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Katy Michelson – 12 Jan. 1982

 Item — Box: 4

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The Dr. Adam Giesinger Collection comprises of correspondence, photographs, documents, publications, and writings that span the many years of Giesinger's life. Giesinger was the author of many books and papers. He also collected a large volume of books relating to the Germans from Russia, many of which are housed in the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection library. Giesinger was a talented writer, a helpful teacher, and a knowledgeable researcher. He was always an advocate in preserving, researching, and sharing the culture and history of the Germans from Russia.

The collection’s organization was centered and developed upon the order that was already established when the collection was donated to the GRHC. The Dr. Adam Giesinger Collection is comprised of ten series: Correspondence, Speeches, Research, Publications, Records, Mennonites, Subject, Photograph, Audio Tapes, and Microfilm.

The Correspondence Series spans from 1960 to 2000 and includes both outgoing and incoming letters and emails. Most of the correspondence is in English but some is also in German. The majority of the correspondence has been organized by subject but some is also by the individual, and it has been placed in alphabetical order. Giesinger corresponded often on subjects ranging from personal and family matters to research.

The Speeches Series consists of lectures and addresses given by Adam Giesinger. He delivered a number of Germans from Russia speeches and was quite often a keynote speaker at events, like AASGR and GRHS conventions.

The Research Series is the largest in the collection. The series includes typed and copied versions of articles and papers, and excerpts of books. Some were sent to Giesinger from friends and colleagues and others he acquired other the years. Some of the series has been organized by the title of the work and others by the author or subject. The files by author or subject have been organized as such mainly because there are multiple records within the folder.

The Publications Series is comprised of published booklets, periodicals, newspapers, and documents. The series contains publications in English, German, and Russian. The series has been arranged alphabetically.

The Records Series includes documents and copies of statistical information on towns, people and families, and census records. The records are not necessarily about Giesinger and his family. Some of the documents are on the Giesinger family, but there is also information on subjects Giesinger researched for himself and for others. The series has been arranged alphabetically by subject.

The Mennonite Series contains information, documents, and publications relating to the Mennonites. There were numerous records on the Mennonites, enough to warrant their own series.

The Subject Series consists mainly of miscellaneous items that did not directly relate to any other series. The contents of the series were organized by subject and have been placed in alphabetical order.

The Photograph Series includes images of families, conventions, buildings, and people. Most of the photographs have been identified, but there are a few that are unknown. The photograph series has been organized into alphabetical order.

The Audio Tapes Series contains thirty-one cassette tapes, some of which are part of a set. The tapes have a variety of topics ranging from music to lectures. Most of the tapes are cased, and their names are derived from what was written on them. There was a note included with the audio tapes from Giesinger that said, “These are audio tapes that people have sent me over the years. I don’t remember the contents.”

The Microfilm Series has nineteen rolls of microfilm, two of which are part of a set. Only a select few of the microfilm are in proper and usable rolls. On the microfilm are various copies of articles, excerpts of books, and complete copies of books. The organization of the series is based on the way in which it was donated. Most of the microfilm rolls have more than one item on them but they are mostly from the same publications; so the titles of the microfilm have been provided to reflect the title of the publication which the article or excerpt appears in on the particular roll. In some cases the title of the work and author are also provided.

Dates

  • 1871 - 1977

Access

Access to the physical collection is available upon request. Request must be made at least three (3) business days prior to ndsu.grhc@ndsu.edu.

Extent

From the Collection: 3 Linear Feet (5 boxes of assorted sizes)

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

From the Collection: German

From the Collection: Russian

Creator

Repository Details

Part of the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection Repository

Contact:
NDSU Dept 2080
PO Box 6050
Fargo ND 58108-6050 United States
(701) 231-6596