German-Americana Finding Aids
Most books, periodicals, and other published materials in the collection are cataloged in the University of Cincinnati Libraries' online catalog, UCLID. For the best results, limit your search by clicking on "Archives and Rare Books Library" in the "Location" box of the "Optional Limits" section.
There is also a published catalog of the collection which lists holdings acquired prior to 1990. This catalog is available in the Archives and Rare Books Library: Don Heinrich Tolzmann, Catalog of the German-Americana Collection, University of Cincinnati. (Muenchen: K.G. Saur, 1990).
The following links and finding aids may also assist you in finding books and other published materials in the German-Americana collection:
The Robert E. Cazden Collection focuses on German social, intellectual, and cultural thought, movements, and history, with especially important material related to the German-American experience. The collection was donated in 2002 to the University Libraries of the University of Cincinnati by Prof. Robert E. Cazden, College of Library Science, University of Kentucky.
German-Americana Pamphlet Collection
A collection focusing on the German-American experience including literature and poetry by German-American authors, guides for German language instruction, and information on German-American organizations and events. The basis of this collection is the personal library of Heinrich H. Fick. Additional pamphlets and monographs were accumulated by the University of Cincinnati Libraries. Information on the individual items in the collection is available in UC's online catalog.
Grace Brewing History Collection
A collection of histories of German-American breweries. All items have been cataloged individually and records are available in the UC online catalog.
41 volumes
Tolzmann, Don Heinrich German-Americana Collection
The Don Heinrich Tolzmann German-Americana collection stretches from the nineteenth century to the present day, and ranges from newspapers to personal letters, census records, spelling books, and almanacs published in both English and German. There are also photographs of buildings, people, and landscapes, and a tourism guide to the United States.
Following are brief descriptions for the archival and manuscript material in the German-Americana Collection, for which there is a finding aid available. The listing also contains finding aids for the H.H. Fick Pamphlet collection. Some collections only have a PDF version of the finding aid available. Other collections also have a finding aid available on the OhioLINK EAD website. Please check this page occasionally as collections continue to be added and finding aids are updated.
Armstrong, George E. photograph collection
A collection of photographs of post-World War II Germany and soldiers with the U.S. Army's 933rd Field Artillery. The collection also includes one letter in German, postage stamps, leave passes, and French and Italian money.
Identifier: GA-08-02
Cazden, Robert E. papers
Papers of a professor of Library and Information Science at the University of Kentucky and a scholar of printing, publishing, and the German-American book trade. His papers focus largely on the research he conducted for his books on the German-American book trade and exile literature
Identifier: GA-11-01.
Elizabeth Petuchowski Collection of Wolfgang Hildesheimer Material
Materials,1955-1994 relating to German author Wolfgang Hildesheimer collected by Elizabeth Petuchowski
Identifier: GA-05-01.
Fairview German Bilingual School
Records of the Fairview German Bilingual School, an alternative school in Cincinnati. The collection contains annual reports of the school, newspaper articles about the school, and a bibliography on bilingual education.
Identifier: GA-08-03.
Fick, H.H. Unpublished Pamphlet Collection
German-American pamphlets and manuscripts collected by H.H. Fick.
Identifier: GA-14-01
First German Baptist Church
Records, 1880-1991, of the First German Baptist Church of Cincinnati. Also known as Deutsche Baptisten-Kirche and the Walnut Street Baptist Church. The collection includes financial ledgers, Sunday School records, correspondence, and minutes of meetings.
Identifier: GA-05-03
German-American Heritage Month Book Exhibit Records
Material from the German-American Heritage Month Book Exhibits in University of Cincinnati Libraries from 1992-1993, including exhibit guides, photographs, and texts.
Identifier: GA-09-01
Goebel Collection
German-Americana collected by Julius Goebel as editor of Deutsch-Amerikanische Geschichtsblaetter , including unpublished manuscripts.
Finding Aid Available in ARB
Gong, Alfred Collection
The literary estate of the German-American author, Alfred Gong.
Identifier: US-90-03.
Helmecke family papers, 1767-1961
Correspondence, memorabilia, legal and religious documents of the Helmecke family, a family of German origin who lived in Cincinnati. The material documents the familyâs life in Germany, their immigration to the U.S., and their lives as German-Americans living in Cincinnati and then in Michigan.
Identifier: GA-09-04
Helmecke, Carl Papers
This collection deals mainly with Carl A. Helmecke's sabatical in Germany during 1937 and 1938. The collection includes correspondence with his family, souvenirs including maps and tour guide books, tickets and receipts from places to which he traveled in Germany along with school calendars and schedules from his experiences teaching in Germany. There is also some correspondence from later in Helmecke's life along with an oral history interview completed in 1984 shortly before his death.
Identifier: GA-06-01.
Hoge, Dean
Papers of a Presbyterian layman and sociology professor at Catholic University. These papers contain materials related to his research on German immigration to the United States including photographs, books, pamphlets, cassette recordings, and drafts of his book From Ladbergen to America.
Identifier: GA-10-01.
Katholischer Gesellen Vereins (Dayton, OH) Membership Ledger, 1909-1920
Ledger containing a list of members and due paid for the Katholischer Gesellen-Verein or the Catholic Journeyman Club of St. Josephâs Institute in Dayton, Ohio.
Identifier: GA-09-06.
Koegel Collection of German-American Almanacs
Collection of 19th Century German-American almanacs
Finding Aid Available in ARB
Koegel Collection of German-American Ephemera
Miscellaneous documents, programs, and other published materials on German-American topics.
Identifier: GA-05-02
Mann, Thomas Collection, 1918-1952.
Letters and a postcard card written by Thomas Mann. Also includes a photograph of Mann.
Call Numbers: Fick PT2625.A44 Z479, PT2625.A44 Z4834, PT2625.A44 Z498, PT2625.A44Z48
Merrill Slide Collection of German-American Artists
Collection assembled by Peter C. Merrill of works by German-American artists.
Finding Aid Available in ARB
Metternich, Clemens Wenzel Letters, 1822-1829
Correspondence from Prince Metternich of Austria brought to America by Friedrich Laskus.
Identifier: GA-09-07
Niers, Gert Collection
Printed and unprinted German-Americana collected by Gert Niers, German-American newspaper editor, author, and professor of French and German. The collection includes newspaper clippings, correspondence, books and articles.
Identifier: GA-13-01
Pacific Saengerbund Beriche, der Bundes-Festlichkeiten, 1936
Ledger containing information on and costs for the 1936 Pacific Sängerbund.
Identifier: GA-09-05
Petuchowski Collection of Wolfgang Hildesheimer Material
Materials relating to the German author, Wolfgang Hildesheimer, collected by Elizabeth Petuchowski.
Identifier: GA-05-01
Prager Memorial Day Records
Collection includes background material, photos, programs, and exhibit material from the Prager Memorial Day celebrations at the University of Cincinnati and throughout the Cincinnati area between 1993 and 1995.
Identifier: GA-09-02
Saengerfest
Collection of Charles Schmidt, president of the German-American Saengerbund, sponsor of the national Saengerfest programs.
Identifier: GA-08-01
Schade, Gerhard R.
Papers, 1920-1990, including literary, historical, and autobiographical writings.
Identifier: GA-06-03
Society for German-American Studies Records
Records, 1976-2000, of an international professional association including financial records, membership lists, and correspondence.
Identifier: GA-09-09
Swiss Benevolent Association of Cincinnati
Records, 1965-2011 of the Swiss Benevolent Association of Cincinnati including by-laws, meeting minutes, correspondence, financial reports, activity reports, annual reports, membership lists, and calendars. Also of special note in this collection is a compilation of United Nations broadcasts on Switzerland from 1972-1974.
Identifier: GA-11-01.
Third German Protestant Memorial Church
Records of the Third Protestant Memorial Church of Cincinnati, formerly known as the Third German Protestant Memorial Church of Cincinnati, the German and Evangelical Lutheran and Reformed Church, and the North German Lutheran Church. Includes records of births, marriages, deaths, confirmations, along with financial records and a few photographs, 1814-1982.
Identifier: GA-09-03.
Digital Collection
Tolzmann, Don Heinrich German-Americana Collection
The Don Heinrich Tolzmann German-Americana collection stretches from the nineteenth century to the present day, and ranges from newspapers to personal letters, census records, spelling books, and almanacs published in both English and German. There are also photographs of buildings, people, and landscapes, and a tourism guide to the United States.
Identifier: GA-17-01
Wolff Festschriften Imprint Collection, 1931-1976
German-American imprints from the Wolff Printing Co., Covington, Kentucky.
Identifier: GA-09-08.
The Archives and Rare Books Library holds both hard copies and microfilm versions of several German-American newspapers, along with Cincinnati German church records, Cincinnati German histories, and the papers of Baron von Steuben on microfilm. Please click on the links to the finding aids below for more information on these collections.
German-American Church Records on Microfilm
Records for various Cincinnati-area German-American churches including Concordia Lutheran Church, First United Church of Christ, Philippus United Church of Christ, St. John's Unitarian Church, St. Matthaeus Evangelical Protestant Church, St. Paul German Evangelical Church, St. Peter German Evangelical Church, and St. Peter Independent German Evangelical Church.
List available in ARB
German Newspaper Collection (Hard Copies)
Miscellaneous files of German-American newspapers.
50 newspaper boxes
List available in ARB
German-Americana Newspapers on Microfilm
German-language newspapers available on microfilm including newspapers from the Cincinnati area and various cities throughout the United States.
List available on ARB
Books and Papers on Microfilm
Cincinnati German histories and the papers of Baron von Steubenon microfilm.
List available in ARB
Protestantische Zeitblaetter
Hard copy issues of the Protestantische Zeitblaetter in the German-Americana collection
Finding Aid Available in ARB