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News From The President, Leo Schelbert

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

It is my sad duty to announce to the members of the Swiss American Historical Society that Dr. Imre de Kosinski died unexpectedly on August 17, 1975. The Society has thus lost an active and trusted member who - as former Treasurer - has decisively contributed to its successful revitalization. Dr. de Kosinski was born in Budapest, Hungary, 'Where he earned his doctorate in political science. In 1944 he left his native country and -went to Switzerland to assist the Hungarian goverment in exile. He then married Edith Nussbaumer of Basel. In 1954 Dr. de Kosinski and his family moved …

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Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

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Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

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A Swiss Patrician In New York City's Elite: Henri Casimir De Rham, 1785-1873, Robert H. Billigmeier

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

In the early nineteeth century, the Swiss who left for the New World faced the travail of a long journey over land to French ports or over land and by river vessels down the Rhine to ports of embarcation in Germany or the Netherlands. After the strenuous journey to the coast camme the hazards of the Atlantic crossing which still loomed ominously foreboding in the minds of emigrants desinted for North America. Some travellers, like Johannes and Anna Schweizer of Hemberg, St. Gallen, Brought more than the usual amount of baggage and sufferened the additional difficulties their encumbrances occasioned. The …

Some Recent Publications Of Swiss American Interest, Leo Schelbert

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

BAENZIGER, HANS. "Eindrucke aus Amerika und der Schweiz," Schweizer Monatshefte 55 (May 1975), 98-100.

BALMER, HEINZ. "Louis Agassiz 1807 - 1873. Der Mann und sein Werk," Denkschriften der Schweizerischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft LXXXIX (1975), 11-20.

BALMER, HEINZ. "Edouard Desor und sein Landhaus Combe-Varin ," Gesnerus 32 (1975), 61-86.

DEUCHLER, FLORENS. "Als Kunstwissenschafter in Amerika," Neue Zlircher Zeitung No. 153 (5/6 July 1975), 43.

GUGGIS BERG, HANS RUDOLF. Geschichte der USA. Vol . I: Entstehung_ und nationale Konsolidierung Vol. II: Die Weltmacht . Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, 197) . Vol . 209 210 of Urban Taschenbucher. 319 pp.

LAENG, HANS "Der Schweizer Indianermaler Carl …

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Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

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History Of The Swiss American Historical Society, Heinz K. Meier

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

5. The Last Ten Years*

The Washington meeting of October 5, 1963, was an encouraging sign of interest in the usefulness of the Swiss American Historical Society on the part of the official representative of Switzerland in this country. It did not solve any of the immediate problems, however. The society was without leadership and its activities had ceased a number of years ago. Thanks to the initiative displayed by the embassy, however, thigs were put in motion again. For one, Emil Schaefer, who had so unexpectedly been saddled with presidential responsibility again, actively looked for a person willing to …

News Of Genealogy, Heinz K. Meier

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

A. In Search of Ancestors: Where to Begin

We all of us harbor a particular interest in ourselves that just naturally extends to curiosity about our forebears. This inquisitiveness, when combined with the proper research procedures, can culminate in a rewarding and stimulating study: Genealogical Research.

New York Regional Meeting, Dr. Rolf Kieser

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

The New York chapter of the SAHS held a panel discussion on "Contemporary Switzerland in the Eyes of Young Swiss-Americans" on May 3, 1975, at the Swiss Town House. Seven panelists, all relatively recent immigrants from Switzerland, addressed themselves to written questions given them by the organizer and moderator of the meeting Dr. Rolf Kieser, First Vice President of the SAHS.

Introductory Remarks, Heinz K. Meier

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

It looked for while as if I would not have enough materials for a mid-year newsletter. However, after some worrying I received enough contributions to make up an issue, even though it is somewhat shorter than most recent ones. The individuals items are self-explanatory and need no introduction.

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Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

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The Eleventh Annual Meeting Of The Swiss American Historical Society

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

The eleventh annual meeting of the reactivated SAHS was held on December 28 , 1974, in Evanston , Illinois . Nine people attended the business meeting, some fifteen members were at the luncheon and at the afternoon session. The meeting was held in the pleasant atmosphere of the Orrington Hotel in Evanston, owned by the family Zweifel from New Glarus. Mr. Rolf Born, Consul General of Switzerland in Chicago, invited the assembled members to a cocktail hour before lunch which greatly added to the pleasantness of the occasion.

Glarus Swiss Make New Year's Special, Millard Tschudy

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

The Swiss of New Glarus, like those of Old Glarus, treated the passing of onne year to another as an event of considerable magnitude and they had a ingular routine for observing it.

Address Of The New Sahs President, Leo Schelbert

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

Permit me first to thank you for the expression of confidence. I will try my best to keep the SAHS active in the performance of its perhaps modest, yet not insignificant tasks.

Anabaptists Of The Old Bernese State, Delbert L. Graetz

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

This presentation will attempt to relate the story of the major religious group in Bernese territory that separated itself from the official state-church, called Taufer and Wiedertaufer by persons outside of their circle since they did not recognize infant baptism and because they baptized adults who might have been baptized earlier as infants. They called each other simply 'Brethren', but in more recent times for official purpos es they have used the name , Alt-evangelische Taufgesinnten. But in cormmon parlance today in Switzerland , they are Taufer to all concerned. Altlough the Emmental and the Oberland have from pre-Reformation times …

Introductory Remarks, Heinz K. Meier

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

With this number the Swiss American Historical Society begins the second decade of issuing a regular newsletter. Like most of its predecessors it contains a mixture of materials that should lie of interest to our members. Special attention shoultl be given to the report about the eleventh annual meeting, presented by Dr. Leo Schelbert, formerly Secretary, now President, of our society. Most of the space of this number is given to an article by Dr. Delbert Graetz on the Bernese Anabaptists which Dr. Graetz prcsentetl at the annual meeting. A couple of shorter contributions round out our offerings.

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Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

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Sir Frederick Gordon Guggisberg, E. H. Bovay

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

In August, 1923, the then Governor of the Gold Coast (Ghana), Frederick Gordon Guggisberg, paid a visit to Switzerland. Although proud to welcome such a high dignitary, especially one with such a Bernese sounding name, the Swiss authorities were somewhat embarassed when the Governor asked to be taken to the birthplace of his ancestors. Nobody knew for certain, since the Bernese municipalities of Belp, Guggisberg, Niedermuhlern, Schwarzenburg and Zimmerwalk all claimed him as one of their sons. The origins of the Governor have been traced recently. Frederick Gordon Guggisberg's grandfather Johann (John), born in 1808 and a citizen of Belp …

Book Review: Chabag: Schweizer Kolonie Am Schwarzen Meer, Leo Schelbert

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

The founding of hoogeneous, ethnically defined settlements represents perhaps the most colorful aspect of migration history. The colony Chabag, located in Bessarabia where the Dnjester river flows into the Black Sea, provides a find example of such a story, traced by H. Gander-Wolf as a labor of love. The settlement, founded in 1822 by the botanist and vine-grower Louis Vincent Tardent from Vevey in French-speaking Switzerland, lasted for five generations until the turbulence of World War Two forced the inhabitants to return to their homeland. Although this study is written by a descendant of the settlers, it is remarkably free …

The Forthcoming Annual Meeting, Heinz K. Meier

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

1. Time and Place

This year's annual meeting of the Swiss American Historical Society will take place on Saturday, December 28, at the Orrington Hotel, 1710 Orrington Avenue, in Evanston, Illinois, in connection with the national convention of the American Historical Association in Chicago.

Other Books Received

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

A collection of books received.

Two Congratulatory Messages, Leo Schelbert

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

On August 1, 1974, Dr. med. Hans C. Syz, the noted psychiatrist and president of the Lifwynn Foundations of Westport, Connecticut, celebrated his eightieth birthday. The SAHS is privileged to extend the most cordial good wishes to its distinguished member and wishes him many more years of high accomplishment.

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Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

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Carl Bodmer: A Biographical Sketch, Hans Läng

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

Almost every illustrated work on North American Indians has pictures by Carl Bodmer, the gifted Swiss painter. Experts as well as interested laymen are impressed by his excellent portrayals of various types of Indians and their world. When we look for the artist's signature, however, we often find nothing but "after Wied" under the picture or else the name of an engraver. Thieme-Becker, Benezit, Nagel, and any number of other editors of the various encyclopedias of artists, refer to Carl Brun (Schwizerisches Kunstler-Lexikon, Frauenfeld 1905), whenever they mention Bodmer. And here, too, we find precious little information about the painter.

The Passing Of Two Noted Swiss Americans

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

Dr. med. Karl Friedrich Meyer (1884-1974)

Karl Friedrich Meyer was born in Basel on May 19, 1884, as the son of Theodore Meyer zum Pfeil and Sophie Meyer-Lichtenhahn. After grammar school he attended the Humanistische Gymnasium of Basel and started in 1902 his graduate work in biology. Later he transferred to the University of Zurich where he studied comparative pathology and physiology and began to immerse himself in his favored field of specialization, veterinary medicine.

Book Review: Amicable Agreement Versus Majority Rule: Conflict Resolution In Switzerland, Frank Tachau

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

Writing a review of a book about Swiss politics for Swiss-American readers is not an easy task for a non-Swiss political scientist. Unfortunately, the Swiss political system has simply not been a very popular subject for investigation by American political scientists. Since Switzerland is the oldest and perhaps most successful multi-ethnic political system in Europe, if not the world, this lack of attention and popularity is very regrettable indeed, The appearance in English translation of this book by Jurg Steiner of the University of North Carolina (with teaching affiliations at the Universities of Zurich and Geneva as well) does a …

Sahs Meeting In Zurich, Sonja Daeniker, Lukas F. Burckhardt

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

On July 12, 1975, the SWAHS organiszed another summer meeting in Switzerland. Below are two reports of the meeting by particinpating members of our society, one from the Neue Zurcher Zeitung of July 19/20, 1975, and the other from the Swiss American Review of Agust 6, 1975.

The Society For The Propagation Of The Gospel In Foreign Parts And The Assimilation Of Foreign Protestants In British North America, Anne Polk Diffendal

Department of History: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts from its foundation in 1701 to the beginning of the American Revolution attempted to minister to non-English white settlers in the North American colonies. The Society sent clergymen to Dutch, to Germans, to Swedes, and to French Huguenots in various provinces, gave financial help to foreign ministers, and distributed books to foreign churches. Anglican religious services were open to foreigners living near the Society's missions. These activities have been chronicled in 1952 in a dissertation by William A. Bultmann, who published two articles from that paper. One is a …

Book Review: Rapperswil Im 19. Jahrhundert, Leo Schelbert

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

The seven essays assembled in this book present excellent examples of the great value of local history for the professional historian. Eugen Halter, now a retired schoolteacher, had gathered a wealth of material that highlighted aspects of the 19th century economic and social history of the town of Rapperswil. Thus he offers in one chapter a sketch of the region's economic situation about 1850; in another he descries the stormy career of the liberal clergyman Felix Helbling (1802-1873). who had been greatly influenced by Ignaz Vital Troxler (1780-1866) and Heinrich Zschokke (1771-1848), two leaders of the liberal movement which after …

Two Distinguished Swiss Visitors In Chicago: Max Frisch And Jean Piaget, Leo Schelbert

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

On April 11, 1974, the Consulate General of Switzerland proudly announced: "The famous Swiss writer, winner of numerous awards and honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Max Frisch, author of novels, plays and diaries and one of the leading personalities in modern literature, will be in Chicago." As a major event a reading hour had been arranged for Tuesday, April 23, at the University of Illinois - in cooperation with the Consulate General of (West) Germany and the Swiss Benevolent Society of Chicago - where the author was to read from his recently published Sketchbook 1966-1971.