Difference between revisions of "Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection"

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==Tretter Collection==
 
==Tretter Collection==
  
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The Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Studies, in the library of the University of Minnesota, Special Collections & Rare Books, houses over 30,000 items in a wide variety of media.
 
  
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The collection is international in scope and has materials in approximately 58 languages. It covers all time periods, from a 4,000-year-old phallic statuette from Egypt, up to current editions of GLBT periodicals. Although books are the core of the collection, substantial sections include textiles, glassware, film, music, art works, and three-dimensional objects such as event buttons and furniture. The collection includes unpublished manuscripts, vertical files, and periodicals from all over the world. Among the significant archival holdings are the Jim Chalgren Collection, the personal papers of Professor Toni McNaron, Patrick Scully, Dallas S. Drake, Stuart Ferguson, and Tobias Schneebaum. The archives of the National Education Association GLBT Caucus, the Lesbian Review of Books Archive, Gay/Lesbian Postal Employees Network (PEN) Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Paper Eagles--the employee group of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Ramsey County GLBT Employees Network, and the archives of the Twin Cities-GLBT Pride Committee.  Here is a sampling of items found in this collection:
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| Jean-Nickolaus Tretter has collected Pride Guides, community newspapers, activist buttons, and other items of GLBT interest since his return from serving as a linguist in the Vietnam War.  Already involved with [[F.R.E.E.]], the [[Twin Cities Pride Festival]], and other community organizations by 1972, Tretter’s interest in GLBT history and culture intensified at the University of Minnesota.  As a student from 1973-76, Tretter unsuccessfully attempted to study Gay and Lesbian Anthropology.   At the time, University staff assured him that no such thing existed.
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| [[Image:Svc_tretterpresent.jpg]]<div style="text-align: center;"><small>'''Tretter's Collection at Elmer Andersen Library. Courtesy of the Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection in GLBT Studies.'''</small>
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[[Image:Svc_trettkemp.jpg]]
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'''<small>Jean-Nickolaus Tretter (seated) and Jim Kepner at the One Archives in Los Angeles.  Courtesy of the Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection.</small>'''
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| Intent on proving them wrong, Tretter dropped out and studied the history of queer life on his own.  His collection habits inspired word-of-mouth publicity and, in 1982, it led to a chance meeting with none other than Jim Kepner, founder of the One Archives in Los Angeles. 
  
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:Books
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:Manuscripts
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:Magazines
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:Erotica
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The two struck an instant chord, and remained good friends until Kepner’s death in 1997.  Tretter’s mentor encouraged his archival aspirations, and the Tretter Collection began to greatly increase in size.  It included thousands of books, periodicals, artwork, and other objects by the late 1990s—filling most of his two-bedroom apartment in St. Paul.
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:Community newspapers
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:Political flyers
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:Postcards
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:Posters
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:Original artwork
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The University of Minnesota changed its stance on GLBT history in little over 20 years.  GLBT leaders at the “U” approached the University of Minnesota Libraries after the department announced plans to build a new archival library on the West Bank campus in 1999. 
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:Sculpture
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:Campaign buttons/pins
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{| {{prettytable}} 
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:Movies
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:Videos
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:Photos
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:Digital Images
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|After lengthy negotiations—and with support of the new library’s namesake, former Governor Elmer L. Anderson—the Tretter Collection moved into Andersen Library’s climate-controlled caverns.  These caverns were dug into the bluffs of the Mississippi River, and are some of the finest archival storage spaces in the world.
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:News clippings
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:E-mails
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:Audio recordings
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:Memoirs
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:Letters
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The University’s support provided Tretter’s Collection with proper resources; it has grown to include tens of thousands of materials that represent 4,000 years of history.  In an ironic twist, Tretter now works for the University tending to his collection.
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:T-shirts
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| <div style="text-align: right; direction: ltr; margin-left: 1em;">
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:Ancient artifacts
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[[Image:Svc_trettapt.jpg]]
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:Signs
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</div><div style="text-align: right; direction: ltr; margin-left: 1em;">
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:Autographs
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:Business cards
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<small>'''Photograph of Jean-Nickolaus Tretter in his apartment'''</small>
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:Records
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:CDs
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<small>'''as his collection moved to Elmer Anderson Library, 1999.'''</small>
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:Reel to reel tapes
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:Lamps
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<small>'''Courtesy of the Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection.'''</small>
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:Clocks
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</div>
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:Lunch pails
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:Swizzle sticks
 
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:Postage stamps
 
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:Comics
 
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:Fairy stones
 
  
  
 
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This page will soon be edited as part of [[Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN: 100 Queer Places in Minnesota History, (1860-1969), (1969-2010)]]
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==This entry is part of:==
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== [[Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN: 100 Queer Places in Minnesota History, (1860-2010)]]==
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The information used in this page is available at the Tretter Collection's website: http://special.lib.umn.edu/rare/tretter.phtml
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Part of [[Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN: 100 Queer Places in Minnesota History, (1860-1969), (1969-2010)]]

Latest revision as of 05:27, 2 February 2012

Tretter Collection

OPEN ENTRY: This entry is open to collaborative creation by anyone with evidence, citations, and analysis to share, so no particular, named creator is responsible for the accuracy and cogency of its content. Please use this entry's Comment section at the bottom of the page to suggest improvements about which you are unsure. Thanks.
Jean-Nickolaus Tretter has collected Pride Guides, community newspapers, activist buttons, and other items of GLBT interest since his return from serving as a linguist in the Vietnam War. Already involved with F.R.E.E., the Twin Cities Pride Festival, and other community organizations by 1972, Tretter’s interest in GLBT history and culture intensified at the University of Minnesota. As a student from 1973-76, Tretter unsuccessfully attempted to study Gay and Lesbian Anthropology. At the time, University staff assured him that no such thing existed. Svc tretterpresent.jpg
Tretter's Collection at Elmer Andersen Library. Courtesy of the Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection in GLBT Studies.

Svc trettkemp.jpg

Jean-Nickolaus Tretter (seated) and Jim Kepner at the One Archives in Los Angeles. Courtesy of the Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection.

Intent on proving them wrong, Tretter dropped out and studied the history of queer life on his own. His collection habits inspired word-of-mouth publicity and, in 1982, it led to a chance meeting with none other than Jim Kepner, founder of the One Archives in Los Angeles.



The two struck an instant chord, and remained good friends until Kepner’s death in 1997. Tretter’s mentor encouraged his archival aspirations, and the Tretter Collection began to greatly increase in size. It included thousands of books, periodicals, artwork, and other objects by the late 1990s—filling most of his two-bedroom apartment in St. Paul.



The University of Minnesota changed its stance on GLBT history in little over 20 years. GLBT leaders at the “U” approached the University of Minnesota Libraries after the department announced plans to build a new archival library on the West Bank campus in 1999.

After lengthy negotiations—and with support of the new library’s namesake, former Governor Elmer L. Anderson—the Tretter Collection moved into Andersen Library’s climate-controlled caverns. These caverns were dug into the bluffs of the Mississippi River, and are some of the finest archival storage spaces in the world.



The University’s support provided Tretter’s Collection with proper resources; it has grown to include tens of thousands of materials that represent 4,000 years of history. In an ironic twist, Tretter now works for the University tending to his collection.

Svc trettapt.jpg

Photograph of Jean-Nickolaus Tretter in his apartment

as his collection moved to Elmer Anderson Library, 1999.

Courtesy of the Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection.


This entry is part of:

Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN: 100 Queer Places in Minnesota History, (1860-2010)


The information used in this page is available at the Tretter Collection's website: http://special.lib.umn.edu/rare/tretter.phtml

Part of Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN: 100 Queer Places in Minnesota History, (1860-1969), (1969-2010)

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