Born in Stallupönen, Germany on May 3, 1880, Werwath was the son of department store owner Carl and his wife, Johanna.
Knowing the strong German-American reputation and industrial center of Milwaukee, he decided to settle there, becoming employed at the Louis Allis Co. shortly after.
Seeing that skilled engineering in Milwaukee was in great demand, Werwath conceptualized a local school that could accommodate the needed work force.
Approaching the president of Rheude's Business School, Werwath was given permission to establish a series of night classes for young men in practical electricity.
The Werwaths had four children; Karl (1909-1979), Greta (1910-2003), Hannah (1913-1984), and Heinz (1916-1987), all of whom worked at the Milwaukee School of Engineering at some point in their life.