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GERMAN AND JEWISH INTELLECTUAL ÉMIGRÉ COLLECTION

Finding Aid for the
WOLFRAM EBERHARD
PAPERS, 1933-1957
(GER-026)

ACQUISITION:The materials were donated by Professor Wolfram Eberhard, May 1981.

ACCESS: Access to these records 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

Bibliography of Eberhard’s writings represented in the collection

Chronology of Events

Scope and Content Note

Series Descriptions

Box and Folder List:

• Series 1: Manuscripts
• Series 2: Publications of Wolfram Eberhard

Wolfram Eberhard Papers
Biographical Sketch

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Wolfram Eberhard was born in Potsdam, Germany in 1909, the son of Gustav B. and Gertrud Mueller Eberhard. From 1927 to 1929, Wolfram Eberhard studied Chinese at the Seminar for Oriental Languages in Berlin. Also in 1927, Eberhard began his studies of sinology, ethnology and philosophy at the University of Berlin, where he received his doctorate in 1933. In 1934, Eberhard married Alide Roemer and shortly thereafter Eberhard and his wife left Germany and went to China. While in China, he taught German-language and Latin classes. In 1935, he returned to Germany and worked as the curator of the Asian section of the Grassi Museum in Leipzig, however Nazi pressure to join their organizations forced him to leave again. In 1937, the Eberhards traveled to Japan, Sachalin and China. Soon after, Eberhard took a position at the University of Ankara and spent the next eleven years in Turkey as a teacher of sinology. He taught and studied Chinese folklore and fiction, Chinese history, local cultures within China and a historically based theory of the development of Chinese civilization. He also studied Turkish and comparative folklore. In 1948, Eberhard accepted a position from the University of California at Berkeley, where he taught in the Department of Sociology until his retirement in 1976. From 1961 to 1977, he traveled almost every summer, most often to Taiwan, where he taught, studied and served as a consultant, but also to Burma, Korea, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Throughout his career, Eberhard published extensively. His publications comprise some 35 books, 185 articles, 300 book reviews and numerous shorter notes in Chinese, German, Turkish and English. In 1983, he published his last major work, A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols.

Wolfram Eberhard Papers
Bibliography of Eberhard’s writings represented in the collection (with folder locations given in parentheses at the end of each entry):

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Wolfram Eberhard Papers
Chronology of Events

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Wolfram Eberhard Papers
Scope and Content Note

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The Wolfram Eberhard Papers consist of 1 cubic ft. of original typescripts and shorter publications by Eberhard on Chinese history, culture and folklore. Eberhard’s book publications have been catalogued and placed in the University at Albany’s circulating collection.

Wolfram Eberhard Papers
series Descriptions

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Series 1: Typescripts. 6 file folders, arranged chronologically.

This series consists of original typescripts, many with handwritten corrections of German translations of Chinese folktales, accounts of Eberhard’s China trip, 1934-1935, as well as the typescript of an original unpublished historical novel, written by him in 1937.

Series 2: Publications of Wolfram Eberhard. 27 file folders, arranged chronologically and by topic. This series consists primarily of bound reprints of Eberhard’s articles and reviews. Several of the articles are separately bound, however most of the articles and reviews are grouped and bound together according to topic. Also included in this section is a copy of Eberhard’s dissertation from the University of Berlin: Beiträge zur kosmologischen Spekulation der Chinesen der Han-Zeit (Friedrich-Wilhelms Universität, Berlin 1933), as well as reviews of his writings.

Wolfram Eberhard Papers
Box and Folder List

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Series 1: Typescripts

Box 1
Folder

1. “China-Aufenthalt 1935.” Bound typescript, undated.
2. “Chinesische Volksmärchen in Uebersetzungen. Rohübersetzungen.” Bound typescript with numerous h. corr., dated Juni 1935.
3. “Chinesische Volksmärchen in Uebersetzungen. Rohübersetzungen. Bound typescript with numerous h. corr., dated August 1935.
4. “Materialien von der China-Reise 1934-1935 zur Volkskunde und Astronomie Chinas.” Typescript with clippings pasted in, bound, dated Mai 1936.
5. “Kaiser der Idee.” Typescript of an unpublished historical novel, dated 18. Mar. 1937. Included with the novel is a letter by Eberhard, dated March 1981, in which he states that the novel “should never be published”.
6. “Bibliographisches Wörterbuch, Beamtentitel Hsiung-nu-Texte.” Bound typescript, dated 1943.

Wolfram Eberhard Papers
Box and Folder List

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Series 2: Publications of Wolfram Eberhard.

Box 1 Continued
Folder

Articles, bound separately:

7. Beiträge zur kosmologischen Spekulation der Chinesen der Han-Zeit. Inaugural-Dissertation, Friedrich-Wilhelms Universität, Berlin 1933.
8. Türkische Turfan-Texte VII. Von Dr. G. R. Rachmati mit sinologischen Anmerkungen von Dr. W. Eberhard. Berlin: Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1936.
9. “Eine neue Arbeitshypothese über den Aufbau der frühchinesischen Kulturen.” Sonderabdruck aus dem Tagungsbericht der Gesellschaft für Völkerkunde. 2. Tagung 1936 in Leipzig.
10. “Die Struktur einer mittel-chinesischen Lokalkultur,” undated (ca. 1938).
11. “Sinologische Bemerkungen über den Stamm der Kay,” Monumenta Serica, VII (1947), 204-223.
12. “Some Sociological Remarks on the System of Provincial Administration during the Period of the Five Dynasties,” Studia Serica (Ch’engtu), VII (1948), 1-18.
13. “Die Beziehungen der Staaten der T’o-pa und der Sha-t’o zum Ausland” / “Toba ve Sato devleterinin diplomatic münasebetleri,” Annales de l’université d’Ankara, II (1948), 141-216.
14. “The Leading Families of Ancient Tun-huang,” Sinologica, IV, No. 4 (1956), 209-232.

Collections of bound articles, grouped by topics:

15. “An-yang Grabungen” / “Reviews”. Articles, reviews, 1933-1937.
16. “Astronomie der Han-Zeit.” Articles, 1933, 1936.
17. “Folklore.” Articles, 1933-1935.
18. “The girl that became a bird” / “Erzurum Riddles.” Articles, 1950-1951.
19. “Historia Mundi” / “Economic History.” Articles, review, 1953-1954.
20. “Oriental Art.” Articles, 1948-1949.
21. “Publications 1956-7.” Article, reviews, reviews of Eberhard’s publications.
22. “Sha-to culture” / “Buddhist studies” / “Stierkampf.” Articles, reviews, 1934, 1948, 1950.
23. “South-Eastern Turkey.” Articles, 1953.
24. “Sport, Pferde, Yogurt” / “Bauzauber” / “Graf Hu.” Articles, 1939-1940.
25. “Weltgeschichte” / “Reviews.” Articles, reviews, reviews of Eberhard’s writings, 1939.
26. “Wu-tai” / “Social structure.” Articles, 1950-1951.
27. “Reviews.” Reviews by Eberhard, 1944, 1950-1951.
28. “Reviews 1948-51.” Reviews by and about Eberhard’s writings.
29. “Reviews 1952-1954.”
30. “Reviews in ‘Oriens’.” 1948-1951.

Reviews of Eberhard’s writings:

31. Reviews of Eberhard’s work, Chinas Geschichte, 1949-1951.
32. Reviews of Eberhard’s publications, 1952-1953.
33. Reviews of Eberhard’s publications, clippings, 1951-1954.