I would like to begin my first blog by introducing myself and how I came to be part of the Moravian Archives project. My name is Katey Fardelmann and I am a Masters candidate in Comparative and International Education at Lehigh University, where I also received my undergraduate degree. As an undergrad at Lehigh, I became involved with the Hidden Collections project, shared between Lehigh and the Moravian Church Archives, located just across the river. I was a double major in college, studying both International Relations and German, which encouraged people to ask, "What do you plan on doing with a German degree?" Apparently the study of German just did not seem like a practical choice, maybe Spanish, Arabic or Chinese would have been better. In opposition to all those naysayers, I have found a valuable use for my German skills by cataloging the “Personal Collection” at the Moravian Church Archives. A majority of the collections I have worked on require a reading knowledge of German script. These skills are especially important with regards to personal correspondence, which was often with relatives who remained in Germany. I have worked on about six or seven collections so far that includes the collection of a Civil War solider, several Moravian ministers (many of whom also published academic articles and books), and missionary workers from South Africa, Tibet, Nicaragua, and Labrador. In working with these collections, especially that of the Civil War solider, I am always struck by not only the historical importance of some of the pieces but also by the reach of the Moravian Church. In a time period with minimal transportation abilities, the true scope of the Moravian mission and therefore the message of the Moravian Church are incredible. In future blog entries, I will discuss more fully the aspects of my collections, which will help express the influence that the Moravian Church had throughout the world.
-Katey Fardelmann
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