The Jolenta Fischer Masterson Collection contains family photographs, memorial and obituary cards, a photo of Catholic priests of German descent in Russia with associated history, some family history, and textiles. It has been organized into seven series: Photograph, Memorial Card, Catholic Priests of German Heritage in Russia, Strasburg, Correspondence, Family History, and Textile.

The Photograph Series contains 103 original photographs of family and friends in the Strasburg and Krasna areas of North Dakota. Most of these have been identified and captioned. Also included are photocopies of photographs. These also relate to the Fischer family and Strasburg area, but have not been fully identified. There are copies of photographs from St. Philip’s Cemetery in Napoleon, ND and St. Peter & Paul Cemetery in Strasburg, ND.

The Memorial Card Series contains funeral programs, memorial cards, and obituary cards. There are 4 funeral programs from 1967-1989. There are 13 Religious Events Memorial cards, these include Diamond Jubilee celebrations, first masses, and deaths. The largest grouping in this series are the 43 obituary cards. Some are written in German and some contain photos, spanning from 1922-1984.

The Catholic Priests of German Heritage in Russia Series contains the original photograph, correspondence relating to the identification of the priests in the photo and a finished document utilizing the information.

The Strasburg Series contains two newspaper clippings, one from June 1965 about the Strasburg Parade of Years and the other about the 2002 Strasburg boys basketball team.

The Correspondence Series contains three pieces. A card and a letter are written to Jolenta Fischer Masterson from Sr. Josepha OSU. Another letter is written to Michael Miller from Jolenta on April 28, 2019 regarding donation of some materials to the GRHC and family history.

The Family History Series contains copies of 1940 census pages, family sheets for Leocadia Braun, and notes on the Tonner and Hulm Families. Included is Father Anthony Kopp’s Memoirs manuscript Jolenta edited, “Memories” written by Fr. Anton Kopp, and other poetry by an unknown author. There are also newspaper clippings about the Fischer quints as toddlers. Included are 2 certificates – Valeria Engel’s Confirmation on June 2, 1912 and a Penmanship Certificate for Valeria Engel on April 24, 1923.

The Textile Series consists of two pieces, a quilt and a piece of lace edging. The Quilt/ bed cover (1999.04.01) of “log-cabin” and “furrows” pattern (1880’s, prior to 1899) was made by Marianna Kopp (Mrs. Michael Braun). Her daughter, Leocadia Braun (Mrs. John Engel) used this quilt as “battling” filler for a heavy corduroy quilt in 1940s. The piece of lace edging (1999.04.02) may have originally been made as edging for a bed cover called Kanapee in High German, or Blachta (plak-ta) in Swabbish dialect. One edge has been cut. It is from the first Catholic village in Bessarabia, Krasna. It was given to an Engel relative who left Krasna in 1941 and returned for a visit many years later.