My effort to index Milwaukee's archive of German language newspapers was only about 2 years old at the time of this conference in 2009, but the first binders consisting of a mere 15,000 entries were cataloged and shelved at the Milwaukee Public Library in Sept. 2008. I'm up to about 400,000 entries today for part of the index.
Before that time there was no reference resource for Milwaukee's well-known historic German-American community which many of us know dates back well before today's 1st and 2nd generation Post WWII German immigrants who remain active locally.
Even though I tried to connect with them, it wasn't necessary for a 7th generation 100% German-American descendent Milwaukeean to organize and create the now well-known collection called "Milwaukee's German Newspapers; an index of death notices and related items" (1844-1950).
In fact, a conversation at German Fest 2012 went like this:
German Fest exhibitor: "What's the starting year for the German papers?"
me: (pointing to my exhibit sign) "1844"
German Fest exhibitor: "1944?"
me: "1844"
German Fest exhibitor: "1944?"
me: "1844"
German Fest exhibitor: "1944?"
me: "1844. Milwaukee's archive of German language newspapers dates from 1844-1950. After 1950 publishing left Milwaukee for Chicago." (ed.: yes it did)
gary.rebholz@gmail.com, originator/compiler/editor, Milwaukee Wis.
Indexing Milwaukee's German newspapers continuously since 2007 and beyond 2014; helping our really historic German-American families with their stories, despite the efforts of ... well, never mind.