Ms. Coll. AX 3171 Finding aid prepared by Violet Lutz. Last updated on September 06, 2013. German Society of Pennsylvania, Joseph P. Horner Memorial Library 2010.10
Table of Contents Summary Information...3 Biography/History...4 Scope and Contents... 5 Series Description... 6 Administrative Information... 6 Controlled Access Headings...6 Collection Inventory... 8 Poetry... 8 Drama... 8 Novels...9 - Page 2 -
Summary Information Repository German Society of Pennsylvania: Joseph P. Horner Memorial Library Creator Welden, Otto, 1824-1902 Title Otto Welden literary manuscripts Call number Ms. Coll. AX 3171 Date [inclusive] circa 1860-1902 Extent 0.93 linear feet (4 boxes) Language German Language of Materials note German, with occasional use of Latin phrases Abstract Handwritten copies of works by German-American author Otto Welden (pseudonym of P. J. Reuss), mostly produced at Welden's direction, with some material in his own hand. Comprises two volumes of poetry, three dramatic works, and two novels. Includes works that were published only in periodicals; some may not have been published in any form. Cite as: Otto Welden literary manuscripts, Joseph P. Horner Memorial Library, German Society of Pennsylvania. - Page 3 -
Biography/History Otto Welden was the pseudonym of P. J. (Peter Joseph) Reuss.[1] He was born in Fulda, in Hesse, Germany (at that time the Landgraviate Hesse-Kassel), on 3 September 1824. He studied medicine in Berlin, Basel, and Marburg, earning a medical degree. He emigrated to the United States in 1851, arriving in Baltimore on 20 September 1851. He settled at first in New York City, and later resided in Washington, DC. He was a military physician in the Civil War serving from 1861 to 1864 in the 29th New York Infantry Regiment, a mostly German regiment. Apparently he returned to Germany at the time of the Franco-Prussian War; under the name P. J. Reuss, he published sketches of his experiences as a physician in that war.[2] Known for literary works under his pseudonym Otto Welden, he was the author of poems, dramas, and novels. He may have been best known for his plays, which were performed in Germanlanguage theaters in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore; three plays were published in book form.[3] He died in New York City on 2 April 1902.[4] Footnotes [1] When using his actual name, Welden typically signs "P. J. Reuss." [2] Interessante Skizzen und Erfahrungen eines deutschamerikanischen Arztes in dem grossen deutschfranzösischen Kriege 1870-1871 (Leipzig: Sackmann, 1875). [3] Tragödien (Aachen: J. Stercken, 1871). None of the plays in the book is represented here. [4] "Deaths reported," New York Times, 24 April 1902, p. 9. Report of death of Dr. P. J. Reuss. References Rattermann, H. A., ed. Deutsch-Amerikanisches Magazin, vol. 1. Cincinnati, Ohio: S. Rosenthal, 1886-1887. 318-326. Excerpts from Welden's play Tippo Saib. Ward, Robert E. A Bio-bibliography of German-American Writers, 1670-1970. White Plains, NY: Kraus International Publications, 1985. 237. Biographical entry. Zimmermann, G. A. Deutsch in Amerika : Beiträge zur Geschichte der deutsch-amerikanischen Literatur: 1. Episch-lyrische Poesie. Chicago : Ackermann & Eyller, 1892 (publication of Germania Männerchor in Chicago). xxxix, 102. Commentary and biographical entry. The second edition (1894) also includes three poems by Welden (p. 53-54). - Page 4 -
Scope and Contents The collection contains handwritten manuscripts of works by Otto Welden (pseudonym of P. J. Reuss), including three dramas, two novels, and two volumes of poetry, with some material in his own hand. The manuscripts are for the most part copies made by others at Welden's direction, and usually are signed by him on the inside front cover (with address sometimes noted), and contain notes in his hand. One of the manuscripts (the novel 1776) is accompanied by a letter by the author to the scholar and school official G. A. Zimmerman, written in 1896.[1] Zimmerman was the author of a survey of German-American literature, Deutsch in Amerika, first published in 1892, which includes a biographical entry on Welden; the second edition of the book, published 1894, also includes poems by Welden.[2] The letter reveals that Welden had this copy of his novel made in order to send it to Zimmerman in Chicago. None of the works included here was ever published in book form, but at least two of the plays were performed in German-American theaters, and at least one of the novels was published in German- American periodicals, as well as in a German periodical. Welden's own notes in two of the manuscripts record information about performances (in the case of the play König Gambrinus) or publication (in the case of the novel Robert Morris). The presence of such notes by him is indicated under the relevant items in the inventory list.(3) It is possible that some of the works were never published at all; and if so, the manuscript copy in this collection could be the only extant copy. Another repository for papers of Otto Welden/P. J. Reuss could not be located during the preparation of this finding aid. A particularly German-American dimension is evident in the subject matter of the novels, which both in some way concern the American Revolution. One of the volumes of poetry ( Kleine Blühten der Lyrik), contains poems that allude to the author's life as a German immigrant, with poems dating as early as 1852, shortly after his arrival in the United States. The play King Gambrinus appears to be set in the United States and may have German-American elements. Footnotes [1] See folder in box 4 of the collection. [2] See references (above). Zimmermann mentions Welden's novel 1776 in the first edition of his book, indicating that the date of composition was several years earlier than the production of the copy represented here. [3] Welden's play Tippo Saib was also performed, according to the Cambridge History of English and American Literature (New York: Putnam, 1907-1921, vol. 18, ch. xxxi, section 15; accessed online through Bartelby.com). - Page 5 -
Series Description The collection is divided into three series, according to genre: I. Poetry, II. Drama, and III. Novels. Within each series the manuscripts are listed alphabetically by title. The inventory list also records the original call number of the item, reflecting how they were cataloged at the time of acquisition by the German Society of Pennsylvania. The individual items are still labeled with that call number. Administrative Information German Society of Pennsylvania, Joseph P. Horner Memorial Library 2010.10 Finding aid prepared by Violet Lutz. Access Restrictions This collection is open for research. Use Restrictions Copyright restrictions may apply. Please contact the German Society of Pennsylvania with requests for copying and for authorization to publish, quote or reproduce the material. Provenance Donated to the National Carl Schurz Association (NCSA), and subsequently donated by NCSA to the German Society of Pennsylvania. Original donor unknown. Controlled Access Headings Corporate Name(s) - Page 6 -
National Carl Schurz Association. Otto Welden literary manuscripts Form/Genre(s) Manuscripts, German--19th century Novels Plays (document genre) Poems Portraits Geographic Name(s) Hesse-Kassel (Electorate)--Politics and government India--History--Mysore War, 1799 United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783 United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783--Participation, German Personal Name(s) Morris, Robert, 1734-1806 Subject(s) German American literature German American poetry German Americans - Page 7 -
I. Poetry Collection Inventory I. Poetry. Box Gemma, oder: Die Braut am Rhein, romantisches Gedicht in XIII Gesängen (original call no. AX 3171.3). Handwritten bound manuscript, undated. 153 p. Signed by author, inside front cover. Table of contents (p. 4) and note at end (p. 153) are also in his hand. 1 Kleine Blühten der Lyrik, Theil I: Heiteres (original call no. AX 3171.7). Handwritten bound manuscript, circa 1891-1893. 169 p. Contains 129 numbered poems. Signed by author (inside front cover), with a note indicating that this manuscript is an excerpt from a larger collection of 363 poems. Table of contents and the last few poems (p. 167-169) are in Welden's hand. Of the dates associated with the poems, the earliest is 1852 (p. 18) and the latest 1893 (p. 169). The main part of the manuscript may have been copied in 1891 (title page). The poetry contains American references, including place names (Baltimore, Brooklyn, Washington, D.C.); and poem titles ("Amerikanische Nächte," p. 6; "In America," p. 50). 1 II. Drama. Box König Gambrinus und Fürst Alcohol (King Gambrinus and Prince Alcohol): Volksschauspiel in fünf Acten, nebst einem Vorspiele und Nachspiele: "Der Kampf der Geister" (original call no. AX 3171.1). Handwritten bound manuscript, undated (after 1860). 160 p. Signed by the author (inside front cover) and notes in his hand (inside front cover, front flyleaf, last page). One note reports that the play was performed in Philadelphia in 1860, and later at the Stadttheater in New York City under the direction of Otto Hoym; and another conveys a quotation from a review of the play. The King Gambrinus of the title refers to the legendary inventor of beer. Gambrinus and Alcohol are part of the prelude and 2 - Page 8 -
III. Novels epilogue. The play proper is set in a northern city, probably in the United States (reference is made to the dollar as currency, p. 82-83), during a 15-year span in the 19th century. Die Opfer des Vorurtheils, Characterbild in vier Aufzügen aus dem 19. Jahrhundert (original call no. AX 3171.4). Handwritten bound manuscript, circa 1874?. Signed by author (inside front cover); and a note in his hand gives the dates of composition as 30 April to 7 May 1874 (p. 100). The play is set in a large city in Germany in the 19th century. 2 Tippo Saib, Sultan von Mysore: historische Tragödie in 5 Akten (original call no. AX 3171.2). Handwritten bound manuscript, undated. 158 p. Signed by the author (inside front cover), and several notes in his hand (inside front cover and front flyleaf), one of which mentions H. A. Rattermann. The play is set in Seringapatam, East India, and English camp, in 1798 and 1799, during the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War. 2 III. Novels. Box Robert Morris: historischer Roman in drei Bänden (original call no. AX 3171.5a-.5c). Handwritten (in part autograph) manuscript in three bound volumes, circa 1860 (date 1860 is given on title page of vol. 1). Caption title: Robert Morris: historischer Roman aus dem amerikanischen Befreiungskriege, 1776-83 (vol. 1, p. 9). The first and part of the second volume are in Welden's hand, and the remainder of the manuscript is in at least two other hands. Volumes 2 and 3 have a table of contents in Welden's hand. A note in volume 3 (back flyleaf), in Welden's hand reports that the novel was published in the Neue Correspondent, Baltimore (1869-1870); Bunte Blätter, Baltimore (1877-1878); and Sonntagsblatt, Nürnberger Presse, Nuremberg (1885-1886). The novel concerns the Philadelphia financier Robert Morris (1734-1806) and his role in the American Revolution. Characters include Peter Muhlenberg. Included in the box is an item that was laid in one of the volumes: a print portrait of Robert Morris, with notes about him by Welden on the verso. 3 - Page 9 -
III. Novels 1776: historischer Roman aus dem Hofleben des vorigen Jahrhunderts, nach den Memoiren eines Henkers (original call no. AX 3171.6a-.6d). Handwritten manuscript in four bound volumes, circa 1896. Copy in at least two different hands, made at Welden's direction, accompanied by a letter to G. A. Zimmerman (see below). Each volume begins with a table of contents. The novel is set at the court of the Landgraviate Hesse-Kassel, and concerns at least in part the decision of Landgrave Friedrich II to send Hessian soldiers to support the British in the American Revolution (vol. 2, ch. 1: Menschenhandel) The executioner (Scharfrichter, Henker) of Fulda is named in two chapter titles (vol. 3, ch. 10; vol. 4, ch. 3). 4 Handwritten letter from the author to G. A. Zimmermann (in folder), 14 October 1896. With enclosure (bifolium, with notes). Accompanied the above manuscript of the novel, 1776; indicates that the copy was made in order to send it to Zimmerman. Welden asks Zimmerman to confirm receipt of the last two books, which at the time were still at the book binder. 4 - Page 10 -