German-American Collections

The Athenaeum Turners is a German-American organization founded in 1851 as the Indianapolis Turngemeinde. Its original emphasis was on promoting physical fitness and intellectual development, advancing the political interests of German-Americans, and preserving German culture. The Athenaeum, the Turners' home since its opening in 1893, served as a gathering place for the Indianapolis German-American community, and members of the Athenaeum Turners were prominent leaders in the political, business, educational, and cultural life of the city. Today the Athenaeum Turners is primarily a German cultural organization. These photographs are part of the Athenaeum Turners Records held by the IUPUI University Library Ruth Lilly Special Collections and Archives.

This project was funded in part by the Hoyt-Reichmann Chair in German-American Studies.

The American Turners is a national German-American organization founded in 1850 by German immigrants. The American Turners advocated a liberal political philosophy, protected the political rights of German-Americans, and promoted the preservation of German culture. Strong believers in physical fitness, the American Turners lobbied to have physical education made a part of the educational curriculum in public schools. These photographs are part of the American Turners Records held by the IUPUI University Library Ruth Lilly Special Collections and Archives.

This project was funded in part by the Hoyt-Reichmann Chair in German-American Studies.

The American Turner Topics, published since 1936, is the newsletter of the American Turners, a German-American organization that stresses physical fitness and German culture. The newsletter contains articles about Turner history and philosophy, obituaries of Turner members, and reports on the activities of the national organization, of individual Turner societies, and of related German-American organizations.

This project was funded in part by the Hoyt-Reichmann Chair in German-American Studies.