Newberry Library - Raster, Hermann - Correspondence to Askan Raster (brother), Hermann Raster family papers, 1852-1863

Raster, Hermann - Correspondence to Askan Raster (brother), Hermann Raster family papers, 1852-1863

Overview

Image w/ Text

Loading details...

You do not have the permission to view Original image

Open book Raster, Hermann - Correspondence to Askan Raster (brother), Hermann Raster family papers, 1852-1863

Title Raster, Hermann - Correspondence to Askan Raster (brother), Hermann Raster family papers, 1852-1863

Creator Raster, Hermann, 1827-1891

Date 1852-1863

Place United States

Language German

Subjects Forty-Eighters (American immigrants), German Americans, Germans, Newspaper editors, Newspaper publishing

Summary The bulk of this collection consists of correspondenc--professional, personal, and family. Many of the letters in the collection are in German, written by prominent German-American and German editors, professors, diplomats, singers and authors. There are also letters in English from important Chicagoans covering topics such as the fledgling Chicago Public library, immigration laws, the Chicago Board of Education, anti-temperance and the Republican Platform. Many of Raster's letters to his family have been translated, including those that reveal his experiences and feelings as an immigrant in New York City and during the aftermath of the Chicago fire in 1871.

Biographical/Historical Note German immigrant "Forty-Eighter," editor of New York Abendzeitung and Illinois Staats-Zeitung. Hermann Raster was born in 1827 in Zerbst, Germany. He graduated from University of Leipzig in 1846 and the University of Berlin in 1848. In 1849 he took a job as the stenographer of the Anhalt Legislature. Raster took part in the revolutions of 1848, writing passionately against church and monarchy. He was forced to flee to America with fellow revolutionaries to escape prison. Raster arrived in New York in July 1851 and first found employment as a farmhand near Tioga, PA. He left for Buffalo in the spring of 1852, accepting the position of editor for the Buffalo Demokrat. His journalistic reputation grew quickly and in February of 1853, Raster was made editor of the New York Abendzeitung, the most influential German-language paper of the time. In 1867, Raster accepted the position as editor for the Illinois Staats-Zeitung in Chicago, where he remained until his death. Raster died in July 1891 in Silesia, Germany where he had traveled for his poor health. His third wife Margarethe and their three children, Anna, Edwin and Walther survived him. Raster was influential in leading the German-American switch to the Republican Party in 1856, swaying German public opinion via his pro-union, anti-slavery articles in the German press, and promoting the personal liberty (anti-temperance) cause.

Extent 6.2 linear feet (10 boxes, 2 oversize boxes)

Format Clippings, Correspondence, Diaries, Manuscripts, Photographs

User-Contributed Transcription Magdeburg den 9/6 1852Liebe Schwester.Vorigen Montag erhielt ich von Dessau aus einen Brief von Hermann, den ich Dir in corrected from: im folgender ��bersetzung mittheile:New-York den 14 Mai 1852.Es hat euch allen ziemlich r��thselhaft erscheinen m��ssen, da�� ich euch corrected from: Euch w��hrend eines ganzen Jahres so ohne all & jede Nachricht lassen konnte; allein ich kann Dir die Versicherung geben, da�� es v��llig ohne meine Schuld geschehen ist. Ich habe im Laufe dieses Jahres wohl ein Dutzend Briefe an an meine Frau geschrieben, alle sehr, sehr lang & hatte ihr jedesmal eingesch��rft allen meinen Geschwistern Mittheilungen daraus zu machen. Ich wei�� gewi��, da�� besonders die ersten 3 oder 4 davon, in welchen ich die ersten Eindr��cke schilderte, die Amerika auf mich machte, f��r Dich von gro��em Interesse gewesen w��ren; um somehr als ich dieselben nachzuholen auf keine Weise im Stande bin. Denn was mir damals auffiel & wor��ber ich vielleicht die interessantesten Beobachtungen machte, das ist mir seitdem allt��glich geworden, so da�� ich mich kaum noch in den ersten Eindruck zur��ckversetzen kann. Da�� meine Frau meine ganz bestimmten deleted: Befehle Weisungen nicht befolgt hat, daf��r k��nnte ich ihr ernstlich b��se sein. Uebrigens beschlo�� ich, da�� sie noch jetzt den Fehler gut machen & wenigstens die ersten 4 Briefe, in denen, soviel ich mich erinnere, nur sehr wenig von unseren Lebensangelegenheiten steht, Dir & unseren Schwestern mitzutheilen. Denn da�� ich jetzt nach einem Jahre auch nur den Versuch mache corrected from: machen, die Schilderung meiner corrected from: meines deleted: Lebens ersten Erlebnisse in ebenso ausf��hrlicher Weise wie damals zu wiederholen, das k��nnt ihr beim besten Willen nicht verlangen. Es w��rde

Transcription Status Needs review

Transcription Note This document was transcribed by volunteers as part of the Newberry Transcribe crowdsourcing initiative.

Archival Collection Title Hermann Raster papers

Link to Catalog View finding aid | View record

Call Number Midwest MS Raster Box 8 Folder 144

BibID 998784178805867

Rights Status No Copyright - United States

Contributing Institution Newberry Library

Newberry Open Access Policy The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to these terms and conditions.

IIIF Resource Type Canvas

Size 3429px × 4282px 84.05 MB

Filename 998784178805867_mms_raster_box_008_fl_144_001_001.tif

Unique Identifier NL11CJQ6

Help Need help finding, searching, sharing, or downloading? Check out our help page!