served as president of the American Public Health Association and as a senior surgeon with the United States Public Health Service.