The Fellner collection mainly covers the years of Fellner's association with Take Over, 1971-1980. It consists of the following series: TAKE OVER FILES, FBI FILES, MADISON POLICE DEPARTMENT INDIVIDUAL AFFINITY FILES, WEATHER UNDERGROUND ORGANIZATION INTERVIEWS, and MISCELLANEOUS PERSONAL FILES.
Few other collections exist of a cooperatively-run underground newspaper. Considering the small size, young age, and changing composition of the staff and the low profit of the publication, the TAKE OVER FILES, 1963-1980, are fairly comprehensive. The records consist of background articles, correspondence, financial records, legal papers, manuscripts and notes of articles and interviews, miscellany, posters, flyers, and subject files. The files are arranged alphabetically by type, and thereunder alphabetically by name or subject.
The correspondence contains comments on specific articles, general content, and philosophy. The prisoner mail relates to Take Over's offer to all prisoners of a free subscription and advertisement for a “pen pal,” and to rejections of delivery by Waupun prison. There are also letters from several individuals with legal problems. The correspondence from Oliver (Ollie) Steinberg, who was connected with Take Over before being sent to prison contains perceptive information, reactions, and advice concerning the newspaper and general conditions in Madison as well as his experiences as a prisoner.
Take Over's financial records do not contain concise or comprehensive summaries. The records consist of substantially complete bank statements, cancelled checks, and accounts receivable, as well as a journal of income and expenses for the first two years. Ordinarily detailed records such as these would not be kept. They have in this case however, since any financial records are rare for an underground newspaper which published regularly for as long as eight years. The existing records could be used to determine the paper's financial condition.
The legal papers concern lawsuits which were a result of allegations in published articles, distribution of the fake Wisconsin State Journal/Capital Times issue of July 13, 1973, and protection of the confidentiality of sources. The posters, bumper stickers, and flyers advertise many local events, benefit gatherings for Armstrong and Steinberg, and the Mifflin Street block parties. Also included are several Take Over covers retained for their graphics, and the fake issue.
The newspaper's extensive Subject Files document people and events in Madison and nationally during the 1970s. The files contain background articles, clippings, some correspondence, and other print and near-print materials, mainly from national underground sources. Subjects include the 1970 Army Math Research Center bombing, Madison Police Department, political prisoners defense committee newsletters, and the 1975 Take Over-sponsored symposium on the Kennedy assassination and the CIA, which included a reenactment of the assassination on the Capitol Square. Materials on Paul Soglin include interviews with him recorded after he left office as mayor.
Also included in the Subject File are tape recordings of speeches and interviews, many resulting in published articles. Most of the tape cassettes had been previously used and retain portions of the earlier recordings. The sound quality varies.
The FBI FILES, 1959-1977, contain photocopies heavily censored by the FBI concerning individuals, organizations, and events in the Madison area requested by Fellner under the Freedom Of Information Act, as well as background information about the files and about Fellner's lawsuit to obtain their release. The censored portions are coded according to FBI guidelines (see lawsuit file). Subjects of investigations include Take Over, Karleton Armstrong, the AMRC and other bombings, Fellner, Robert Kastenmeier, Paul Soglin, Students for a Democratic Society, and the Youth International Party (Yippies).
The files are mainly reports of meetings, public events, and private conversations, as well as FBI investigations, but also include copies of newspaper clippings, photographs, court documents, organizational flyers, brochures, and teletypes, mainly between the Milwaukee FBI office and FBI headquarters in Washington. Although the reliability of FBI files as sources of information may be limited, and the validity of the reports may be debatable, they do contain information not available elsewhere, and they indicate the extent of FBI undercover operations.
The files are arranged as Fellner requested them--by individuals, organizations, and events, and thereunder alphabetically. Also included is one file on COINTELPRO, the FBI's counter intelligence program to subvert the New Left.
There are several types of documents. The declassified releases are the most complete and have been kept in original order. Those with document numbers are arranged numerically; unnumbered ones are arranged chronologically. Documents may be duplicated in several files, as would be the case if, for example, a number of individuals in an organization participated in an event.
The MPD INDIVIDUAL AFFINITY FILES, 1968-1977, are similar to the FBI files. They are reports of Madison police undercover surveillance and the activities of individuals and organizations involved in the anti-Vietnam War movement. Censored portions are coded according to police department guidelines.
In its local government holdings, the Historical Society holds a complete set of the censored Affinity Files (C1976/002), arranged by document series and number. The individual files in the Fellner collection concern people who gave Fellner permission to obtain their files, as well as Fellner himself, so their names have not been censored from documents in their files. The handwritten margin notes are probably by Fellner.
The WEATHER UNDERGROUND ORGANIZATION INTERVIEWS, 1978-1979, were conducted by Fellner, possibly for a national magazine article (but never published). The interviewees include WUO members (still underground at that time), former members, former FBI agents, and film producer Emile de Antonio. Emile de Antonio produced the film Underground (1976), and was the subject of extensive FBI surveillance and actions. Among topics discussed are the WUO, people and events generally, FBI activities, and the interviewees' personal backgrounds, experiences, and views.
The MISCELLANEOUS PERSONAL PAPERS, 1973-1979, do not concern Take Over, but Fellner's other activities. Included are files on a lawsuit brought by Fellner and other tenants of Frances Court Apartments against landlord Norman Bullen, protesting conditions in the building. The case was eventually decided in the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the tenants' favor. The personal papers also contain drafts for an article by Fellner about Paul Soglin.
The VISUAL MATERIALS include photographs, negatives, and transparencies. These have been assigned call number PH Mss 840 and PH Mss 840 (3). The Photographic Subject Files document local individuals, events and well-known visitors, as well as the newspaper-sponsored and staff activities, special stories, and imaginative collages.
Parts 2 and 3 include additional tape recordings related to a planned book project concerning attorney Edward Ben Elson and copies of FBI files on Madison, Wisconsin, individuals and organizations obtained by Fellner under the Freedom of Information Act.
