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Wartburg College Archives: Gerhard Ottersberg

Wartburg College Archives is responsible for the collection and preservation of records that document the college’s history, development, operation, policies, people, activities, and events.

Wartburg College Archives

Finding Aid

Faculty - Gerhard Ottersberg Collection (History)

Preface

The Wartburg College Archives is responsible for the collection and preservation of records that document the college’s history, development, operation, policies, people, activities, and events.

The Archives is committed to providing access to holdings. However, access to some items may be restricted by their fragile condition or by contractual agreement with the donors, and it may not be possible at all times to provide appropriate machinery for reading, viewing or accessing non-print materials. In such circumstances arrangements may have to be made for digital duplication or transfer to occur before access can be provided.

 

Introduction

Abstract: Items include correspondence, speeches, essays, and other writings by Gerhard Ottersberg. Dates range from 1852-1985. Two books are also included, “Iowa Synod” and the “1924 Nebraska Cornhusker”.

 

Scope and Content Note

Extent: 2 books and 6 boxes.

Physical Description: All materials are paper.

Dates: 1852-1985.

Subjects: Faculty, Gerhard Ottersberg

Related Material:

  • Ronald Matthias Collection  

 

Administrative Information

Restrictions: None.

Preferred Citation: [item title/description], [date]; [Gerhard Ottersberg]; Wartburg College Archives, Waverly, Iowa.

Acquisition Information: Transfer.

Processing Information: Processing completed by SE on 5/17/18. Additional material processed by AK on 10/10/2019.

 

Biographical Sketch

History: Gerhard Ottersberg was a notable historian and professor at Wartburg College. He was born in 1898 and died in 1993. In 1949, Ottersberg earned a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska. He specialized in the history of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Iowa, and received an honorary D.D from Wartburg Theological Seminary in 1961. He published Wartburg College, 1852-1952, a Centennial History, and Wartburg College 1952-1977. He worked as a professor at Wartburg College from 1925 until his retirement in 1972. There are two scholarships awarded in his honor, the Ottersberg Scholar in History and the Gerhard Ottersberg History Scholarship. The Ottersberg Scholar in History scholarship is named after Dr. Gerhard Ottersberg and is given to a first-year student with a major in history. The Gerhard Ottersberg History Scholarship was established in honor of Ottersberg and is awarded to a junior or senior majoring in history.

Timeline: 1898 – 1993.

Bibliography:

American Historical Association. (1993). In Memoriam, November 1993. Retrieved from, https://www.historians.org/publications-and-directories/perspectives-on-history/november-1993/in-memoriam-november-1993.

Wartburg College. (2018). History. Retrieved from, https://www.wartburg.edu/history/.

 

Series Description

  1. Books
  2. Gerhard Ottersberg

 

Books:

  • Items include Iowa Synod written by Ottersberg and the 1924 Nebraska Cornhusker, which is Otterberg’s yearbook.
  • 2 books.
  • Unarranged.

Container Listing

Box

Folder

Series

Content

Date

 

 

Books

Iowa Synod- Ottersberg

 

 

 

Books

1924 Nebraska Cornhusker

1924

 

Gerhard Ottersberg:

  • Records related to Ottersberg’s personal and professional life, including biographical information, dissertation abstract, speaking engagements, correspondence, and writings.
  • 6 boxes.
  • Arranged alphabetically by subject and there under chronologically by date. Box 5 and 6 were added at a later data and therefore the subject alphabetization starts over with them.

Container Listing

Box

Folder

Series

Content

Date

1

1

Ottersberg

Army Group Examination

 

1

2

Ottersberg

Biographical Data

 

1

3

Ottersberg

Class Schedules

 

1

4

Ottersberg

Commencement Program

 

1

5

Ottersberg

Dissertation Abstract

 

1

6

Ottersberg

Programs from Speaking Engagements

 

1

7

Ottersberg

Report Cards

 

1

8

Ottersberg

Dr. Ottersberg's Speech on Clinton

1966

1

9

Ottersberg

Teacher Evaluation Forms

 

2

1

Ottersberg

Correspondence

1921-1929

2

2

Ottersberg

Correspondence

1930-1939

2

3

Ottersberg

Correspondence

1940-1949

2

4

Ottersberg

Correspondence

1950-1959

2

5

Ottersberg

Correspondence

1960-1969

2

6

Ottersberg

Correspondence

 

3

1

Ottersberg

Wartburg College

1852-1952

3

2

Ottersberg

Wartburg College 1852-1952 Manuscript

1852-1952

3

3

Ottersberg

Wartburg College 1852-1952 Manuscript

1852-1952

3

4

Ottersberg

Wartburg College 1952-1977 Original Draft

1952-1977

3

5

Ottersberg

Wartburg College 1952-1977 Revised Draft

1952-1977

3

6

Ottersberg

Wartburg Copyright Documents

1952-1977

4

1

Ottersberg

Aims of Effective Teaching

9/17/1950

4

2

Ottersberg

"The Board of Education of the Iowa Synod"

 

4

3

Ottersberg

The Walsh Healey Bill

8/2/1937

4

4

Ottersberg

Wilhelm Loehe and Wartburg
Theological Seminary Lecture

1972

4

5

Ottersberg

Speech: Century plus fifteen: Wartburg College
1952-1967

10/20/1967

4

6

Ottersberg

Essay on Wartburg College

6/1983

4

7

Ottersberg

Summary of the State of Wartburg College in 1946

1946

4

8

Ottersberg

Essay- Origin and Development of Wartburg College

 

4

9

Ottersberg

The Origins and Development of Wartburg College

 

4

10

Ottersberg

Wartburg College

 

4

11

Ottersberg

Speech: Wartburg College before 1935

8/1985

5

1

Ottersberg

Address Presented to Wartburg at Clinton Alumni

2/15/1996

5

2

Ottersberg

America Goes to War Reviewed by Ottersberg

 

5

3

Ottersberg

Assignments Turned in by Ottersberg in School

 

5

4

Ottersberg

Assignments Turned in by Ottersberg in School

 

5

5

Ottersberg

Assignments Turned in by Ottersberg in School

 

5

6

Ottersberg

Assignments Turned in by Ottersberg in School

 

5

7

Ottersberg

Book Draft pgs. 1-262

 

5

8

Ottersberg

Book Draft pgs. 263-449, Bibliography

 

5

9

Ottersberg

British Policy of Appeasement of Germany Response

 

5

10

Ottersberg

A Christian Analysis of the U.S. Manpower Defense Program

 

5

11

Ottersberg

Curriculum Information and Assignments Including Finals

 

5

12

Ottersberg

College History Drafts

 

5

13

Ottersberg

Composition Notebooks, Handwritten

 

5

14

Ottersberg

Composition Notebooks, Handwritten, Trip to Germany

 

5

15

Ottersberg

A Constitution for Small Colleges, Problems with
Power Between Church and Schools

 

5

16

Ottersberg

Construction of New Buildings and New Gym Floor

 

5

17

Ottersberg

Contracts of Employment Wartburg College

 

5

18

Ottersberg

Copies of Talking Points and Ottersberg
Leading Meetings

 

5

19

Ottersberg

Copy of Document Pertaining to Early History of
Iowa Synod

 

5

20

Ottersberg

Copy of Report on Indian Missions

 

5

21

Ottersberg

Correspondence

 

5

22

Ottersberg

Correspondence in German

 

5

23

Ottersberg

Die Christenverflungen in Madagascar,
Handwritten Notes

 

5

24

Ottersberg

Dinner Speech to Alumni “Crisis Century”

8/7/1974

5

25

Ottersberg

The Epistle of Paul to the Powers Handwritten Manuscript

1/1/1917

5

26

Ottersberg

Enrollment and faculty numbers, Costs, and Budgets

 

5

27

Ottersberg

Essays, Various

 

5

28

Ottersberg

The Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Iowa and Other States, Thesis and Abstract

1854-1904

5

29

Ottersberg

The Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Iowa and Other States Certificate

 

5

30

Ottersberg

Handwritten Correspondence

 

5

31

Ottersberg

Historical Sketches

 

5

32

Ottersberg

History Class Credits and Course Requirements

 

5

33

Ottersberg

Iowa Senate

 

5

34

Ottersberg

Letters to and from Ottersberg

 

5

35

Ottersberg

Mail and Envelopes sent to Ottersberg

 

5

36

Ottersberg

Master of Ceremonies All Colleges Banquet,
Wartburg Normal College

2/25/1933

5

37

Ottersberg

Pageant: Immanuel Lutheran Church

 

5

38

Ottersberg

Prefaces, Indices’, and Acknowledgements to
Unknown Books

 

5

39

Ottersberg

Radio Panel Discussion “Problems of Post War Reconstruction and a Lasting Peace.”

 

5

40

Ottersberg

Reports, Finances of Faculty and Schools

 

5

41

Ottersberg

The Sinker Sank – Play Class of 1918

1918

5

42

Ottersberg

Some Aspects of War Guilt Questions

 

5

43

Ottersberg

Speech upon Wartburg College Receiving
North Central Accreditation

3/10/1948

5

44

Ottersberg

Speeches by Ottersberg

 

5

45

Ottersberg

Student Life at Wartburg

 

5

46

Ottersberg

The Teachers Daily Plan Book handwritten

1926-1927

5

47

Ottersberg

Tickets, Receipts, Lease, Personal Finances,
Student ID Cards

 

5

48

Ottersberg

The University of Nebraska Registration, Exams, Graduate College Certificate

 

5

49

Ottersberg

The Walsh Healy Bill by Ottersberg

 

5

50

Ottersberg

Wartburg Programs, Bulletins

 

5

51

Ottersberg

Why Did they Win? By Ottersberg

 

5

52

Ottersberg

Writings by A. Ottersberg, Gerhard’s Father,
Materials Belonging to him

 

6

 

Ottersberg

3x5 Notecards Regarding Ottersberg Dissertation

 

 

Other Finding Aids

None.

Invest in Wartburg College Archives' future

Kay Grigsby, MSLIS
Grant Price Endowed Archivist
kay.grigsby@wartburg.edu
(319) 352-8457

Vogel Library, Wartburg College   |   100 Wartburg Blvd, Waverly, IA, 50677 |   Phone: 319-352-8500   | Email: asklibrarian@wartburg.edu