Title: Ygdrasil Literary Society Records
Inclusive Dates: 1896-2002

Creator:

• Ygdrasil Literary Society (Madison, Wis.)

Call Number: Mss 386; M2002-121

Quantity: 2.8 c.f. (7 archives boxes); plus additions of 0.8 c.f.

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Records of Ygdrasil, a Norwegian literary society in Madison, Wisconsin, which promotes greater knowledge of Scandinavian culture past and present; including an historical summary, minutes, papers presented, biographical sketches of members, and miscellany.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss00386

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Ygdrasil is a literary society of ethnic origin limited to a membership of fifty Madison men usually of Norwegian descent, who are interested in preparing essays on the literature, biography, and history of Scandinavians and Scandinavian-Americans. The primary objective of the Society is to provide its members with an identification and a greater knowledge of the Scandinavian culture of past and present. Eight literary meetings are held each year on the second Saturday evening of each month from October to May. In addition, there are periodic business meetings and special events celebrations.

The Ygdrasil Literary Society was formally organized on December 4, 1896 at the office of Rasmus B. Anderson, at that time president of the Wisconsin Life Insurance Company, in a building at the corner of Mifflin and Carroll Streets. Peer Stromme was elected as the first president and J.C.M. Hanson as the first secretary.

One of the significant features of the Society's history has been its close association with the Department of Scandinavian Studies at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Professors of Scandinavian languages and literature, particularly Rasmus B. Anderson, Julius E. Olson, and Einar Haugen, have played a leading role in the Society. Other notable University of Wisconsin professors who are or have been active members of the Society include historian Paul Knaplund; Conrad A. Elvehjem, professor of biochemistry and president of the University; and Gerhard Naeseth, associate director of the University's Memorial Library. In 1971 one-third of the Society's members were on the faculty of the University.

This collection was received in multiple parts from the donor(s) and is organized into 2 major parts. These materials have not been physically interfiled and researchers might need to consult more than one part to locate similar materials.

• Part 1 (Mss 386): Original Collection, 1896-1987
• Part 2 (M2002-121): Additions, circa 1940, 1966-2002

Acquisition Information

Presented by the Ygdrasil Literary Society. Accession Number: M69-70, M72-468, M74-441, M75-502, M76-65, M76-222, M77-211, M78-142, M82-431, M85-139, M85-180, M85-316, M86-317, M87-095, M89-229, M91-023, M92-240, M2002-121

Processing Information

Original Collection processed by Philip C. Bantin (archives intern) and Joanne Hohler, October 28, 1976.

Mss 386	Part 1 (Mss 386): Original Collection, 1896-1987 Physical Description: 2.8 c.f. (7 archives boxes)  Scope and Content Note The Ygdrasil Literary Society records consist of a “Historical Record of the Ygdrasil Literary Society (1896-1971)”, Proceedings, Biographical Sketches of members, and Miscellany. The “HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE YGDRASIL LITERARY SOCIETY (1896-1971)” was undertaken in preparation for the seventy-fifth anniversary of the founding of the Society, and was created from the Society's minutes and newspaper files. Included in this unpublished volume is a subject classification of the titles of papers presented before the Society; a record of activities and special events; a chronological listing of special guests and speakers; a selection of papers and correspondence related to the seventy-fifth anniversary; and a collection of clippings documenting previous anniversary celebrations, Syttende Mai festivities, joint activities with other organizations, contacts of the Society with Norway, and visits of Norwegian royalty. The PROCEEDINGS consist of minutes of the regular, business and special meetings, and of papers presented before the Society. For the years 1947 to 1972, the minutes and papers are bound together. Included are the minutes of the organizational meeting, the original constitution and bylaws and a list of charter members. Minutes of the regular and special meetings, which vary in quality over the years, normally include abstracts of papers presented and of the discussion that followed, lists of meeting places and names of hosts, records of attendance by members and guests, and information on special events. Minutes for the years 1908 through 1910 and 1942 through 1946 are not present. Of the 620 papers presented before the Society up to 1971, only fifty-one have been preserved, and only one of these predates 1950. Abstracts of some of the papers read before the Society prior to 1922 were printed in the Madison-based Norwegian newspaper Amerika. The BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES of members, which were prepared for the Society's seventy-fifth anniversary in 1971, are arranged alphabetically. Basic statistical information on members, past and present, is supplemented in many cases by personal accounts of friends, photographs and slides, and clippings. The most notable inclusions in the MISCELLANY segment are printed records commemorating the sixtieth and seventy-fifth anniversaries of the Society.
Box   1 Folder   1	Series: “Historical Record of the Ygdrasil Literary Society (1896-1971)”
	Series: Proceedings	⇧
	Bound Minutes and Papers
Box   2 Folder   1	Book 1: , 1896-1907
Box   2 Folder   2	Book 3-4: , 1911-1924 January
Box   2 Folder   3	Book 5: , 1924 February-1941
Box   3 Folder   1	Book 6: , 1947 October-1954 June
Box   3 Folder   2	Book 7: , 1954 October-1958 June
Box   3 Folder   3	Book 8: , 1958 October-1962 June
Box   4 Folder   1	Book 9: , 1962 October-1965 June
Box   4 Folder   2	Book 10: , 1965 October-1967 June
Box   4 Folder   3	Book 11: , 1967 October-1972 June
Box   5 Folder   1	Book 12: Miscellaneous papers , before 1971
Box   5 Folder   2	Book 13: Records and minutes, 1971-1976
Box   5 Folder   3	Book 14: Papers, 1972-1976
	Unbound Records
Box   6 Folder   1	1976-1977
Box   6 Folder   2	1977-1978
Box   6 Folder   3	1978-1979
Box   6 Folder   4	1979-1980
Box   6 Folder   5	1980-1981
Box   7 Folder   1-8	Series: Biographical Sketches, A-W	⇧
Box   6 Folder   6	Series: Miscellany	⇧
	1947-1961, 1967, 1971
M2002-121	Part 2 (M2002-121): Additions, circa 1940, 1966-2002 Physical Description: 0.8 c.f. (2 archives boxes)  Scope and Content Note: Additions, circa 1940, 1966-2002, including minutes of meetings, papers presented to the Society, programs, membership lists, correspondence, and financial statements.	⇧
	Papers
Box   1 Folder   1-6	1940, 1978-1997
Box   2 Folder   1-2	1998-2002
Box   2 Folder   3-4	Minutes of the meetings, 1982-2002
Box   2 Folder   5	Membership lists, 1973-2002
Box   2 Folder   6	Programs, 1966-2002
Box   2 Folder   7	Correspondence, 1985-2002
Box   2 Folder   8	Financial statements, 1982-2002