Minna Von Barnhelm oder Das Soldatengluck, by G. A. Lessing

The German-language book, Minna Von Barnhelm oder Das Soldatengluck, by G. E. Lessing, was used as a textbook of German language and literature in the Sandusky City Schools in the first part of the twentieth century. The main premise of the story is that Major Von Tellheim is engaged to a woman of nobility during the Seven Years’ War. After the war, Von Tellheim is stripped of his title, and becomes impoverished. Minna refuses to let him go. The revised edition of the book, which was used in Sandusky City Schools, was a part of Death’s Modern Language Series. The book featured an introduction and notes by Sylvester Primer, a professor of Teutonic languages for the University of Texas. An edition of Minna Von Barnhelm oder Das Soldatengluck from 1898 is available full text at Google Books.

Now a part of the collections of the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center, this textbook was once used by Erma and Bertha Jahraus, daughters of Sandusky residents William and Lena Jahraus. The book cover protecting the book was acquired at S.T. Lemley’s Bookstore in Sandusky. Mr. Lemley had a bookstore and stationery business in Sandusky from about 1904 to 1909.

In the 1800’s and early 1900’s, German was the first language in many homes in Sandusky. It was taught as a subject in school, and some Sandusky churches offered services in German. Soon after the United States entered World War I, the use of the German language in local schools and churches disappeared due to anti-German sentiment.