The estate of Emerenz Meier (1874-1928) in the Staatliche Bibliothek Passau
Born in the Lower Bavarian Forest, Emerenz Meier (1874-1928) is considered to be the most important Bavarian folk poet, along with Lena Christ (1881-1920). In 1906 she emigrated to America together with her mother because of the bad economic situation. The writer and free-spirited woodswoman became a hired hand. She turned into a staunch communist and turned her back on the church. This collection presents her works and her contemporaries' opinions.
Letters
Emerenz Meier's written correspondence is divided into two sections: the first part comprises 10 letters to her friend Auguste Unertl (1864-1941) in Waldkirchen around 1900/01, the second part 13 cards and 43 letters to her during her time in America (1919-1927).
Poems
The poetry dates from 1896 to (after) 1906. Some of the songs and poems are dedicated to Auguste Unertl, with additions by her and Max Peinkofer (1891-1963). "Gedichte und Notizen" (Poems and Notes) are largely transcriptions of other people's poetry and include cooking recipes, two pen and ink drawings, and Munich addresses. The collection is supplemented by three of Meier's newspaper poems, presumably from the "Neue Passauer Schreibkalender".
Stories
The stories include both reprints and Meier's own manuscripts: "Herkunft" (Origin) forms the concluding part of a multi-part article in a German-American magazine with a portrait of Emerenz Meier from 1907. "Der G'schlößlbauer" (The Castle Builder) is printed in the Passau "Donau-Zeitung" of 1900. Seven stories are copies of reprints from the "Neue Passauer Schreibkalender" (1898-1905). "Der Bua" (The Boy) and "Die Brautschau" (The Search for a Bride) are manuscripts written in America after 1906 and are rounded off by an adaptation of a Finnish folk song. Other stories (e.g. "Bella") also contain poems or are preserved in a first and second version ("Ein Besuch" (A Visit)). "Auf dem Scheibenhofe" (On the Scheibenhof) is a prose fragment by Meier.
Contemporaries
In addition to the works, the collection presents opinions by the contemporary press on "Aus dem bayrischen Wald" (1897 - From the Bavarian Forest), the only book published during Emerenz Meier's lifetime. Two diary fragments from the years 1906-1907 were written by Auguste Unertl. 26 letters and cards from the years 1894-1934 are from various senders, including the poets Maximilian Schmidt (1832-1919) and Martin Greif (1839-1911), the composer Simon Breu (1858-1933), the journalist Heinrich Leher (1848-1909), the theologian Franz Seraph Scharrer (1810-1903) or the local historian Max Peinkofer, and addressed to Auguste Unertl and her husband. 6 letters and cards are from Emerenz Meier's seminary teacher Albert Miller from Würzburg (around 1900).
>> This collection is part of the holdings of the of the Staatliche Bibliothek Passau (State Library Passau).