A Guide to the Kurt Kehr Collection of Virginia Dialects, 1969-1994 SC 0206

A Guide to the Kurt Kehr Collection of Virginia Dialects, 1969-1994 SC 0206


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James Madison University Libraries Special Collections

880 Madison Drive
MSC 1704
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807
Telephone: (540) 568-3612
library-special@jmu.edu
URL: https://www.lib.jmu.edu/special/

Elizabeth Davis, Sarah Roth-Mullet

Repository
James Madison University Libraries Special Collections
Identification
SC 0206
Title
Kurt Kehr Collection of Virginia German Dialects 1969-1994
Quantity
0.21 cubic feet, 1 box, 18 audiocassettes, 24 CD-Rs
source
Kehr, Kurt
Language
English, German, and Virginia German
Abstract
The Kurt Kehr Collection of Virginia German Dialects, 1969-1994 is comprised of 18 recordings of German speaking residents of Virginia and West Virginia, conducted by Dr. Kurt Kehr of Mary Baldwin College, in Staunton, Virginia, as well as copies of articles written by Dr. Kehr on German dialects.

Administrative Information

Use Restrictions

The copyright interests in this collection have been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collection Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu). Audio materials may not be reproduced without the consent of the heirs of the participants.

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], [box #: folder #], Kurt Kehr Collection of Virginia German Dialects, 1969-1994, SC 0206, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Dr. Kurt Kehr of the Research Institute for German Language at the Philipps-University in Marburg, Germany, on April 13 and September 26, 1994.

Processing Information

Audiocassette tapes were transferred to gold compact discs for preservation in 2010. Some material had already been lost. Collection was originally assigned Collection Number SC 5028.


Biographical Information

Dr. Kurt Kehr was a professor and head of the German Department at Mary Baldwin College, in Staunton, Virginia, from 1967-1976. During this time, he interviewed people throughout the Shenandoah Valley and West Virginia areas to learn about various Virginia German dialects. At the point of the donation, Kehr was employed by the Research Institute for German Language at the Philipps-University in Marburg, Germany.

Scope and Content

The Kurt Kehr Collection of Virginia German Dialects, 1969-1994 is comprised of 18 recordings of German speaking residents of Virginia and West Virginia, conducted by Dr. Kurt Kehr of Mary Baldwin College, in Staunton, Virginia. Kehr was interested in German-Virginia dialects and the topics of interviews included personal histories, requests for translations, discussion of Virginia German terms, and personal stories. This collection contains two sets of interviews. Interviews in Collection A were conducted from 1969-1975, during Kehrs work at Mary Baldwin College. Collection D contains interviews, conducted in 1994, with some of the same participants as Collection A. Both Collection A and D contain photocopies of notes on the interviews by Dr. Kurt Kehr, written largely in German.

The collection also includes a set of articles written by Kehr, based in part on research conducted through the audio recordings. Topics of the articles include the origin of the Virginia Dialect, the impact of religion on language, regional differences in dialects, and German spells used in Virginia and West Virginia.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into three series:

Articles by Kurt Kehr, 1969-1992. The articles are arranged chronologically by their date of publication. Kurt Kehr Interviews A, 1969-1975. Recordings are arranged in the original order assigned by Kehr. Kurt Kehr Interviews D, March-April 1994. Recordings are arranged in the original order assigned by Kehr.

Subjects and Indexing Terms


Significant Persons Associated With the Collection

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Container List

1
Articles by Kurt Kehr
1969–1992
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2
Kurt Kehr Interviews A
1969–1975
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3
Kurt Kehr Interviews D
March 1994-April 1994
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