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HISTORICAL FOOTNOTES |
Contents |
THIS ISSUE |
Albrecht Dürer Exhibit Continues in CHI Museum |
Concordia Historical Institute is continuing its showing of 43 spectacular Albrecht Dürer woodcuts.
The exhibition, made possible by a generous grant from Robert and Katharine (nee Haffenreffer) Selle, features 43 original prints from the 1500s which have never before been shown at CHI.
The “Life of Mary” and “Passion of Christ” series can be seen at CHI, 801 DeMun Ave., Clayton, Mo., 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. CHI is closed weekends.
‘Thrill of a Lifetime’ for Framer |
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eing selected as the framer for CHI’s rare collection of Albrecht Dürer prints was “a thrill of a lifetime,” says John G. Martin of Creative Art Gallery & Framing.The spectacular exhibit is on display in the CHI Museum and features 43 original prints from woodcuts by Dürer (1471-1528), considered the master of the German Renaissance artists.
The prints, which had been in climate-controlled storage at CHI for the past 50 years, have never before been displayed. Like many other artifacts at CHI, the value of the items mandated very special handling. Creative Art Gallery & Framing of St. Louis specializes in framing historical items such as documents, military medals, guns and swords.
Mr. Martin manages the framing side of the business, while his partner and gallery owner Mary Ellen Shortland handles the artwork.
“Working into the night, after everyone had gone home for the day, I was left alone to remove these images from the binding they had been in for so long and prepare them for framing,” he said. “While handling these images your mind has to wonder about the things that were going on 500 years ago while these blocks and prints were being carved and pulled. The tools and lighting they had to work with in those times and yet the final resulting image is wonderful.”
The framing materials used for the Dürer exhibit are of the highest order of conservation and museum standards available. The 100 percent rag 8-ply mats and backing that the images rest upon, with an ultra-violet filtering Plexiglas of UF-3 will ensure their longevity.
Frames selected are an ebony-stained walnut, simple in design, “with proportions used in the matter that I believe Dürer himself would approve of,” Mr. Martin said.
“Having been in business for 27 years, I consider this to be one of our top career highlights to have worked with such historically important artwork,” he added. “It’s certainly a thrill of a lifetime.”
CHI Used Book Store Makes Way for Museum Expansion |
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n order to provide space for the new educational center that is being developed with grant funding, Concordia Historical Institute has discontinued its used book store.In the future, collections of pastors’ libraries and other books that are not needed for the CHI library will be turned over to the Concordia Seminary library for distribution to seminary students.
In February and March, CHI placed as many books on hand as possible in the used book store and publicized the sale to the seminary community. After a brief time of offering everything at half price and eventually, for two days, as free items, the remainder of the stock was donated to the Famous Barr Company for their annual book fair.
CHI will be keeping a couple of shelves in the Institute Lobby Shop for used books, limiting the offering there to Lutheran histories and other classics that are often requested. CHI will also maintain a want list for this kind of material that people may be seeking and will make such items available for sale when they are received, before transferring collections to the seminary library.
In addition, CHI is exploring the possibility of offering some items of special value or interest on the CHI web site and through general Internet web sites for used and rare books.
New Endowment Fund will Help Provide for CHI’s Future |
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new endowment fund is in place thanks to a generous gift to Concordia Historical Institute from Betty-Mae Stienhans.The B.R. Stienhans Endowment Fund will provide a permanent means for generating income to support the operations of the Institute now and in the years to come.
Anyone can place a gift of any size in the endowment fund, which has been structured so that it will never expire.
“Concordia Historical Institute is immensely grateful for this generous gift made by Betty-Mae Stienhans to establish this endowment,” said Rev. Daniel Preus, director.
“We see it as an excellent opportunity for supporters to assist us in providing for CHI’s future,” he added. “We hope those who make financial gifts to the Institute will consider placing them in this endowment fund.”
The endowment has been structured so that the original gift will always be kept intact, yet capital gains from the fund can be used to support the work of CHI.
Funds in the B.R. Stienhans Endowment Fund have been invested with the LCMS Foundation and will be managed on behalf of the Institute by the Foundation.
For more information on giving to this fund, please contact Rev. Daniel Preus or his assistant Patrice at (314) 505-7945.
Director Daniel Preus on Ballot For Synod President, VP |
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he slates are complete for the Missouri Synod’s president and vice-president, and CHI Director Rev. Daniel Preus has been nominated for each of the two positions.The Synod’s convention will take place in St. Louis July 14-20.
Those clergymen who have received the highest number of votes from the nominating ballots of LCMS congregations and who have given consent to have their names included on the convention ballot for the office of president are, in alphabetical order: Raymond L. Hartwig, Gerald B. Kieschnick, Donald K. Muchow, Daniel Preus and Dean O. Wenthe.
The following clergymen, in alphabetical order, will appear on the ballot for the Synod’s first vice president: William R. Diekelman, Gerald B. Kieschnick, Robert H. King, Daniel Preus and William C. Weinrich.
“After much thought and prayerful consideration, I have decided that, if elected to either of these positions, I am prepared and willing to serve the Lord and His church in a way that I am convinced would be very fulfilling,” said Rev. Preus. “My years at Concordia Historical Institute have been instructive, challenging and fun. I am not eager to bring my service here to an end, especially since CHI’s future promises to be a truly exciting one.”
Rev. Preus was born March 7, 1949 at Mayville, N.D., the son of the Rev. Dr. Robert D. and Donna (nee Rockman) Preus. He is married to the former Linda Louise Craig and has five children: Seth, Rebekah, Erik, Kirsten and Dirk.
He is a 1975 graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary, Springfield, Ill., with a Master of Divinity degree, with a concentration in the area of historical theology. He spent one year of college and one year of his seminary training at the Lutherische Theologische Hoschschule at Oberursel, Germany, a school of the Missouri Synod’s partner church, the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany. He also has a Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.) degree from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind., with a major in historical theology.
Pastor Preus has served parishes in Hobart, Ind.; Truman, Minn.; and Oak Park, Ill. He came to Concordia Historical Institute from his most recent parish, Shepherd of the Springs Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Col.
Rev. Preus has also been the pastoral delegate to the 1981 and 1992 synodical conventions and has served on the Indiana District Board of Youth, the Board for Parish Services of The Missouri Synod, and the Synod’s Advisory Committee on Church Literature. He has held the position of pastoral counselor of the Minnesota South District of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League. In 1988, he received the “Servus Christi Ecclesiae” award from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne.
Delegates to the convention will receive biographical information on all the candidates in their convention workbooks.
CHI Volunteers Honored |
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olunteers for CHI were honored this spring with a special luncheon at Wartburg Hall, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.Ten volunteers attended the luncheon, held April 27th, where they had the opportunity to talk with one another about the work they do at CHI.
Director Rev. Daniel Preus awarded each of the volunteers a medallion commemorating the 450th anniversary of Martin Luther’s death.
Meet CHI Volunteer ‘Cookie’ Brauer |
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epending on the day of the week, Mrs. Wanda “Cookie” Brauer may be one of the friendly faces you are likely to see when you visit Concordia Historical Institute.“Cookie” began volunteering at CHI a couple years ago after spotting a plea for volunteer help in her church bulletin.
A retired nurse, she works tirelessly on many projects. She is presently helping with the organizing of the CHI correspondence in the archives, dating back to the 1920s.
“It has been a blessing to me to work surrounded by so much heritage,” she said. “In addition to helping full-time staff, I’ve learned a lot, even though I’ve been a life-long Lutheran.
“My husband and I have become life members of CHI and are most ardent supporters,” she said.
An avid reader, “Cookie” frequently leaves the building after a day of volunteering, having purchased a new book relating to Lutheran history.
Her advice to those in the area and those considering a trip to St. Louis soon?
“Come visit CHI, the best-kept secret in St. Louis.”
Memorial Gifts & Honorariums Given for Loved Ones & Special Occasions |
The following memorial gifts were received since the printing of the last Footnotes and will be recorded in the CHI Book of Memories:
Rev. Dr. A.L. Barry, given by Mr. and Mrs. William Brauer.
Miss Elsie Kramer,
Dorothy L. Luebke,
Dr. Julius A. Walther,
Mr. Robert W. Weinhold, given by Eda A. Varney; Mr. and Mrs. Junior Fischer; Mr. and Mrs. Scott Meyer; Mr. and Mrs. Werner Krause; and Norma G. Kramer.
Kordula Ella Margreta Krause Wendt,
Mr. Walter Henry Wulf,
For more information on giving a gift in the memory of a loved one or to give a gift in honor of a special occasion, contact CHI at (314) 505-7900.
The following gifts were given to Concordia Historical Institute recently to honor these special occasions:
Rev. Allen J. Woelzlein,
Peace Lutheran Church
Edna L. McKim,
Rev. Sam J. Christensen,
Rev. W. Arnold Ranta
These gifts will be included in the CHI Book of Memories, on view at Concordia Historical Institute.
The Archivist's Corner |
Conference on Archives Nov. 8-10 |
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ovember 8 through 10 has been chosen as the timeline for the 26th biennial Conference on Archives and History, to be held in St. Louis at Concordia Seminary and Concordia Historical Institute.Rev. Marvin Huggins, associate director for archives and library at CHI, is planning a program that will include a presentation on the 75th anniversary of CHI and the 75th anniversary of Concordia Seminary at its Clayton, Mo., campus, in addition to workshops addressing a variety of archival work.
More details will be available in the fall issue of the Footnotes and by a special mailing to district archivists, LWML historians and previous conference attendees.
Archivists who have not received CHI conference mailings in the past but who are interested in learning more about the biennial conference may contact Rev. Huggins at Concordia Historical Institute to be added to the mailing list. Write to him at 801 DeMun Ave., St. Louis MO 63105 or send email to mhuggins@chi.lcms.org.
Check out These Genealogy Sites on the Web |
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ust getting started in researching your family history on-line?Concordia Historical Institute suggests the following genealogy sites on the Web:
Ancestry.com offers a variety of information, including the opportunity to search for your family name and to add your family tree to its database;
Everton’s Genealogical Helper is a subscription-based site with online resources.
Family Tree Maker Online is an excellent kick-off point, offering surname searches and more;
Genealogy Home Page is an enormous clearinghouse of links to genealogical sites, software, mailing lists and more;
Genealogy Online is a collection of chatrooms, databases and other genealogical resources;
“Lutheran Roots” Genealogy Exchange has two sections: the Family Registry, where you can post and look up Lutheran surnames, and the Message Board, where you can post questions about genealogy to other researchers;
Lutheriden Homepage is a site for information on descendants of Martin Luther;
National Genealogical Society is the home site of the Arlington, Va.,-based society;
Online Genealogical Database Index links to “all known genealogical databases;”
University of South Florida Tampa Campus Library offers a few online collections with a large collection of links to other genealogical resources;
The Wyneken Genealogy Page was created by and is maintained by Matthew Wyneken of Freiburg, Germany.
There are also many Lutheran church histories and records on line. Some of them are:
Bethlehem Lutheran Church (Sylvan Grove, Kans.)
Dramman Lutheran Church (Eau Claire Co., Wis.) which has birth records
St. John Lutheran Church (Lincoln, Kans.)
St. Matthew Lutheran Church (Penn Township, York County, Penn.), offering records from 1743-1799
Trinity Union Lutheran and Reformed Church (Bucks County, Pa.) with history from 1751-1800
For a direct link to these and other sites, you can visit the CHI home page: http://chi.lcms.org.
Make Lutheran Sites Part of your Summer Vacation Destination |
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his summer, why not give the kids or yourself a trip back in history?Start with a trip to St. Louis at Concordia Historical Institute’s Museum where you can see 43 original prints made by the woodcuts of Albrecht Dürer in the early 16th century. Dürer is considered the master of the German Renaissance artists and the prints are being shown at the Institute for the first time in history, thanks to a generous donation from Robert and Katharine (nee Haffenreffer) Selle.
The Institute also has an exhibit on the life of C.F.W. Walther, considered the “father” of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. On view is the carriage he used for traveling between congregations, his piano with detachable hand-carved legs and ornately carved music stand, and “a corner of his office,” an exhibit which gives visitors the chance to peek into his office and see his recently restored desk, chair, revolving bookcase and other personal items. A statue of Dr. Walther, which originally stood at his graveside until threatened by vandals, is also a part of the exhibit relating to his life and work.
In the lower level of the museum, visitors to CHI may also see an exhibit on the history of religious broadcasting in The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod.
The CHI Museum, on the campus of Concordia Seminary at 801 DeMun Ave., Clayton, Mo., is open 8:30 to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. The museum is closed weekends. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.
Concordia Historical Institute can also direct visitors to various Lutheran sites around the city, including historic Trinity Lutheran Church, Lutheran cemeteries and more.
As long as you’re in St. Louis, why not travel a few hours more to Perry County and see the Saxon Lutheran Memorial and Hill of Peace?
The Saxon Lutheran Memorial complex in Frohna, Mo., was created to preserve the history of the Lutherans from Saxony, Germany, who left their homeland and settled in Missouri. The SLM has been open as an historic site since 1964 and has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1980. The complex includes a log-cabin frame house building, a visitors’ center, barns, country store museum, outdoor museum for farm equipment and more. A resident curator greets visitors and offers tours Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Tour groups are asked to make advance arrangements by writing to Saxon Lutheran Memorial, Frohna MO 63748 or by calling (573) 824-5404.
Hill of Peace is another “walk-in history book” in Perry County. A simple red-brick worship facility overlooking the Missouri countryside, Hill of Peace Lutheran Church is home to the annual homecoming service each fall. Facilities may also be rented for family reunions, retreats, conferences, weekend campouts and more by writing the Friedenberg Lutheran Historical Society, Perryville, MO 63775.
The Saxon Lutheran Memorial and Hill of Peace are both owned and cared for by CHI.
"Historical Footnotes" newsletter is published quarterly by Concordia Historical Institute, 801 DeMun Ave., St. Louis MO 63105. The Institute is a not-for-profit organization, serving as the Department of History and Archives for The Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod.
Editor-in-Chief: Rev. Marvin A. Huggins
Writer and Layout Editor: Chris Boshoven
The following back issues are available on-line:
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