Hutterites, Forest River, N.D. Side A
Item — Box: 6, Object: Cassettes C33-C35
Scope and Content
From the Collection:
The Allen Spiker German Russian Dialect Tapes consists of the original oral interviews done on audio tapes, conducted by Allen Spiker during the late 1970s and 1980s as part of his academic study in German linguistics, focusing on the spoken dialect of German Russian immigrants and their descendants now living in North Dakota. Of particular interest was the low German Kashubish dialect. Spiker himself was of German Russian heritage. In addition to word lists pronounced by the interviewee, many tapes
include biographical information as well as other historical information related to the German Russian
experience, both in Russia and the United States.
The Documentation Series includes all the paper files associated with the collection. It includes a photocopy of the 1978 grant application to the North Dakota Committee for the Humanities and Public Issues (North Dakota Humanities Council) requesting fund for Allen Spiker to ‘present the history, development factors and present conditions of the German-Russian language in North Dakota. The program’s purpose is to create an understanding and appreciation of an otherwise underrated aspect of our state’s heritage.’ The proposal was for Spiker to give a program to the ten regional chapters of the North Dakota Historical Society of Germans from Russia in 1979. The ‘Proposed Dialect Atlas … “ document is a nice overview of the project. Its text is reproduced in the ‘Project Description’ section of this finding aid.
The remaining files are Spiker’s notes and annotations regarding a number of his interviews, particularly his recording and analyzing the German pronunciation of various words by the interviewees. Only a few of the interviewees are documented in the files. Among the people identified in the ‘Dialect Analysis Sheets’ file are: Eva Hartze, Rochus Streifel, Damian Baumgartner, Wendelin Wikenheiser, Mr. & Mrs. Flemmer, Philipp Wall, Gunda Berreth, Tessman.
The two Transcription files contain handwritten notes and several typed partial transcriptions of interviews. Most is in German with several translations. Those represented in the notes file include: Damian Baumgartner, Anna Schnell, John Gross, Rochus Streifel, Frieda Hoff, and Edward Lepp. The typed transcription file includes items of Rochus Streifel ‘(Lied vom Anfang der Welt’), John Gross (‘Prohibition agents & the kid’), and Edward Lepp (‘Die Storchgeschichte’ and ‘Erster Raububerfall’). All the typed transcriptions are in German with English translations. The Wortlisten file includes a list of the words used by Allen Spiker as well as phonetic transcriptions for some of the people he interviewed.
The Publications Series includes two publications and an article acquired by Mr. Spiker as part of his research project. They include Amerikanismen deutschen Gegenwartssprache, by Broder Carstensen and Hans Galinsky, published in 1967 by Carl Winter Universitatsverlag; and Kleinen historische Lautlehre des Deutschen, by Blanka Horacek, published in 1966 by Wilhelm Brauuller Universitats Verlaugsbuchhandlung. This later work is extensively marked, no doubt by Mr. Spiker. The final item is an eight page article titled Von den deutschen Mundarten zum Meuhochdeutschen from 1976.
The Interviewee Series has been arranged alphabetically by the first name listed on the reel-to-reel or cassette tape. Many tapes include multiple interviewees and some names appear on more than one tape. Apparently Spiker made duplicate copies of some of the interviews both onto cassettes and reel-to-reel tapes; thus determining what is the original recording is not always possible. He also appears to have combined several interviews onto the same reel-to-reel tape.
A name index together with the entry number has been compiled and provided below. The descriptive data is taken from documentation written on the tape or the box in which it is housed. The Institute staff has not listened to the actual tapes for additional descriptive information, except those that have been made available online as part of Digital Horizons. Almost all the original reel-to-reel tapes were transferred to audio cassette in the early 2000s by the Institute staff. In 2010-2011 additional reel-to-reel tapes and cassettes were digitized when donated as an addition to the collection.
Tape numbers and formats for each interviewee are recorded in the Box and Folder List. The main Tape number sequence is for all 7 inch reel-to-reel audio tapes, while the Tape ‘B’ series designates all 7 inch reel-to-reel audio tapes. Cassettes with a ‘C’ indicate the copy cassettes made by the Institute staff. The ‘Digital’ designation is for those audio tapes digitized prior to donation.
The North Dakota Committee for the Humanities and Public Issues Series is assumed to document Allen Spiker’s speaking about his project, as sponsored by the Committee. The Program Response and Program Tape audio tapes are assumed to be part of his speaking on the project, although staff has not verified this through actually listening of the tapes.
The Documentation Series includes all the paper files associated with the collection. It includes a photocopy of the 1978 grant application to the North Dakota Committee for the Humanities and Public Issues (North Dakota Humanities Council) requesting fund for Allen Spiker to ‘present the history, development factors and present conditions of the German-Russian language in North Dakota. The program’s purpose is to create an understanding and appreciation of an otherwise underrated aspect of our state’s heritage.’ The proposal was for Spiker to give a program to the ten regional chapters of the North Dakota Historical Society of Germans from Russia in 1979. The ‘Proposed Dialect Atlas … “ document is a nice overview of the project. Its text is reproduced in the ‘Project Description’ section of this finding aid.
The remaining files are Spiker’s notes and annotations regarding a number of his interviews, particularly his recording and analyzing the German pronunciation of various words by the interviewees. Only a few of the interviewees are documented in the files. Among the people identified in the ‘Dialect Analysis Sheets’ file are: Eva Hartze, Rochus Streifel, Damian Baumgartner, Wendelin Wikenheiser, Mr. & Mrs. Flemmer, Philipp Wall, Gunda Berreth, Tessman.
The two Transcription files contain handwritten notes and several typed partial transcriptions of interviews. Most is in German with several translations. Those represented in the notes file include: Damian Baumgartner, Anna Schnell, John Gross, Rochus Streifel, Frieda Hoff, and Edward Lepp. The typed transcription file includes items of Rochus Streifel ‘(Lied vom Anfang der Welt’), John Gross (‘Prohibition agents & the kid’), and Edward Lepp (‘Die Storchgeschichte’ and ‘Erster Raububerfall’). All the typed transcriptions are in German with English translations. The Wortlisten file includes a list of the words used by Allen Spiker as well as phonetic transcriptions for some of the people he interviewed.
The Publications Series includes two publications and an article acquired by Mr. Spiker as part of his research project. They include Amerikanismen deutschen Gegenwartssprache, by Broder Carstensen and Hans Galinsky, published in 1967 by Carl Winter Universitatsverlag; and Kleinen historische Lautlehre des Deutschen, by Blanka Horacek, published in 1966 by Wilhelm Brauuller Universitats Verlaugsbuchhandlung. This later work is extensively marked, no doubt by Mr. Spiker. The final item is an eight page article titled Von den deutschen Mundarten zum Meuhochdeutschen from 1976.
The Interviewee Series has been arranged alphabetically by the first name listed on the reel-to-reel or cassette tape. Many tapes include multiple interviewees and some names appear on more than one tape. Apparently Spiker made duplicate copies of some of the interviews both onto cassettes and reel-to-reel tapes; thus determining what is the original recording is not always possible. He also appears to have combined several interviews onto the same reel-to-reel tape.
A name index together with the entry number has been compiled and provided below. The descriptive data is taken from documentation written on the tape or the box in which it is housed. The Institute staff has not listened to the actual tapes for additional descriptive information, except those that have been made available online as part of Digital Horizons. Almost all the original reel-to-reel tapes were transferred to audio cassette in the early 2000s by the Institute staff. In 2010-2011 additional reel-to-reel tapes and cassettes were digitized when donated as an addition to the collection.
Tape numbers and formats for each interviewee are recorded in the Box and Folder List. The main Tape number sequence is for all 7 inch reel-to-reel audio tapes, while the Tape ‘B’ series designates all 7 inch reel-to-reel audio tapes. Cassettes with a ‘C’ indicate the copy cassettes made by the Institute staff. The ‘Digital’ designation is for those audio tapes digitized prior to donation.
The North Dakota Committee for the Humanities and Public Issues Series is assumed to document Allen Spiker’s speaking about his project, as sponsored by the Committee. The Program Response and Program Tape audio tapes are assumed to be part of his speaking on the project, although staff has not verified this through actually listening of the tapes.
Dates
- 1974 -1981
Access
The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the NDSU Archives.
Extent
From the Collection: 4.6 Linear Feet
From the Collection: 51 Reels (51 audio tapes (7 inch))
From the Collection: 25 Reels (25 audio tapes (5 inch))
From the Collection: 239 Audio Cassettes (239 audio cassettes)
From the Collection: 11 Digital Images (11 compact disks)
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
From the Collection: German
Overview
Tape copies: Copied by staff, on three cassettes
Date: Tape not dated
Tapes: Cassettes C33-C35
Repository Details
Part of the Institute for Regional Studies Repository
Contact:
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu