Libraries

The German American Saengerfest

The Saengerfest Collection was donated by Mr. Christian Schmidt of Cincinnati. His grandfather, Charles Schmidt, was a prominent Cincinnati businessman in the late 19th century to the early decades of the 20th century. Active in civic affairs as well as German-American cultural organizations, Schmidt served as the president of the German-American Saengerbund, an umbrella group for state and municipal saengerfests throughout the United States. The national Saengerbund also sponsored a national saengerfest every year that was held in different cities across the country.

This collection of materials span the dates 1924 to 1931 and includes Schmidt's correspondence with other saengerfest committees and officials, and includes miscellaneous materials such as the songsheet and constitution exhibited here.

Selected Images