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To honor Earl Haag, C. Richard Beam, professor emeritus of German and director of Millersville’s Center for Pennsylvania German Studies, had an idea. The result: a publication titled The Language and Culture of the Pennsylvania Germans: A Festschrift for Earl Haag.
Written as a special issue of the Yearbook of the Society for German-American Studies, this “festschrift” (a book honoring a respected person), serves as a tribute to Haag, retired professor emeritus of German studies at Penn State University, on his 80th birthday. Haag is considered a pioneer of Pennsylvania German folklore research.
Beam was the book’s co-editor, contributing an article titled, “Ernest Waldo Bechtel [1923-88]: The Leading Pennsylvania German Poet of his Generation.” Dr. Leroy Hopkins, German, wrote the article, “Revisiting Aunt Hannah: African-American Folklore in Nineteenth Century Lancaster County.”
In addition, Joshua R. Brown, doctoral candidate in German at Penn State and Millersville University alumnus, wrote “An Amish Mortuary Ritual at the Intersection of Cultural Anthropology and Lexicography.” Jennifer L. Trout, also a Millersville University alumna and certified German and English teacher in the Wilson School District (Berks County), wrote “The Comprehensive Pennsylvania German Dictionary.”
The Center for Pennsylvania German Studies was established at Millersville University in 1986 and is supported by the Max Kade Fund. For more information, contact the foreign languages department at ext. 3526.
One reply on “Center for Pa. German Studies Pays Tribute”
I have seen Mr. C. Richard Beam’s name associated with Society for German-American Studies. I am wondering if this group provides research assistance for those trying to locate their ancestors in Germany who came from there to Pa.? Specifically, I have a couple family stories stating that there were three cousins, Ludwig Miller, George Craft and Joseph Grable, who reportedly came from Nuremberg, Bavaria. Our research shows that they came to US in 1740’s and migrated from Chester Co., Pa. to Pa/Md border and ended up in Fayette Co., Pa. about 1771. I have been able to find only some Nuremberg birth and marriage records on Ancestry.com which show a couple births for a Ludwig Miller about 1720. Of course, I don’t know if one of them could be the right person. I am trying to figure out how to pursue further research that will help find these families in Germany. Do you provide any support for such efforts?
Art Miller, Louisville