Brittney Lemons and Dr. Cindy Brewer, German
I spent the Spring and Summer terms of 2006 doing the Brigham Young University study abroad program in Vienna, Austria. One of the purposes of me being there was so that I could do research for the Sophie Project headed by the BYU German Department. The purpose of the Sophie Project is stated on the website:
“…when scholars and teachers in German Studies desire to investigate works reflecting the experiences of women and other traditionally marginalized groups, they are often frustrated by the lack of access to very basic materials and information. Until a marginalized text is broadly available to academics, it often remains hidden in European archives, beyond the reach of most potential researchers. Particularly in the classroom, teachers often shy away from early women work because they are unfamiliar with the historical and cultural contexts conditioning the artistic production, and do not have time to re-tool from the ground up.”
Due to the need of literature written by women in the 18th and 19th centuries, I spent hours at the National Library in Vienna searching for any type of literature meeting those criteria. This was much more difficult than I had anticipated. The earliest writings I could find were from 1902. When I reached this dilemma I realized I was going to have to make some changes to my project boundaries. Finally I decided that I would focus on the same principles (child rearing ideals of the time the writings were published and how they are portrayed through children’s literature) and use the books and other materials that I found.
I found several children’s plays, picture books and short stories that really showed what was important in the early 1900’s when raising children. I decided to focus primarily on a series of books called Bei uns zu Hause (At our house).
Three of the four volumes of this story were available for me to photocopy. They were written by Johanna Lindon and published in 1928. These particular books were used in German and Austrian school systems until the mid 1940’s (which was quite a long time considering the social and economic changes that were taking place in Europe at that time). The primary purposes of the books were to help children learn to read and how to sound out words. After reading the stories, however, there is no doubt that there were specific messages for the children to grasp on acceptable and unacceptable behavior.
Based on research I have done in other books written on gender roles in past and present times, I have realized that when a child learns, they are trying to identify with or to please someone whether it be parents, teachers, siblings etc. Even when they are reading they are trying to identify with a character in the book. Girls often times look for female roll models for the obvious reason of common gender. Females do not identify as well or as personally with male characters or role models just as males do not identify as well or as personally with female characters and/or role models.
The Bei uns zu Hause books that I have poured through really bring out some of these points that I have discussed. I am currently working on a research paper to submit to the Sophie Project based on those books. My thesis will be based on the following question:
“How do these books reinforce or subvert early 20th century gender ideals?”
After I am finished with my report I will be giving these copies of the books, as well as all of the other pieces of literature I have found to Professor Michelle James to use as she chooses on the Sophie Website.
My experience in Vienna doing this research was well worth the time and money that was spent on it. I gained an all new respect for women and for their talents. Women were not appreciated for what they could do and I think that it is important for us to recognize what they did and what an important role it plays and played in the lives of so many.