| Repository: | Western Reserve Historical Society |
| Creator: | Swiss Singing Societies |
| Title: | Swiss Singing Societies Records |
| Dates: | 1879-1964 |
| Extent: | 2.10 linear feet (2 containers and 2 oversize volumes) |
| Abstract: | The Swiss Singing Societies consist of a male chorus, women's chorus, and a mixed chorus. In 1867, Swiss immigrants in Cleveland, Ohio, formed the male chorus Schwiezer Gesang Verien Gruetli Bund. In 1872, a mutual aid society, the Swiss Society (Schweizerischen Unterstuetzungs Verein) was formed by the chorus, and the chorus became known as the Gesang Club Gruetli. Later that year, the Gesang Club Gruetli merged with the Helvetia Maennerchor, another Swiss male chorus, to form the Schwiezer Maennerchor of Cleveland. Founders included Markus Knobel, Eduard Gisel, Franz Knobel, Jakob Bohner, Rudolf Knobel, and Arnold Wilhelm. Professor Jakob Keller was the first director/conductor. In 1902, the Schwiezer Maennerchor established a women's chorus. The group hosted a national Saengerfest three times; 1897, 1921, and 1956. The group was still in existence in 1995. The collection consists of minutes, account books and financial records, membership records, correspondence, newspaper clippings and publicity materials, musical scores, and programs. |
| MS Number | MS 4685 |
| Location: | closed stacks |
| Language: | The records are in English and German |
The Swiss Singing Societies consist of a male chorus, women's chorus, and a mixed chorus. In 1867 Swiss settlers under the direction of L. J. Wilhelm formed the Gruetli Bund. In 1872, the group formed the mutual aid society, Schweizer Verein (See Mss. 4683) and became known as Gesang Club Gruetli. Later that year the Gesang Club Gruetli merged with the Helvetia Maennerchor, another Swiss male chorus with which they had been closely associated, to form the Schweizer Maennerchor of Cleveland. The Schwiezer Maennerchor credits the following men as its founders: Markus Knobel, Eduard Gisel, Franz Knobel, Jakob Bohner, Rudolf Knobel, and Arnold Wilhelm. Professor Jakob Keller was elected as the first director/conductor. Aside from the basic mission of perpetuating Swiss and German music, the group is also committed to helping their countrymen in unfortunate circumstances. Consequently, they established passive memberships, open to any "friend of song" regardless of national origin, to support this endeavor. Active memberships were available only to those of Swiss birth or descent. In September 1902, the Maennerchor also established a women's chorus. During its existence, the group has hosted the national Saengerfest three times: 1897, 1921, and 1956. They also sponsored an annual masked ball. The Swiss Singing Societies still existed in 1995.
The Swiss Singing Societies Records, 1879-1964, consist of minutes, account books and miscellaneous financial records, membership records, correspondence, newspaper clippings and publicity materials, musical scores, and programs. Approximately 40% of the collection is in German.
This collection is of value to the researcher studying German-Swiss immigrants in America (specifically Cleveland, Ohio) from the 1870s to ca. 1964. The information on the women's chorus, included in the male chorus records, also provides information for women's history scholars. Series IV, Singing Festivals, also includes information on other Swiss singing clubs, as well as fine arts in general, in the United States, especially the Midwest. This collection is also of value to those doing genealogical research on German names. More generally, researchers interested in immigration history may find valuable material in this collection, specifically with regard to social activities.
None.
Related MaterialAdditional information concerning the Swiss in Cleveland can be located in the following WRHS manuscript collections: MS 4682 Swiss Hall Company Records; MS 4683 Swiss Society Records; and MS 4684 Swiss Turner Records.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ], MS 4685 Swiss Singing Societies Records, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
North American Swiss Alliance c/o Francis Rumbaugh, 1991.
Processed by Helga A. Spence in 1994.
Series I: Administrative Records 1879-1964 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Constitution and minutes for Gesang Club Gruetli, including a contract between the Gesang Club and the Schweizer Verein approved by the Gesang Club and the Schweizer Verein 1879 1883-1884 | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Constitution and minutes for Schweizer Maennerchor, including a member roster 1884-1895 | |||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Minutes, Schweizer Maennerchor, includes financial reports 1923-1931 | |||||||||
| 1 | 4 | Minutes, Schweizer Maennerchor, includes financial reports 1931-1940 | |||||||||
| 1 | 5 | Minutes, Schweizer Maennerchor 1941-1950 | |||||||||
| 1 | 6 | Minutes, Schweizer Maennerchor, including 75th Anniversary Committee 1951-1959 | |||||||||
| 1 | 7 | Minutes, Schweizer Maennerchor 1959-1963 | |||||||||
| 1 | 8 | Minutes, Schweizer Maennerchor 1963-1964 | |||||||||
| 1 | 9 | Singing Societies' correspondence 1941-1947 | |||||||||
| 1 | 10 | Singing Societies' correspondence 1948-1949 | |||||||||
| 1 | 11 | Singing Societies' correspondence 1950-1954 | |||||||||
| 1 | 12 | Singing Societies' correspondence 1955-1960 | |||||||||
| 1 | 13 | Singing Societies' correspondence 1961-1963 | |||||||||
Series II: Financial Records 1887-1962 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 2 | 14 | Account book, miscellaneous. See Oversize Volume 1. 1943-1961 | |||||||||
| 2 | 15 | Dues book, Maennerchor 1955-1960 | |||||||||
| 2 | 16 | Insurance policies, contents insurance 1952-1964 | |||||||||
| 2 | 17 | Ledger 1887-1924 | |||||||||
| 2 | 18 | Miscellaneous Financial Reports 1943-1962 | |||||||||
Series III: Membership Records 1894-1959 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 19 | Correspondence to members; Membership card file, includes address and date joined 1947 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 20 | Membership list; Membership register. See Oversize Volume 2. 1894-1896 1947 1950 1958 1959 | |||||||||
Series IV: Singing Festivals 1911-1962 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 2 | 21 | Committee, 1956 Saengerfest, minutes and expense reports, including listing of Fest Cards, Well wishers, ads received for Souvenir book,, and addresses of various Swiss Societies; contracts 1953-1956 | |||||||||
| 2 | 22 | Committee, 1956 Saengerfest, correspondence, miscellaneous records, including committee lists, expenses 1955-1956 | |||||||||
| 2 | 23 | Committee, 1956 Saengerfest, participating choruses, festival card lists, ratings and individual score cards 1956 | |||||||||
| 2 | 24 | Committee, 1956 Saengerfest, publicity materials, including press releases, advertisers, and newspaper clippings 1956 | |||||||||
| 2 | 25 | Souvenir programs 1911 1921 1936 1939 1947 1956 1962 | |||||||||
Series V: Miscellaneous 1910-1940 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 2 | 26 | Musical Scores and songbook 1910 1940 undated | |||||||||
| 2 | 27 | Newspaper clippings and Schwiezer Maennerchor newspaper; Programs, Bundesfeier, Bundesfest, Fruehjahrs Konzert, Bundes Konzert, and a call to join from Profesor Maurer, director 1924 1925 1930 1935 | |||||||||
| 2 | 28 | Souvenir program, Stiftungsfest 1904 | |||||||||