Quick Facts
Biography
Michael Werner (born 1965) is the founder and publisher of the only existing Pennsylvania German newspaper, Hiwwe wie Driwwe. In 1993, he started a private Archive for Pennsylvania German Literature in the Palatinate, Germany. In 1996, the newspaper Hiwwe wie Driwwe was founded by him in Ebertsheim, Palatinate (Germany). Since then, it is being published bi-annually. In 2003, Michael Werner, who has a doctorate degree in linguistics, was one of the co-founders of the German-Pennsylvanian Association and the first president of the association (until 2010). Since 1998, he is a member of the jury of the oldest Palatine Dialect Writers Contest in Bockenheim an der Weinstraße, Palatinate (Germany). He lives in Ober-Olm in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate and works as publishing director of a publishing company in Mainz. In 2013, "Hiwwe wie Driwwe" started a cooperation with Kutztown University (PA). In 2016, Werner donated his private archive of Pennsylvania German literature and folk life to the Mennonite Research Center at Weierhof (Palatinate, Germany), where it will be presented to the public from 2017 on as "Deutsch-Pennsylvanisches Archiv" (German-Pennsylvanian Archive).
Works
- Werner, Michael (Ed.): Hiwwe wie Driwwe. The Pennsylvania German Review (Newspaper). Ebertsheim/Ober-Olm/Kutztown 1997-.
- Werner, Michael: "Ebbes aus em alte Land". Newspaper Column. In: The Pennsylvania German Review (Kutztown, PA), 2001-2003.
- Werner, Michael: "Ebbes in die Mudderschprooch". Newspaper Column. In: The Diary (Gordonville, PA), 2003-2005.
- Werner, Michael: "S Katz Deitsch Schtick". Internet Blog. In: hiwwe-wie-driwwe.de. Ober-Olm 2002-.
- Werner, Michael et al. (Ed.): Mit Pennsylvanisch-Deitsch darich's Yaahr. A Pennsylvania German Reader for Grandparents and Grandchildren. Neckarsteinach 2006.
- Werner, Michael (Transl.): Es globbt beim Sammy in der Nacht (Children's Book). Neckarsteinach 2012.
- Werner, Michael: "Dem Uncle Saem sinn mir gedrei" - A Multimedia Performance (Texts, Music, Pictures & Videos), presented by the "New Paltz Band". Ober-Olm/Frankenthal/Schifferstadt 2013-.
- Werner, Michael (Transl.): Kumm, mer gehne Baere yaage (engl. Original: We're going on a bear hunt, by Michael Rosen). Neckarsteinach/Morgantown (PA) 2014.
- Werner, Michael: Pennsylvanisch-Deitsch im Yahr 2015. A Hiwwe wie Driwwe Documentary. Published on youtube.com (30 minutes).
- Werner, Michael (Ed.): DEITSCH. News und Geschichten aus dem Pennsylvania Dutch Country. A Hiwwe wie Driwwe Publication (E-Paper). Ober-Olm 2015-.
Book series
| # | Year | Book | Hiwwe wie Driwwe Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 2012 | Michael Werner: Es globbt beim Sammy in der Nacht (Original: Es klopft bei Wanja in der Nacht, deutsch, 1985) | Hiwwe wie Driwwe Series No. 1 |
| 2. | 2013 | Walter Sauer: Es Haus, wu der Jack gebaut hot (Original: The House that Jack built, english, 1853) | Hiwwe wie Driwwe Series No. 2 |
| 3. | 2014 | Earl C. Haag: Der Schtruwwelpitter. 2nd Edition (Original: Der Struwwelpeter, deutsch, 1845) | Hiwwe wie Driwwe Series No. 3 |
| 4. | 2014 | Michael Werner: Kumm, mer gehne Baere yaage (Original: We’re going on a bear hunt, english, 1989) | Hiwwe wie Driwwe Series No. 4 |
| 5. | 2016 | Rachel Yoder: Penny Olive | Hiwwe wie Driwwe Series No. 5 |
| 6. | 2016 | Walter Sauer: Ebbes weeich die Watzelkinner | Hiwwe wie Driwwe Series No. 6 |
Awards and acknowledgements
- 1998: Member of the jury of the Palatine Dialect Writers Contest in Bockenheim (Palatinate, Germany)
- 2006: "Guest commentary" by the prime minister of Rhineland-Palatinate on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of "Hiwwe wie Driwwe"
- 2007: "10th J. William Frey Lecturer", Franklin & Marshall College (Lancaster, PA)
- 2012: "Medienpreis Pfalz", Bezirksverband Pfalz (short list) - for "Hiwwe wie Driwwe"
- 2015: "Emichsburg-Preis", Förderkreis Mundart Bockenheim e.V. - together with Frank Kessler, Dr. Walter Sauer and Doris Schweitzer in place of the "German-Pennsylvanian Association" (Deutsch-Pennsylvanischer Arbeitskreis e.V.)