Mark Twain in German-Language Newspapers and Periodicals

Introduction: About the Project

Newspapers played an important role in the career of Samuel L. Clemens. Before the public first met him under his pseudonym “Mark Twain” as a contributor to various newspapers in different states of the country, he learned about the world of journalism in various printing offices. He was 11 years old when he began work as a “printer's devil,” a printshop apprentice, then went on to various places as a typesetter and journeyman printer (L1, 1-2), and ended up as “the oldest journalist in the country.” “Ever since the time I first began the business of with my little paper in Hannibal, Mo.,” he said in an interview with the Baltimore Sun in 1907, “I have been in newspaper work, [ . . . ] if not actively writing or making material for the press, then figuring in interviews or as the subject of newspaper comment” (Scharnhorst, MT Interviews 606).

The importance of newspapers for the study and an understanding of Clemens’s career is not limited to the fact that they provided him with opportunities to make a living. They played a major role in creating the public image of the man who sought the attention and the admiration of a broad audience. Thus, studying newspaper reports about Mark Twain provides insights into the activities and the achievements of a man who, as H.L. Mencken wrote, was the greatest “of  our national celebrities” (quoted in Budd, Our Mark Twain 2). With their unfailing attention to everything that related to Mark Twain, the newspapers turned him into “the most anecdotalized man in America” (quoted in Budd, Our Mark Twain 4). For them, he was a source that reliably produced material which was sure to find the public's interest, not just in the large metropolitan areas but also in the local press of the country. This fact is illustrated by the tens of thousands of articles on Mark Twain that are contained in the collection of American newspapers available at the Chronicling America online repository. It is a wealth of material that testifies to the enormous popularity that the writer enjoyed during his lifetime (and beyond).

The newspapers which took an interest in Mark Twain’s life and career included those of the German-American press. German-language newspapers were present in every American city with a substantial population of German background and were influential voices in their respective communities (Faust, German Element II 370). Although far from complete with regard to their holdings of German newspapers, the Chronicling America project offers glimpses into the topics that were deemed to be of interest for a German-American readership.

Examining articles relating to Mark Twain provides opportunities to achieve a better understanding of how much attention America’s most popular humorist received from a group whose cultural tastes may not have fully coincided with those of the American majority. It is unlikely that the material that emerges from this research endeavor will uncover new factual information about Mark Twain. However, looking at Mark Twain-related articles will open a window to the kind of Mark Twain-related information that was shared among German-Americans readers. Were there special topics that interested this particular clientele? In addition, comments and reviews on Mark Twain and American humor offered from the perspective of an ethnic group that took a certain pride in its own literary and cultural traditions promises to supplement prevailing notions about the nation’s premier humorist. Finally, the pages of the German-American press will provide insights into the reception of Mark Twain’s work, especially with regard to early translations of his writings. So far, studies of translations of Mark Twain’s texts have almost exclusively relied on translations that appeared in book form. Digital access to 19th-century newspaper material now makes it possible to identify early efforts at conveying Mark Twain’s writings to those who were unable to access and appreciate his humor in the language of the original. The discovery of new translations will make it possible to update current knowledge of German translations of Mark Twain’s writings and thus create a more accurate view of the transnational impact of his work. The findings emerging from this research will be added to the catalog of Mark Twain’s writings in German translation, a companion project which is currently under construction.

As it continues to grow from its current preliminary state, this website will present a full collection of articles about Mark Twain which were published in German-language newspapers in the United States, all of them drawn from the Chronicling America project. To facilitate access to this material printed in the German Fraktur typeface, each article will be transcribed and translated into English. It will feature explanatory notes on people, places, events, and contexts relevant to the article's contents. The main catalog provides a convenient entryway to the article collection.

In a second phase of the project, the search for material relating to Mark Twain will be expanded to include newspapers and periodicals that appeared in German-speaking countries.
  1. Information on the project design (graphics)
  2. Editorial principles (draft)
  3. List of References: Zotero online bibliography
  4. List of the most recent changes (chronological order).