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Finding Aid Compiled by
E. G. Van Tuyl
February 17, 1994
M. E. Grenander Department of Special Collections & Archives
University Libraries / University at Albany / State University of New York
1400 Washington Avenue / Albany, New York 12222 / (518) 437-3935
VOLUME: 1.5 cubic ft.
ACQUISITION: All items in this manuscript group were donated to the University Libraries, M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, by Heidi Brandt (Mrs. Thomas) in October 1993.
ACCESS: Access to this record group is unrestricted.
COPYRIGHT: The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of copyright. Whenever possible, the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives will provide information about copyright owners and other restrictions, but the legal determination ultimately rests with the researcher. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the Head of Special Collections and Archives.
Biographical Sketch
Box and Folder List:
Thomas O. Brandt was born on November 18, 1906, in Vienna, Austria. After completing his doctoral degree in Germanic and English languages and literatures in 1933 at the University of Vienna, he worked in Vienna as a free lance writer, editor, critic and lecturer in Vienna. His publications included Der Ewige Kreis, an anthology of modern Austrian poetry, and Der Froehliche Gasthof, a novel.
In 1938 Brandt emigrated to the United States and found a position as a research assistant in German Literature at Harvard University. From 1939-1943, he served as Senior Master at the Lakeside Preparatory School in Seattle, Washington. He married Esther L. Myhre (Heidi) in 1942 and became a US citizen in 1943. The birth of sons Christopher (1943), Andrew (1946) and Peter (1947) followed. From 1943-1944, Brandt was a German instructor at Oregon State College and then professor and department chair at William and Mary College from 1945-47. He spent 1944-45 working for the US Office of War Information, first as a field representative and editorial assistant in London, and then as editor and chief of the German translation section in New York.
From 1947 to 1966 Brandt taught German at Colorado College where he eventually became full professor and Chair of the Department of German and Russian. There he initiated several foreign student and teaching exchange programs and founded the Max Kade Deutsches Haus. From 1967 to 1968, the year of his death, Brandt was a professor of German at the University of New Hampshire at Durham.
Brandt had a diverse and active career. From the mid 1950s to the late 1960s he presented many lectures on topics related to germanic studies and American culture as experienced by Europeans, including a lecture series funded by the US Department of State (1957,1965) and one at the Goethe Institut in Mexico City (1966). Both series included lectures broadcast on local radio stations. In 1954 and 1956 he led American graduate study groups in Europe and in 1961 he was invited by the government of the Federal Republic to lead a study tour through Germany. He spent 1956-1957 on a leave of absence from Colorado College as a visiting professor for the University of Maryland in Stuttgart, where he published several articles in the Stuttgarter Zeitung. Brandt also taught at the Middlebury College (Vermont), Deutsche Sommerschule during the summers of 1960 and 1962. While on sabbatical in 1963, Brandt travelled to Spain, Mallorca, France, Switzerland and Germany, where he continued his writing. On a leave of absence in 1965, he travelled and lectured in Europe and was a participant in the Internationaler Germanisten Kongress in Amsterdam.
In addition to fulfilling his duties as a professor, Brandt held several offices in various germanic studies organizations. He served as President of the Mountain-Plains Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of German (1955-57) and was a member of the National Advisory Board for Wayne State University's Junior Year Program (1966-68). From 1963-68 he was a member of the Editorial Board for Universitas in Stuttgart and also served as Managing Editor for the German Language Quarterly, 1962-1964.[1]
Chronology
Nov. 18, 1906 Born in Vienna, Austria
1928-1933 Studied at the University of Vienna
1933 Recieved doctorate (cum laude), Germanic and English languages and literatures
1933-1938 Freelance writer, editor, critic and educator in Vienna
1938 Emigrated to the United States
1938-1939 Research Assistant, German Literature, Harvard University
1939-1943 Senior Master, Lakeside Preparatory, Seattle, Washington
1942 Married Esther L. Myhre (Heidi)
1943 Received U.S. citizenship
1943 Son, Christopher, born
1943-1944 Instructor (German & Sociology) Oregon State College
1944-1945 US Office of War Information, London and New York
1945-1947 Asst. Prof., William and Mary College
1946 Son, Andrew, born
1947 Son, Peter, born
1947-1967 Assoc. Prof., Prof. and Chair of German and Russian Dept., Colorado College
1956-57 Visiting Professor, Univ. of Maryland, Overseas Branch, Stuttgart, Germany
1960 Gedichte - Poems published
1960, 1962 Visiting Professor, Deutsche Sommerschule, Middlebury College, Vermont
1962-1962 Managing Editor, The German Quarterly
1963 Sabbatical to Spain, Mallorca, France, Switzerland, Germany
1967-1968 Professor of German, University of New Hampshire, Durham
Jan. 9, 1968 Died
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Notes
1. Biographical information obtained from Thomas Brandt's personal papers
and from Deutsche Exilliteratur Seit 1933, vol. 3., part 2, edited by John
M. Spalek and Joseph Strelka, New York: Francke Verlag, 1989.
The Thomas O. Brandt papers are of interest to researchers of German exile literature, Germanistik (study of German language and literature) and academic and cultural developments in post war United States and Europe. The collection contains some biographical information on Thomas Brandt, particularly as related to his professional activities and correspondence with students and numerous publishers.
The bulk of the collection consists of copies of Brandt's works dating from his pre-emigration days in Vienna to the time of his death in 1968. Poems, a large number of short stories and essays, vignettes, dramas, articles and reviews, novels, lectures and two books appear in the collection. In addition, there are some offprints of Brandt's journal articles. Also of interest are the notes and annotations by Heidi Brandt, the author's wife, on many of the works throughout the collection. No official documents related to Brandt's position with the Office of War Information (1944-45) appear in the collection. But one vignette, "Civil Service Goes To War" and a few references in his correspondence deal with Brandt's attempt to gain employment with the government and his impressions of his work there.
Brandt published his work in English and German language academic journals and serials. His articles appear in publications ranging from scholarly journals to news papers such as the Colorado Springs Free Press, Brandt's "hometown newspaper." His publications demonstrate his active engagement in the academic arena as well as a continuous and thoughtful examination of his environment. In addition to publishing book reviews and scholarly research about German language and literature, he wrote about the need for academics to publish, language acquisition, his observations on the American higher education system, aspects of American culture in contrast to European society, politics and travel.
Brandt was a prolific story writer as well as an essayist. The collection contains copies of Brandt's unpublished novels, including "Stern im Nebel", which concerns the 1933-1938 period. Brandt's short stories cover a wide range of topics from the whimsical to the satirical. His works often stem from personal experience. Stories such as "Schatten auf Mallorca" and "Eines Tages in Seville" draw from Brandt's impressions of Spain's cultural and political climate during his travels there.
The poetry found in this collection spans Brandt's entire writing career. In 1960, he published a German/English volume of poetry, Gedichte - Poems, and the children's book, Andy, or When I'm Famous. Both of these works contain lithographs by Heidi Brandt. His poetry shows influence of the German Romantics; prominent themes are nature, the seasons, childhood, love and death.[2]
Throughout his career, Brandt remained an active and prolific writer.
The largest portion of his correspondence deals with his attempts to get
his works published. Letters to and from publishers such as Piper,
Otto Walter, Carl Hanser, Claassen, Mohrbooks, Kiepenheuer und Witsch,
Hoffmann & Campe, Nymphenburger Verlagshandlung date from the 1960-1967
period and chiefly discuss publication of the author's short stories, "Vignetten
und Skizzen" and the story, "Schatten auf Mallorca." Although Brandt
published many of his articles, most of his novels and short stories were
not published. There is also some correspondence concerning the publication
of Brandt's 1960 German/English volume of poetry (Dyva & Jeppsens Bogtrykkeri,
Copenhagen). The letters between Brandt and his former students and
colleagues from the Lakeside Preparatory School exchanged during WWII show
him to be a well respected and dedicated teacher.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes
2. Thieberger, R. in Stuttgarter Zeitung, August 1963, and Fleissner,
E. M. in Wells College Gallery Publication. These clippings about
Brandt's poerty appear in Series I: Biographical Material.
Series I: Biographical Material. 1906-1968. 2 file folders. (57 leaves)
Contains several curriculum vitae, lists of publications and works from 1944 to 1967, newspaper clippings and articles about Brandt and reviews of his publications.
Series II: Correspondence. 1939-1967. 3 file folders. (172 leaves)
Contains 1 folder of correspondence from former students and colleagues from the Lakeside Academy during the WWII period (1939-1945). This folder also includes a few letters written by Brandt and one letter about the author written by Brandt's wife after his death (German). The bulk of the correspondence (2 folders) deals with Brandt's efforts to get his works published. (1958-66)
Series III: Literary Works. 1933-1968. 1.3 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically under the following subseries:
Articles/Reviews, 1930s-1960s: Clippings and offprints of articles on Austrian literature and culture, and literature from other German-speaking populations; and book reviews by Brandt from his Vienna days and American career.
Essays, 1935-1966: Forty-nine English and German essays, published and unpublished, about a variety of topics concerning cultural and political issues as well as issues in academia. The essays span Brandt's career. (1944-1967)
Novels, 1939-1966: Manuscripts of five of Brandt's unpublished novels, including the three part work, Stern im Nebel.
Vignettes, 1940s-1967: A series of thirty-six vignettes in German, except for "Civil Service Goes To War," an account of Brandt's Office of War Information (OWI) employment.
Aphorisms, 1949-1967: 914 aphorisms developed by Brandt.
Short Stories, 1951-1965: Manuscripts of twenty-eight stories in English and German; largely unpublished.
Dramas, 1951-1967: Mansucripts of seven short dramas, including "Gestern Kommt Morgen."
Poems, 1960-1968: Numerous poems, published and unpublished,
written throughout Brandt's career (51 leaves). One German/English
volume Gedichte - Poems, published in 1960 and a children's poem, Andy
or When I'm Famous (1968), are cataloged into the Libraries' book collection.
Both works are illustrated with lithographs by Heidi Brandt.
Box 1:
Series 1 - Autobiographical Materials. 1906-1968. 2 file folders (57 leaves)
1. Vitae; lists of publications and works. (1906-1968)
2. Clippings and reviews about Brandt and his publications.
(1960-1968)
Series 2 - Correspondence. 1939-1967. 3 file folders (172 leaves)
3. Letters from students and colleagues, 1939-1945. Includes
1 letter by Heidi Brandt.
4. Letters to and from publishers, 1958-63
5. Letters from publishers, 1966-1967.
Series 3 - Literary Works. circa 1933-1968. 1.3 cubic ft.
Articles/Reviews, 1930s-1960s:
6. 1930s, Vienna
7. Post Vienna Period, 1940-early 1950s
8. 1950s
9. 1960s
10. List, German/English, circa 1935-1951,
List, German essays after 1958
11. "Publish or Perish," undated
12. "The German Study Tour," undated
13. "Jedermann in der Weltliteratur," circa 1938
14. "Ibsen und das Wienner Theater," circa 1938
15. "Educational Inflation," 1946
16. "Educational Objectives," 1948
17. "On Insincerity in the Arts," 1948
18. "Oesterreichische Dichtung Zwischen Zwei Kriegen," 1949
19. "Austrian Literature Between Two Wars (1918-1938)," 1949
20. "Bemerkungen ueber das Amerikanische Erziehungssystem,"
1949
21. "Educational Deflation," 1951
22. "The Modern German Kurzgeschichte," 1951
23. "Aus Den Tellurischen Provinzen und Humor," 1951
24. "American Misconceptions About Modern German Literature,"
1953
25. "Versuch Einer Stilldiagnose Unserer Zeit," 1958
26. "Erziehung Als Vernunftglaube," 1958
27. "Sprachautomation in USA," 1958
28. "Anpassung und Unabhaengigkeit in Heutigen Amerika,' 1958
29. "Die Krise der Amerikanischen Erziehung," 1958
30. "Cocktails," 1958
31. "Colorado: Traumland der Amerikaner," 1958
32. "Ad Astra," 1958
33. "Gedanken ueber die Zeitengenoessische Deutsche Dichtung,"
1959
34. "Die Invasion des Privaten durch die Mechanisierte Sprache,"
ca. 1960
35. "Parlando--Selbstentfremdung und Unverbindlichkeit," circa
1960
36. "Elisabeth Langaesser: Gedichte," 1960
37. "A General Statement," 1960
38. "Der Gottesbegriff in der Neueren Deutschen Lyrik," 1960
39. "Epistola Ad Me Ipsum," 1960
40. "Amerikanismen," 1960
41. "Machtspiel und Unermuedbarkeit der Amerikanischen Reklame,"
1960
42. "Amerikanische Eindruecke von einer Studienreise," 1961
43. "Hitler Ante Portas," 1961
44. "Brecht und die Bibel," 1962
45. "Portugesisches Ballett," 1963
46. "Einsamkeit in Amerika," 1963
47. "Versuch ueber den Nordamerikanischen Humor," 1963
48. "Freiheit in USA," 1963
49. "Lyrik Ohne Leier," 1964
50. "Die Amerikanische Germanistik und Ihre Zeitschriften,"
1964
51. "Rhetorik in den Vereinigten Staaten," 1964
52. "Bertolt Brechts Amerikabild," 1964
53. "Die Sprachfuehrung Bertolt Brechts," 1964
54. "Service - Made in USA," 1964
55. "Der Amerikanische Optimismus," 1965
56. "Weltraum fahrt - Wohin?" 1965
57. "Die Zahl als Mythos?" 1965
58. "Die Grossen Debatten Amerikas," 1966
59. "Staatsuniversitaeten im Goldenen Westen," 1966
Novels, 1939-1966: (unpublished manuscripts)
60. "Die Liebenden," circa1935 early work from Vienna period
62. "Der Mut der Feigheit: ein Kleines Tagebuch aus Grosser Zeit, 1939
62. "Stern im Nebel," Notes from author/Heidi Brandt re:novel
63. "Stern im Nebel," Part I, German, 1939-1957
64. "Stern im Nebel," Parts I-II, German, 1939-1957, with notes
from the author
65. "Stern im Nebel," Part II, German, 1939-1957
66. "Stern im Nebel," Part III, German, 1939-1957
67. "Stern im Nebel" (Star in the Fog), Author's Summary in English,
1939-1957
68. "Stern im Nebel" (Star in the Fog), Part I, English,
1939-1957
69. "Stern im Nebel" (Star in the Fog), Part II, English, 1939-1957
70. "Stern im Nebel" (Star in the Fog), Part III, English, 1939-
1957
71. "Heineckes Gast," 1953
72. "Schatten auf Mallorca," 1966
Box 2:
1. "Civil Service Goes To War" (work at OWI), circa 1940s
2. "Repartee," 1946
3. "Das Schoene Maedchen," 1951
4. "Das Schiff in der Flasche," 1951
5. "Muede," 1951
6. "Drei Brueder," 1951
7. "Hilarianer Beeren," 1953
8. "Der Krieger," 1954
9. "Die Fliege," 1956
10. Original Lists from Brandt
11. "Textuellekonvergenz," circa 1960
12. "Die Tapferkeitsmedaille," 1961
13. "Am Fenster," 1961
14. "Llangollen," 1961
15. "Woroschilow," 1961
16. "Umzug," 1961
17. "Jumporama," 1961
18. "MBA," 1961
19. "Die Greisen," 1961
20. "Hitler Ante Portas," 1961
21. "Der Kaefig," 1961
22. "Anstandsbesuch," 1961
23. "Strassenkreuzung," 1961
24. "Wahlvorgang," 1961
25. "Von den Moeglichkeiten," 1961
26. "Auf Besuch," 1961
27. "Freundlicher Nachbar," undated
28. "Zeitraumalgebra," 1964
29. "Urlaub," 1964
30. "Ehre," 1964
31. "Spare in der Zeit," 1964
32. "Ruhm," 1964
33. "Die Rede," 1964
34. "Ueber Schnelligkeit," 1964
35. "Bescheidenheit Ist Eine Zier," 1964
36. "In Der Praerie," 1964
37. "Das Waren noch Zeiten," 1964
38. "Beschwerliche Nacht," 1964
39. "Nicht Umsonst," 1965
40. "Herr und Diener," 1965
41. "Meditationen," 1965
42. "Zitate," 1965
43. "Alphabetanien," 1965
44. "Duerfen," 1965
45. "Eine Verwirrende Begebenheit," 1965
46. "Tante Luise," 1965
47. "Wortverfremdung," 1966
48. "Philologie," 1966
49. "Shine," 1966
50. "Schlagwoerter"
51. "Veraenderungen," 1967
52. "Wer Immer Strebend Sich Bemueht...," 1967
53. "Schadenfreude," 1967
54. "Fragebogen," 1967
55. "Lehrsaetze," 1967
56. One series collected throughout Brandt's career
Short Stories, 1951-1965: manuscripts, largely unpublished works
57. Notes on Stories
58. "Der Heimkehrer," 1951
59. "Der Trauergast," 1951
60. "KIM," 1951
61. "Der Held," 1951
62. "Die Schallplatte," 1951
63. "Die Hilarianer Beeren," 1953
64. "Die Fliege," 1956
65. "An Einem Fruehlingsabend," 1957
66. "Madeleine," 1958
67. "Seltsame Wiederkehr," 1958
68. "Einsame Schildkroete," 1959
69. "Giuditta," 1959
70. "Die Beichte," 1959
71. "Die Reise Nach Mexico," 1960
72. "Helena in Oregon," 1960
73. "IMA," 1961
74. "Der Fall Oliver," 1961
75. "Rede Aus Dem Sarg," 1963
76. "Eines Tages in Sevilla," 1963
77. "Kuehle Leidenschaften," 1963
78. "Ein Altes Haus," 1963
79. "Die Rechnung," 1965
80. "Der Fall Oliver," circa 1965
81. "Professor W.," undated File includes one letter from
Brandt's Professor (Vienna) and one letter by Heidi Brandt about the story
82. "Campusbesuch," 1967
83. "Merkwuerdiges Ende Eines Erfolgreichen Mannes," 1967
84. "Capriccio," eighteen Italian stories," 1951-1958
85. "Hochzeit und Heimkehr," undated
86. "Getsern Kommt Morgen," various editions, 1951-1956
87. "Gestern Kommt Morgen," various editions, 1956-1957
88. "Die Reichen und die Armen (Las Rica Y Las Pobres), oder
Gleich und Gleich Gestellt sich Gern,"
1963
89. "Los Caballeros Y Sas Señoras," 1963
90. "Schwierigkeiten oder Treu Ist Alles," 1965
91. "The Congressman," circa 1966, note from Heidi Brandt
92. "Freedom and Authority," 1967
Poems, 1960-1968:
93. Early 1960s (17 leaves), includes:
"Epitaph," Brechts Zimmer," "Ein Altes Pergament,"
"Ost Berlin," and others
94. Later Years, 1965-68 (34 leaves), includes:
"For Chris," "For My Son," "Vietnam," "Kontrast
XV," "Virginische Landschaft," "Wind vom Mittelmeer,"
and others.
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