A Brief History of the Center

"... materials remain as yet uncatalogued or inaccessible; some have been lost and important records are daily destroyed for want of appreciation or facilities to protect them." - Henry A. Pochmonn and Arthur R. Schultz in Bibliography of German Culture in American to 1840

1951 – The Max Kade Foundation (MKF) gives funds to the German Department for an annual lecture series relating to German Studies. This fund is later replaced by the Max Kade Professorship fund.

1965 – The first Max Kade Distinguished Visiting Professor, Dr. Gerhard Storz, comes to KU for the Spring Semester, funded by the Max Kade Foundation. Storz is faculty of the German department.

1968 – Professors Erich A. Albrecht & J. Anthony Burzle found the Max Kade German-American Document and Research Center in the newly built Kenneth Spencer Research Library. Their work to create this Center is a response to the concern expressed by Henry A. Pochmonn and Arthur R. Schultz in Bibliography of German Culture in American to 1840 for the need to preserve German-American primary sources and materials. The Center is founded independently of the German Department. Albrecht and Burzle send a nationwide call for donations which results in one of the first significant collections at the Max Kade Center – the Lending Library of the Milwaukee Lending Library.

Professors Henry A. Pochmonn and Arthur R. Schultz expressed the deep concern for all scholars in the field of Germon-American literary and cultural studies over the fate of valuable research materials which ore likely to be lost forever unless immediate steps ore token for their preservation. With the generous support of the MAX KADE FOUNDATION, NEW YORK, there hos now been established at the University of Kansas a GERMAN-AMERICAN DOCUMENT AND RESEARCH CENTER, to collect and preserve Germon-American literary and cultural material, particularly from the midwestern region of this country. The original suggestion for such a center was mode in the BIBLIOGRAPHY OF GERMAN CULTURE IN AMERICA TO 1940, compiled by Professors Pochmonn and Schultz, and itself a record of earlier work in the field. Researchers in German-American studies hove found that libraries, German-American clubs, religious organizations, and individuals ore frequently unable or unwilling to preserve and to house materials which ore not of priority importance to their collections. Some of the libraries with the best holdings in this field of interest, in fact, are prevented by lock of funds from cataloguing and organizing their collections so as to make them adequately accessible. At the some time, interest in German-American studies hos increased steadily: the large number of dissertations in this field presently in progress was mentioned at a recent meeting of the Modern Language Association of America. Recognizing this danger that many important German- American publications may be lost if action is not token, the MAX KADE RESEARCH CENTER in cooperation with other organizations is endeavoring to procure such materials and to provide adequate services for housing, cataloguing and making them accessible to scholars through the facilities of the recently opened Kenneth Spencer Research Library at the University of Kansas. It is hoped that owners of German-American books, manuscripts, magazines, newspapers, annuals, calendars, etc., will be willing to present them to the Center, or if necessary to sell them. In particular, libraries, historical societies, German-American clubs and other groups which for lock of space, or because of other priorities, wish to dispose of their German-American material, ore encouraged to turn them over to the MAX KADE RESEARCH CENTER. Although our funds ore limited we would be glad to pay pocking and shipping expenses. Time is of the essence. Many Americans-both those of German descent and others-who own German- American material may be unaware of the research value. We would be grateful for any information about collections of this kind-however small and would appreciate your help in disseminating news about this project among your friends and colleagues. As material is added to the MAX KADE RESEARCH CENTER we hope to publish a bulletin of acquisitions. We will be happy to send copies to you on request. Erich A . Albrecht & J. A. Burzle — Pamphlet sent to institutions across the nation in 1968 seeking donations for the newly formed center.

1983 – In December of 1983, the offices of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Academic Affairs assign the Sudler House to the Department of German Languages and Literatures for the use of the Max Kade Center. Previously, the house held the Design and Construction Management offices but is reassigned after Sudler’s attorney urges KU to honor Dr. Sudler’s wishes that the house serve as a residence for visiting scholars.

1987 – The Max Kade Center is realigned to be part of the Department of German Languages and Literatures. Professor Helmut E. Huelsbergen is chosen from among the department’s faculty to serve as the center’s new director.

1991 – Renovations of the Sudler House begin. Funds contributed by the MKF support the construction of an apartment to host Max Kade Distinguished Professors.

1992 – The new location of the Max Kade Center is dedicated in April.

The University of Kansas Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures Dedication of the Max Kade Center for German-American Studies. Welcome Thursday, April 30, 1992 10=30 a.m . • Dr. William D. Keel. Chairman. Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures, University of Kansas Serenade No. 13 in G maior [Eine kleine Nachtmusik1. K\? 525. Wolf gang Amadeus Mozart First movement= Allegro Remarks Dr. Helmut E. Huelsbergen. Director. Max Kade Center for German-American Studies. University of Kansas Dr. Erich H. Markel. President. Max Kade Foundation. Inc. Dr. Del Shankel. Executive Vice Chancellor. University of Kansas • Serenade No. 13 in G major [Eine kleine Nachtmusikl. K\? 525. Wolf gang Amadeus Mozart Second movement= Romanze. Andante Fourth movement= Rondo. Allegro • The String Quartet Fang Run. Violin Am~ Glidden. Violin · Christopher Burtner. Viola Hang Wang, cello — Program for the dedication of the center in the renovated Sudler House in April of 1992

1999 – The MKF begins funding four graduate fellowships in German Studies annually.

2012 – The Max Kade Center gains control of the Sudler Annex, formerly home to KU’s student-run radio station, KJHK, to house and display collections. The Sudler Annex is renovated by the MKF and the NYTV 1850 Foundation to house the archives of the New York and Mount Vernon Turn Vereine.

2015 – Funding for Max Kade Distinguished Visiting Professors and Graduate Fellowships are no longer provided as the graduate program in German Studies is discontinued. The Max Kade Center continues and strengthens outreach. More emphasis is put on collections preservation.

2024 – The Max Kade Center receives funds from the director emeritus Frank Baron and the MKF to update the Sudler house and the apartment in it. The MKF also commits funds for a new creative-in-residence program to bring German authors, writers, artists, scholars, translators, etc. to KU to work, teach a 1-unit course, and give a talk on their work.

Directors

Erich A. Albrecht (1968-1979) Founding Co-Director

J. Anthony “Toni” Burzle (1968-1981) Founding Co-Director

*In the early 80’s there was no official director, but Don Watkins, Bill Keel, and Helmut Huelsbergen kept efforts afloat.*

Helmut E. Huelsbergen (1987 -1994) First Director after realignment

Frank Baron (1997-2013)

Jim Morrison (2013-2018)

Lorie Vanchena (2014-2022)

Marike Janzen (2023-present)