Geringer family papers, 1842-1986 (bulk 1921-1977)

Descriptive Inventory for the Collection at Chicago History Museum, Research Center

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Main entry: Geringer family.

Title: Geringer family papers, 1842-1986 (bulk 1921-1977)

Inclusive dates: 1842-1986 (bulk 1921-1977)

Size: 3.5 linear feet (8 boxes)

Accession number: 1991.0673

This descriptive inventory contains

1. Brief history/Description of the collection,

2. List of online catalog headings,

3. Provenance statement,

4. Storage designation,

5. Container list of box/folder numbers and titles.

Brief history/Description of the collection

The collection includes the papers of August Geringer (1842-1930), Rudolph Jaromir Psenka (1875-1939), Vlasta Adele Vraz (1900-1989), and Victor Edgar Vraz (1904-1939). The materials are written in both Czech (Bohemian) and English.

August Geringer, a Bohemian immigrant to Chicago, established in 1875 the Chicago Daily Svornost, the first Bohemian daily in America. Present in the collection are Geringer's birth and baptismal artifacts, correspondence (primarily in Czech), and numerous clippings from various Czech publications.

R. Jaromir Psenka, married to Augusta Geringer (August Geringer's daughter), worked as editor and co-publisher of the Chicago Daily Svornost, as well as being a promoter of Bohemian culture in Chicago. The collection includes incoming and outgoing correspondence (primarily in Czech); papers relative to the Smetana Singing Society, the Bohemian Arts Club (which Psenka co-founded), and the French Foreign Legion; various speeches & writings of Psenka's, and clippings.

Vlasta Vraz, granddaughter of August Geringer, was director of the American Relief for Czechoslovakia after World War II, president of the Czechoslovak National Council of America as well as editor of two of its publications, the American Bulletin and Věstník. The materials include a significant amount of both incoming and outgoing correspondence (both in English and Czech); papers relative to the American and the Czechoslovak Red Cross, the Voice of America-Czechoslovak Service, and Radio Free Europe; and both miscellaneous speeches and clippings.

Victor E. Vraz, grandson of August Geringer, received his PhD from the School of Commerce at Northwestern University and later was head of that department. The collection contains two folders of correspondence, writings and clippings relative to his work at Northwestern University.

List of online catalog headings:

The following entries were placed in the online catalog for this collection:

Main entry: Geringer family.

Subject entries:

Geringer, August, 1842-1930.

Geringer, Augusta, 1877-1967. Mrs. Jaromir Psenka.

Geringer, Miles.

Geringer, Vladimir, 1872-1968.

Psenka, R. Jaromir (Rudolph Jaromir), 1875-1939

Vraz, E. Stanko (Enrique Stanko), 1860-1932

Vraz, Vlasta A. (Vlasta Adele), 1900-1989.

Vraz, Victor E. (Victor Edgar), 1904-1939.

Zenkl, Peter.

Douglas, Paul Howard, 1892-

Kerner, Otto, 1908-1976

Czechoslovak National Council of America

Ceskoslovensky cerveny kriz

Geringer Press Corporation (Chicago, Ill.)

Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.). School of Commerce

American National Red Cross.

Smetana Singing Society (Chicago, Ill.)

Bohemian Arts Club (Chicago, Ill.)

France. Legion.

Radio Free Europe

Voice of America (Organization). Czechoslovak Service

Chicago daily svornost.

Svornost.

Věstník (Czechoslovak National Council of America)

Czech-American newspapers

Czech Americans--Illinois--Chicago.

Family--Illinois--Chicago.

Newspaper publishing--Illinois--Chicago.

World War, 1939-1945--Czech Republic.

Czech Republic--Economic conditions--20th century.

Czechoslovakia--Economic conditions--20th century.

Bohemia (Czech Republic)--History

Little Village (Chicago, Ill.)

Form/genre headings:

Articles. aat

Baptismal records. aat

Speeches. aat

Added entries:

Geringer, August, 1842-1930.

Geringer, Vladimir, 1872-1968.

Psenka, R. Jaromir (Rudolph Jaromir), 1875-1939

Vraz, Vlasta A. (Vlasta Adele), 1900-1989.

Vraz, Victor E. (Victor Edgar), 1904-1939.

Zenkl, Peter.

Douglas, Paul Howard, 1892-

Kerner, Otto, 1908-1976

Czechoslovak National Council of America

Ceskoslovensky cerveny kriz

Geringer Press Corporation (Chicago, Ill.)

Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.). School of Commerce

American National Red Cross.

Smetana Singing Society (Chicago, Ill.)

Bohemian Arts Club (Chicago, Ill.)

France. Legion.

Radio Free Europe

Voice of America (Organization). Czechoslovak Service

Provenance statement

Ms. Eleanor Lonek donated the papers to the Chicago Historical Society in October 1991 (Accession number: 1991.0673).

Storage designation

Collections: Geringer family papers

Container list of box/folder numbers and titles

Box 1

Folders:

1 August Geringer: Correspondence to Vladimir Geringer 1921-1929

2 August Geringer: Birth, baptismal certificates

3 August Geringer: US passport 1895

4 August Geringer: Bohemian National Cemetery certificate

5 August Geringer: US income tax forms 1947

6 August Geringer: Correspondence

(in envelope) Svornost history

7-8 August Geringer: Correspondence

9 Vladimir Geringer: diplomas 1890, 1893, 1894

10 Vladimir Geringer: US passport 1929

11 Vladimir Geringer: Correspondence

12 Miles Geringer: Obituaries

13 Augusta Geringer Psenka: Obituaries

14 August Geringer: clippings

Box 2

Clippings

Box 3

Folders:

1 Jaromir Psenka: Correspondence 1921-1932

2 Jaromir Psenka: Smetana Singing Society 1921-1922

3 Jaromir Psenka: Business cards

4 Jaromir Psenka: Correspondence miscellaneous

5 Jaromir Psenka: Correspondence 1934

6 Jaromir Psenka: Correspondence 1928-1937

7 Jaromir Psenka: Correspondence 1935

8 Jaromir Psenka: Correspondence

9 Jaromir Psenka: Bohemian Arts Club

10 Jaromir Psenka: Umelecka Beseda 1929-1933

11 Jaromir Psenka: Correspondence. Rudolf Fruil 1932

12 Jaromir Psenka: Century of Progress 1933

13 Jaromir Psenka: French Foreign Legion 1931-1934

14 Jaromir Psenka: Letters to Psenka

15 Jaromir Psenka: Bohemian Arts Club 1919-1926

16 Jaromir Psenka: French Foreign Legion clippings and writings

17 Jaromir Psenka: Writings/clippings

18 Jaromir Psenka: Speeches

19 Jaromir Psenka: Eulogies given by Psenka

Box 4

Folders:

1-3 R. Jaromir Psenka: Miscellaneous

4-5 R. Jaromir Psenka: Clippings

6 R. Jaromir Psenka: Miscellaneous

Box 5

Folders:

1 R. Jaromir Psenka: Travel documents/souvenirs

2 R. Jaromir Psenka: European trip

3 R. Jaromir Psenka: California trip

4 R. Jaromir Psenka: Trip to Pacific Northwest and Alaska 1929

Box 6

Folders:

1 Vlasta Vraz: Correspondence Miscellaneous

2 Vlasta Vraz: Correspondence 1950 with The Nation

3 Vlasta Vraz: Correspondence Miscellaneous

4 Vlasta Vraz: Paul Douglas, Otto Kerner letters 1956, 1960

5 Vlasta Vraz: Correspondence 1949-1970

6-7 Vlasta Vraz: American Red Cross

8 Vlasta Vraz: Alice Masaryk/Czechoslovak Red Cross

9 Vlasta Vraz: Voice of America Czechoslovak Service 1949-1959

10 Vlasta Vraz: Voice of America 1949-1950

11 Vlasta Vraz: Correspondence 1929

12 Vlasta Vraz: Radio Free Europe 1951-1953

13 Vlasta Vraz: Work for Hubert Ripka 1951-1956

14 Vlasta Vraz: Work for Peter Zeuk/Radio Free Europe

15 Vlasta Vraz: Work for Hubert Ripka

16 Vlasta Vraz: Speeches

17 Vlasta Vraz: E. St. Vraz-Naprstkovo Museum, Prague 1986

18 Vlasta Vraz: Clippings 1950

Box 7

Folders:

1 Vlasta Vraz clippings

2 Victor Vraz correspondence

3 Clippings on "Bohemia"

4 Victor Vraz clippings

5 R. Jaromir Psenka (?)

6 R. Jaromir Psenka miscellaneous

7 R. Jaromir Psenka

Box 8

Postcards, passports, souvenirs, Psenka, Vlasta Vraz