German-American Almanacs - University of Cincinnati · German-American almanacs were published...
Transcript of German-American Almanacs - University of Cincinnati · German-American almanacs were published...
An 1857 Pennsylvania German almanac, printed and
published by Johann Bär & Sons of Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, which followed the basic format and
appearance of the almanacs first published by
Christopher Sauer in the eighteenth century.
In the late nineteenth century, German-American
almanacs were issued in English not only to reach
American-born readers, but also to reach a wide
market and circulation.
This 1875 agricultural almanac in English shows the
early efforts to reach out to the community at large, not
just the German-American community, though keeping
with tradition, it was arranged after the German
calendar system.
Due to the mass-market appeal of almanacs, numerous
companies advertised in them, with this one from 1875
showing an advertisement from the Cincinnati
German brewing company of Foss-Schneider.
Almanacs often appeared in editions running into the
tens of thousands.
Almanacs were filled with wit, wisdom, and humor. A
humorous story about “Herring and Beer,” and a
German-English style poem “Dot Schmall Leetle
Baby” from a Cincinnati German almanac exemplify
this particular aspect.
Some almanacs were published by medical firms, and
carried the usual almanac information, but also plenty
of advertisements for their own products. This one was
published and distributed gratis by Dr. D. Jayne and
Son.
Volume 48 of a Cincinnati German almanac carried the
image and title of the Cincinnatier hinkende Bote (the
Cincinnati limping messenger), which was an image
popular on the covers of German and German-American
almanacs, and was an historical figure harkening back to
survivors of wars before the Thirty Year’s War (1618-48).
Dr. J.C. Ayer & Co. published almanacs advertising the
firm’s various products, such as Ayer’s Sarsaparilla,
which is depicted on the cover, and is noted for its
exceptional medicinal qualities.
The Abendschule, published by Louis Lange of St.
Louis, was a popular and well-illustrated almanac
aimed at German-American Lutherans.
Pautsch & Kline, general merchandisers in Centreport,
Pennsylvania, published almanacs, this one printed at
Reading, Pennsylvania, as the best vehicle for
advertising its stock of goods.
Almanacs were filled with humorous illustrations,
with this one depicting a local public library. The
librarian asks if the young lady would be interested in
the works of Paul de Kock, such as Der schüchterne
Liebhaber (The Shy Admirer). And the response is:
Heavens no, the title doesn’t appeal to me!
German-American almanacs also provided the vehicle
for illustrating German-American life and festivities,
with this example showing the ever-popular annual
celelebration of Maifest!
German-Americans collected not only German-
American almanacs, but also German ones as well for
dates of significance, such as for birth-years,
anniversaries, graduations, etc. One popular year for
German almanacs was 1900, marking the entrance
into the 20th century.
Volume 77 of the Pennsylvania German almanac,
printed and published by Johann Bär’s Sons, bears
almost exactly the same design as its predecessors, a
visible demonstration of its popularity that also served
as its trademark.
German-Americans often wrote notes, analogous to diary
entries, in their calendars. This 1912 almanac indicates
that its owner “Started cutting oats at home, July 24th to
26 A.M.” Such notes demonstrate the importance of
almanacs in the daily life, as does the fact that they were
saved by families like diaries.
The Germania Kalender was one of the most popular
German-American almanacs in the Midwest, and was
published by the firm of Geo. Brumder, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. As a result of the First World War, the firm
changed the name to the America Kalender.
Almanacs often featured German folk dress, as seen
on this couple here; a reminder of the old country,
perhaps, to those longing for a view of their former
homeland. Ca. 1920s.
Illustrations from Grimm’s fairy tales were popular
almanac images, such as this of Hansel and Gretl in a
1920s era almanac.
Advertisements reveal what items were popular with
the general public, as in this ca. 1920s almanac.
Due to their popularity, religious denominations
published almanacs for their members, this one an
example of the 1922 edition published by the German
Evangelical Synod of North America’s Eden Publishing
Co., St. Louis.
The Pionier, an almanac filled with art deco style
illustrations, was published in New York by the New
Yorker Volkszeitung, a German-American progressive
newspaper supporting the interests of the working-
class.
German-American almanacs were published across the
U.S., with this being an example of a German-Texan
volume for 1935, published by the New Braunfelser
Zeitung.
A 1936 edition of a German Catholic almanac that was
well illustrated and designed for the German Catholic
home.