Germanistic Society of Chicago Records

Collection

Identifier: Midwest-MS-157

Staff Only

Scope and Content of the Collection

Membership lists, lecture announcements, and annual meeting minutes kept by Louis Guenzel, noted local architect, who was the recording secretary of the Germanistic Society of Chicago. There are fifteen pages of typewritten information that provide an inventory of prominent citizens of the city who were supportive of German interests until a few years before World War I. Besides Guenzel, among other members were Mssrs. Grommes, Lackner, Lefens, Madlener, McCormick, Paepcke, Pabst, Swift, Zeisler and Ziegfeld.

Dates

Creation: 1907-1915

Creator

Germanistic Society of Chicago (Organization)

Language

Materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

The Germanistic Society of Chicago Records are open for research in the Special Collections Reading Room (Priority III).

Ownership and Literary Rights

The Germanistic Society of Chicago Records are the physical property of the Newberry Library. Copyright may belong to the authors or their legal heirs or assigns. For permission to publish or reproduce any materials from this collection, contact the Roger and Julie Baskes Department of Special Collections.

History of the Germanistic Society of Chicago

Chicago civic organization.

The Germanistic Society of America was founded around 1904 in New York City. The purpose of the organization was to make arrangements for lecture tours given by noted Germans to encourage a diffusion of knowledge about Germany. The Chicago Germanistic Society was formed based on this model, and acted as host for visiting German scholars and speakers. By 1915, several prominent Chicagoans appear to have abandoned their support for this local civic group.

Extent

0.1 Linear Feet (1 folder)

Additional Description

Abstract

Membership lists, lecture announcements, and annual meeting minutes kept by Louis Guenzel, recording secretary of the Society and a Chicago architect. The lists provide an inventory of prominent citizens of German extraction in pre-World War I Chicago, and also reflect the gradual withdrawal of support for German-centered activities prior to World War I.