Swiss American Historical Society
Picton Press is the official publisher for the Swiss American Historical Society
Founded in 1927 in Chicago and reactivated in 1964 by Lukas F. Burckhardt and the late Heinz K. Meier, the SAHS unites people interested in the involvement of Swiss and their descendants in American life, in aspects of Swiss American relations, and in Swiss history.
As its name suggests, the Society's activities pertain mainly to Swiss-American history and to promoting historical and genealogical research involving Swiss immigrants. It published Paul Anthon Nielson, Swiss Genealogical Research: An Introductory Guide (1979), a valuable tool for researching family history. It also distributes the guide to Swiss Festivals in North America (1995, 1999), prepared by Donald Tritt. The SAHS Publications, edited by Leo Schelbert, cover topics of Swiss-American interest. Recent titles include: Hedwig Rappolt, ed. and transl., An American Apprenticeship. The Letters of Emil Frey 1860-1864 (1986); David H. Sutton, One's Own Hearth Is Like God: A History of Helvetia, West Virginia (1990), Laura R. Villiger, Mari Sandoz. A Study in Post-Colonial Discourse (1994), and Gary K. Pranger, Philip Schaff, Immigrant Theologian (1997).
Yet the interests of the SAHS reach beyond history and include the ties between the United States and Switzerland. Issues of the SAHS Review and papers presented at the Society's meetings have explored topics such as "Bern, Switzerland, a Medieval City Today" (E. Schmocker); "Benjamin Franklin and Heinrich Zschokke" (D. H. Crosby); "Bombing the Sister Republic: The United States and Switzerland During World War II" (J. H. Huston), "The Crisis of Switzerland at the Threshold of the European Union" (H. D. Page).
With members mainly in the United States, Canada, and Switzerland, the SAHS fosters contacts with both sides of the Atlantic and serves as a link between Swiss-Americans, Swiss, and Americans in an effort to promote cultural awareness and mutual understanding.
Membership is open to all. Members receive the SAHS Review three times per year as well as a free copy of books published by the Society. The SAHS holds an annual meeting in early October and organizes occasional regional meetings. All work is done on a voluntary basis in order to promote the Society's goals.
Membership
Please print and then fill out this membership application if you are interested in becoming a member.
Publications
The following publications are available through Picton Press:
| 18. | "Switzerland Under Siege 1939-1945: A Neutral Nations Struggle for Survival". Edited by Leo Schelbert, 272 pages, 2000. | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| 19. | "Brightness Remembered". By Carol Williams, 224 pages, 2001.. | $22.50 | $22.50 |
| 20. | "One Small Lifetime". by Ernest Albert Thürkauf, edited by Ernest Albert Thurston, Jr., 2002, soft cover, 272 pages | $29.50 | $29.50 |
| 21. | "Introductory Guide to Swiss Genealogical Research". by Lewis Bunker Rohrbach, 128 pages, soft cover, 2004. | $14.95 | $14.95 |
| 22. | "The Ammann Family of Schaffhausen, Switzerland 1450-1950". By Margot Ammann Durrer, 192 pages, 2005. | $57.50 | $57.50 |
| 26. | "Letters Written From America 1849-1853". By Leo Lesquereux, 480 pages, 2006. | $57.50 | $57.50 |
| 27. | "Postmaster in Klau Letters from California". By Pit Wyss, Paul Hugger, and H. Dwight Page, 336 pages, 2007. | $57.50 | $57.50 |
send orders to:
Picton Press
PO Box 1347
Rockland, ME 04841