HISTORY NEBRASKA MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID
RG4360.AM: William Henry Werkmeister, 1901-1993
Papers: 1914-1942
Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska: University professor
Size: 1.5 cu.ft.; 3 boxes
BACKGROUND NOTE
William Henry Werkmeister, a native of Germany, came to the United States in 1923 as a graduate student at the University of Nebraska. In 1926, he joined the faculty of the University where in 1927 he received his degree, Doctor of Philosophy. He left the faculty of the University in 1936, and in 1937, he returned to Germany as an exchange professor. In 1940, he was guest professor at Boston University. Dr. Werkmeister returned to the University of Nebraska, and from 1947-1953 was head of the Philosophy Department. He left Nebraska in 1953 to become director of the School of Philosophy at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Dr. Werkmeister, recognized as one of the nation’s foremost authorities in the field of philosophy, authored the book, History of Philosophical Ideas in America, which was printed in 1949. William Henry Werkmeister died in 1993.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
This collection consists of three boxes of material arranged in four series: 1) Manuscripts, n.d.; 2) Printed matter, 3) Correspondence, 1927-1929; and 4) Miscellany.
Dr. Werkmeister apparently gathered the materials while in the process of writing a history of the Germans in Nebraska. All relate in some way to German emigrants and immigrants; to German churches; to German settlements in Nebraska; and to the German language; as well as to other similar topics. The bulk of this material is in German.
INVENTORY
Series 1 – Manuscripts
Box 1
Folder
- Five typewritten chapters under the title “Die Deutschen in Nebraska,” n.d.
- “Die Deutschen Nebraskaswaehrend des Weltkrieges”
- “Der Kampf um den Deutschunterricht in den Oeffentlichen Schulen Nebraskas”
- “Die Deutschen Nebraskas in Landwirtschaft und Industrie”
- “Die Deutschen gruenden Norfolk—1866”
- “Deutsche Vereine und Logen in Nebraska”
- “Deutsche Gesangvereine in Nebraska”
- “Sutton und Die Russland-Deutschen in Nebraska”
- “Vom Deutschen Hilfsverk zum Neuen Buerger-Bund”
- “Aus der Geschichte Grand Islands”
- “Aus dem Tagebuche des Herrn August Raasch—1867-1871”
- “Aus dem Tagebuche des Heinrich Egge—1857-1867”
- “Die Deutschen Katholiken in Nebraska”
- “Um den Deutscherterricht in Nebraska”
- “Die Deutsche Staatsverband”
- The founding of the German citizen’s association of Hoskins (title-page missing)
- Deutsche Zeitungen in Nebraska
Series 2 – Printed matter
- “Deutschamerikanischer Burgerbund Nebraska,” yearbooks, 1929-1931
- “Geschichte der Omaha Schweizer-Colonie,” Stadtler, Festner Printing Co., Omaha, Nebraska, 1910
- “Deutscher Staatsverbund Nebraska,” brief histories of Nebraska excerpted from minutes of annual meetings, Fester Printing Co., Omaha, Nebraska, issues for February 1914, December 1915 and September 1916
- Material on churches, including:
Evangelical Lutheran Church, Wayne, Nebraska, directory, 1928-1929
Evangelical Lutheran Church, Bloomfield, Nebraska, history and directory, 1908
St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Bloomfield, Nebraska, “remembrances,” 1906-1931
St. Bernard’s Church (Catholic), St. Bernard, Nebraska, Golden Jubilee publications – history, 1878-1928
St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Norfolk, Nebraska, history, 1866-1916
St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lincoln, Nebraska, fiftieth anniversary – history, 1873-1923
St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ohio Twp., Richardson Co., Nebraska, Golden Jubilee program including brief history, 1931
Box 2
Folder
- Geschichte des Nebraskadistrictes, G. Eckhardt, Battle Creek, Nebraska Directory of Lutheran Churches of American (Missouri and Wisconsin Synods), Madison County, Nebraska, 1918
Synodal-Bericht, verhandelugen der 42. versammlung der Deutschen Evangelical Lutheran Synod von Nebraska, 1931
Geschichte der Deutschen Evangelical Lutheran, Nebraska Synode in Nordamerica, German Literary Board, Burlington, Iowa, 1916
Kirchenbote Kalendar, published by the Gen. Conference of the German Evangelical Congregation - Germans in America:
“Deutsche Heimat in Amerkia,” printed in Germany in 1937
“The Influence of Immigration on American Culture,” Conference on Immigration Policy, 1929
“Das Deutschtum in Angloamerika,” Berlin, 1937
“Die Aukunft des Deutschtums in Amerika,” Loreck, New York, 1929 - Lutheran Seminary, Seward, Nebraska, Jubilee Catalog, 1919
- Newspapers and clippings: Columbus, St. Marien hospital, 1930
- Omaha, people and places, 1930-1942
- Wayne, Trinity Church, 1931
- Missouri Synod, Omaha, includes notes
- Tagliche Omaha Tribune, issues from 1938-1942, apparently saved for war news; also two copies of the Tagliche Zeitung-Tribune for 1942
- Missouri Synod, Nebraska
- Former German soldiers
- German Day, Minnesota State Fair, 1938
- Russian-German Churches in Nebraska, includes notes
- Unsorted clippings
- Organizations: Grand Lodge Sons of Herman in Nebraska, reports and minutes of annual meeting, 1936; Jungdeutscher Einwanderer, Christmas programs, 1926, 1927
- Nebraska Saengerbund
- Leiderkranz Society, Grand Island
Series 3 – Correspondence
Box 3
Folder
- 1927-1928, Wisconsin Synode
- 1927, Deutsche Nebraska Synode
- 1927-1929, Evangelische Synode
- German settlers in Saunders County
- Missouri Synode
- Unsorted
Series 4 – Miscellany
- Biographical material:
Richard Neurmaerker, reprint from the Encyclopedia of America Biography, Volume 37, 1929
H.E. Studier, autobiographical account, 46 pp. typewritten - “Biograhpische Skizzen,” contains clippings, notes and typewritten material on ministers and settlers in Nebraska
- Scrapbook of clippings concerned with World War I, and the teaching of German in schools; persecutions and attacks on German-Americans in Nebraska, the controversy around the faculty at the University of Nebraska
- Undated and unsigned draft of a thesis entitled “German-Russians on the Volga and in the United States”
- Collection of clippings entitled “Fighting the Pro-British Clique dominating the University of Nebraska,” from Nebraska newspapers dated through 1914
- Notes on history of towns and places in Nebraska
- Papers relating to the case of Busbom et al vs. the State of Nebraska
- Unsorted printed matter
Subject headings:
Churches — Nebraska
Deutschamerikanischer Burgerbund Nebraska
Deutscher Staatsverbund Nebraska
Germans — Nebraska
Germans in Nebraska
Geschichte der Deutschen Evang, Luth.
Geschichte des Nebraskadistrictes
Evangelical Church in Nebraska
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Nebraska
Immigration and emigration
Lutheran Church in Nebraska
Synodal-Bericht
University of Nebraska
Werkmeister, William Henry, 1901-1993
World War, 1914-1918
DAB/HEK/sw 06-25-1966
Revised TMM 10-02-2019