Nagel, Elsa Louise (1896-1973), Papers, 1905-1973 (C3910)

.8 linear feet

INTRODUCTION

The papers of Elsa Louise Nagel, Associate Professor of German at the University of Missouri from 1926 to 1966, includes correspondence with family, friends, and soldiers during World War I and World War II. The correspondence from World War II is with former University of Missouri students at domestic armed forces bases and in the European and Pacific theaters of war. Also present are newspaper clippings, photographs, and miscellaneous items related to the Nagel and Meusch families.

DONOR INFORMATION

The Elsa Louise Nagel Papers were donated to the University of Missouri by her sister-in-law, Bernice Nagel, on 12 June 1985 (Accession No. 4645). An addition to the papers was made by Mrs. Paul C. Nagel on 11 October 1991 (Accession No. 5095).

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Elsa Louise Nagel was born 25 February 1896 in West, Texas. She completed her high school and college education by examinations and classes at State Teachers College, Kirksville, Missouri, from 1913 to 1922. In 1922 she received her Bachelor of Science in Education degree with a major in History. Miss Nagel taught high school in several locations from 1913 to 1925: Mexico, Missouri; Dalton, Missouri; Hagerman, New Mexico; Canton, Missouri; and Hotchkiss, Colorado.

In 1925 Miss Nagel entered the University of Missouri and in 1926 earned a Master of Arts degree in Modern European History. In 1926 she joined the University of Missouri as a German instructor and remained with the university until her retirement on 1 September 1966. During her career she received two promotions: Assistant Professor of German (1943) and Associate Professor of German (1965). At commencement in June 1966 the University of Missouri honored her with the title Professor Emerita of German.

Miss Nagel translated works from German for the State Historical Society of Missouri and was an active member of the United Church of Christ in Columbia, Missouri. She also served in many professional organizations. Elsa Nagel died 14 September 1973 in Columbia, Missouri, and was buried near her parents at the United Church of Christ in Holstein, Missouri, where her father had been pastor.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Elsa Louise Nagel Papers consist of correspondence, documents, newspaper clippings, and photographs. The collection is divided into three series:

The Correspondence series is arranged in chronological order. It contains letters and postcards received or written by Miss Nagel from 1905 to 1972. The bulk of the correspondence dates from 1942 to 1945. These letters are either from her mother or from former students writing during World War II from bases in the U.S. or from locations in the European and Pacific theaters. One letter is from a former female student stationed in England. Letters from World War I are also present when Miss Nagel corresponded with a soldier, Louis Unfer. There are many picture postcards dating from the 1930s and there are also blank postcards located in the final folder of this series. There is a gap in the correspondence after 1947 and there is very little from the following years. The final letter of October 1973 was written to Elsa's brother, Werner O. Nagel, after her death.

The Personal series contains various items related to Elsa Nagel and her family and friends. It is arranged in chronological order with Elsa's personal items appearing first followed by items concerning her family and friends . Present are teaching certificates; diplomas; a master's thesis, The Kaiser's Policy Toward Russia, 1897-1905; passports; a travel diary from 1955; and several souvenir albums. Two folders contain materials relating to two relatives, W. O. Nagel (brother) and Rev. F. A. Meusch (uncle). Finally, there are two folders of newspaper clippings and ephemeral items in rough chronological order.

There are forty-eight photographs in the Photographs series arranged chronologically from c.1915 to 1968. Most of these are of Elsa with her family and friends in Missouri, Colorado, or Washington. A brief description appears on the reverse of many photos with only first names given and often with no date provided. Undated photos are at the end of the collection.

FOLDER LIST

Correspondence Series

f. 11905-1917
f. 21918
f. 31919-1922
f. 41927-1934
f. 51935-1937
f. 61938
f. 71939-1941
f. 81942-1943
f. 91944
f. 101945 January - May
f. 111945 July - September
f. 121945 October - December
f. 131946-1973
f. 14n.d.
f. 15Blank postcards

Personal Series

f. 16Documents
f. 17Master's thesis
f. 18Travel
f. 19Family newspaper clippings
f. 20W. O. Nagel
f. 21Rev. F. A. Meusch
f. 22Miscellaneous newspaper clippings
f. 23Souvenir albums

Photographs Series

f. 24c.1915 - c. June 1963
f. 25c. November 1963 - n.d.

INDEX TERMS

These index terms are the subjects, people, places, etc. under which this collection is listed in all available indexes at the Western Historical Manuscript Collection-Columbia. If you are interested in a specific index term, please contact the reference staff.

  • Diaries--Travel, 1955
  • Dingle, Mona
  • Dufner, Max
  • Elker, F.W.
  • Elmhurst Academy and Junior College, Elmhurst, Illinois
  • Enns, Wilbur R.
  • Flynn, Margaret A.
  • Fussell, Jay
  • Harwood, K.
  • Immanuel Evangelical & Reformed Church, Holstein, MO
  • Lanser, H.R.
  • Lutheran Church--Missouri
  • Nagel family
  • Nagel, Elsa Louise (1896-1973)
  • Nagel, Hulda Caroline Meusch
  • Nagel, Mr. & Mrs Alfred
  • Nagel, W.O.
  • Petterson, William F.
  • Postcards, Colorado
  • Postcards, Europe
  • Postcards, Hawaii
  • Postcards, Michigan
  • Postcards, Panama Canal
  • Postcards, University of Missouri
  • Postcards, Wisconsin
  • St. Luke's African Methodist, Independence, MO
  • Unefer, Louis
  • World War, 1914-1918, Correspondence
  • World War, 1939-1945, Correspondence
  • World War, 1939-1945, Women