This is Emma Koehler, owner and CEO of the Pearl Brewery in San Antonio and namesake of the Hotel Emma in the Alamo City. For roughly 25 years she was one of the most powerful businesswomen in Texas. How she got there is a great Texas story. TELL me that this wouldn't make a great Hollywood movie:
Emma acquired control of the Pearl Brewery following the dramatic death of her husband, Otto Koehler, in 1914. Otto, a prominent German immigrant and president of the San Antonio Brewing Association (which later became the Pearl Brewery), was murdered by one of his mistresses, Emma Hedda Burgemeister.
This event unfolded against a backdrop of personal scandal: after Emma Koehler was injured in an automobile accident around 1910, Otto hired a nurse named Emma Dumpke (nicknamed "Emmi") to care for her. He subsequently began affairs with both Dumpke and Burgemeister, setting up the two women in a cottage he purchased for them. On November 12, 1914, Otto visited the cottage, and after an altercation, Burgemeister shot him three times—killing him—in what she claimed was self-defense.
When the police arrived, she said, “I’m sorry, but I had to kill him.” Charged with murder, Emma skipped town and traveled to Europe to nurse WWI casualties. To the surprise of all, she returned to San Antonio in 1918 to stand trial. The all-male jury found her not guilty.
Following Otto’s death, Emma, his widow, stepped into the leadership role at the brewery. At the time, she was still recovering from her earlier injuries, but she proved to be a capable and innovative leader. She took over the San Antonio Brewing Association and guided it through challenging periods, including Prohibition (1920–1933) and the Great Depression. Her strategic decisions—such as modernizing the brewery, increasing production capacity, and diversifying into non-alcoholic ventures like near beer, soft drinks, and ice cream—ensured the brewery’s survival when many others failed. Emma leveraged her position as Otto's widow to lead the company for nearly two decades until she handed over formal control to her nephew, Otto A. Koehler, in 1933, though she remained influential until her death in 1943.
So three Emmas. Emma Koehler, the wife, Emma Dumpke, mistress #1, and Emma Burgemeister, Emma #2.
I told you it was a great Texas story.
