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Trostel Collection of German Theater Scripts

The Collection

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The library has more than 1500 plays in German, dated from 1865 to 1936. They were used by the German Theater stock company in Milwaukee. Named in honor of Albert O. Trostel, they were donated to the Milwaukee Public Library by his widow, Clara Uihlein Trostel in 1943.

Its History

During the German Theater’s heyday the theater-going public in Milwaukee saw a wide selection of plays including the works of Shakespeare, Moliere, Ibsen and Goethe. Sometimes English plays were introduced in German translation as was the case with George Bernard Shaw’s “Pygmalion” and the works of Oscar Wilde.

How to Access

Materials from the Albert O. Trostel Collection are viewed by appointment only in the Frank P. Zeidler Room of the Central Library. All materials are requested and appointments are scheduled here. Same-day access cannot be guaranteed. All research questions should be addressed via e-mail to mplarchives@milwaukee.gov  and will be answered in the order received.