Robert A.L. Mortvedt Library
Scandinavian Immigrant Experience Collection
Archives and Special Collections Department
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA, 98447
253-535-7586
Email:archives@plu.edu
http://www.plu.edu/archives



Guide to the Martin Rasmussen Oral History Interview, 1981


t098-099





Finding aid prepared by Kerstin Ringdahl and Amity Smetzler

Finding aid encoded by Kerstin Ringdahl and Jacob Freeman, 2004
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.


Overview of the Collection

 
Repository Name:
 

Robert A.L. Mortvedt Library
Scandinavian Immigrant Experience Collection
Archives and Special Collections Department

Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA, 98447
253-535-7586
Email:archives@plu.edu
http://www.plu.edu/archives

 
Collection Number:
 

t098-099

 
Creator:
 

Rasmussen, Martin

 
Title:
 

Martin Rasmussen Oral History Interview

 
Dates:
 

1981 (inclusive)

 
Quantity:
 

3 file folders
10 photographs
2 sound cassettes

 
Languages:
 

English 

 
Summary:
 

An oral history interview with Martin Rasmussen, a Danish immigrant.

 

Biographical Note

Martin Rasmussen was born on February 1, 1896 in Tornum, Denmark to Jeppe Hanson Rasmussen and Lucille Jensen. At the time of his birth, Tornum was a part of Germany but was later returned to Denmark in 1920. Martin had four brothers and one sister, and the family lived on a farm in northern Germany. Martin attended school through the eighth grade, learning both German and Danish. When he was finished with school, he became an apprentice with a machinist for four years and then went on to work in a Hamburg machine shop. By this time, the war had begun, and Martin was called into service. He elected to join the Air Corps and did cleaning jobs on the flying field in Hamburg. After the war, Martin returned to Denmark and entered the Engineering Institute. He attended the institute for three and half years and then obtained a job handling boilers and making cheese machines. In 1923, Martin decided to immigrate to America for lack of adequate jobs in Denmark. From Ellis Island, Martin took the train to Moline, Illinois and spent the next four years working in various machine shops throughout the Midwest. In 1927, Martin's mother fell ill, and Martin returned to Denmark for one year. Upon his return to America, he began building dye casting machines in Newark and Chicago until the Depression set in. At that time, Martin traveled to the West Coast, settling in Tacoma, Washington. In Tacoma, Martin found work at an automotive shop and spent his free time developing his own telescope. He also met his wife and was married in the Danish Church in 1943. They had one son, Edward, who became an engineer. Martin spent the rest of his working career at a plywood machinery company in Tacoma and also became involved with the Danish Brotherhood and an astronomy club, of which he was a charter member. Martin feels he is more European than Danish but does have a special place for Denmark in his heart.

Lineage

Full Name: Martin Nielson Rasmussen. Father: Jeppe Hanson Rasmussen. Mother: Lucille Jensen. Paternal Grandfather: Rasmus Hanson. Brothers and Sisters: There were four boys and one girl; Sern Rasmussen, Peter Rasmussen. Spouse: (?) Olson; Children: Edward Rasmussen;

Content Description

This interview was conducted with Martin Rasmussen on October 8, 1981 at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. It provides information about family background, apprenticeship, service in the military, emigration, employment, marriage and family, and Danish heritage. The interview also includes two photographs of Martin as a soldier in the German Army during WWI, three photographs of Martin and his telescope, five snapshots of Martin at the time of the interview, and an article about Martin from the Pierce County Herald (August 20, 1981).

Administrative Information

Custodial History 

The Oral History collection project was started during an experimental course on Scandinavian Women in the Pacific Northwest. Students in the course were encouraged to interview women and learn about their experiences as immigrants to the United States. The project was continued and expanded with support from the president's office and by grants from the L.J. Skaggs and Mary C. Skaggs Foundation, from the Joel E. Ferris Foundation and the Norwegian Emigration Fund of the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The project was directed by Dr. Janet E. Rasmussen. The collection was transferred to the Archives and Special Collections Department.

Acquisition Information 

Processing Note 

The interview was conducted by Inger Nygaard Carr using a cassette recorder. A research copy was also prepared from the original. To further preserve the content of the interview, it is now being transferred to compact disc. We deliberately did not transcribe the entire interview because we want the researchers to listen to the interviewee's own voice. The transcription index highlights important aspects of the interview and the tape counter numbers noted on the Partial Interview Transcription are meant as approximate finding guides and refer to the location of a subject on the cassette/CD. The recording quality is good

The collection was transcribed by Mary Sue Gee, Julie Peterson and Becky Husby.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access 

The oral history collection is open to all users.

Restrictions on Use 

There are no restrictions on use.

Related Information

Bibliography 

  • Rasmussen, Janet Elaine. New Land New Lives: Scandinavian Immigrants to the Pacific NorthwestTacoma, WashingtonUniversity of Washington Press1993
  • Additional Reference Guides 

    Subjects

    This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

     
    Hanson, Rasmus
    Jensen, Lucille
    Rasmussen, Edward
    Rasmussen, Jeppe Hanson
    Rasmussen, Martin--Interviews (creator)
    Hanson family
    Jensen family
    Rasmussen family
    Astronomy Club (Tacoma, Wash.)
    Danish Brotherhood in America (Tacoma, Wash.)
    Plywood Machinery Company (Tacoma, Wash.)
    Hamburg (Germany)
    Moline (Ill.)
    Tacoma (Wash.)
    Tornum (Denmark)
    Christmas
    Danes -- Ethnic identity
    Danish-Americans--Interviews
    Danish-Americans--Northwest,Pacific--Social life and customs
    Denmark -- Social conditions - 1945-
    Emigration and immigration
    Marriage service
    World War, 1939-1940
    Oral histories
    Farmers
    Machinists

    Detailed Description of the Collection

    The partial interview transcription highlights important aspects of the interview. Numbers may be used as guides to important subjects. Two numbers separated by a slash indicate that the first number is for cassette and the second for CD.


     
    Cassette
    98, side 1


    Cassette Counter  004:  PERSONAL BACKGROUND
    Born February 1, 1895 in Tornum, Denmark which was part of Germany at the time of his birth.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  010:  
    In 1920 the land was returned to Denmark. He talks about this happening.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  016:  PARENTS
    Jeppe Hanson Rasmussen and Lucille Jensen. Father was born in Denmark. Mother born in the same section of Denmark. Martin was the name of the farm.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  021:  FATHER
    Immigrated to the northern part of Germany. He had a nice farm.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  026:  BROTHERS AND SISTERS
    four brothers and one sister. Oldest brother, Sern inherited the farm in 1913. Sister never married. Three brothers were in the military service between 1914-18 during WWI.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  042:  
    Brother Peter Rasmussen was wounded in Poland and died there.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  049:  
    Martin had Typhus during the war.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  054:  AFTER THE WAR
    Went to the Engineering Institute in Copenhagen.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  058:  CHILDHOOD
    Went to German schools, very strict. Finished the 8th grade.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  064:  
    Went into an apprenticeship in machinery.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  069:  LANGUAGES
    Learned German in school. Learned also Danish in school.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  073:  
    Confirmed after school. This was in Danish. The area used to be a Danish province before 1864 then there was a war between Germany and Denmark.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  083 :  CHILDHOOD
    Worked on the farm. Got cows together before school. Pulled turnips, rutabagas, and potatoes.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  097:   POTATOES
    Packing potatoes was a special thing for two weeks in September. The whole family helped. Stored potatoes in the cellar. He describes the storing process.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  116:  RUTABAGAS
    He describes the picking and the storing of these.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  123:   SCHOOL
    Strict discipline. Teacher used a rod.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  127 :  
    Discipline at home strict also.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  135:  CHILDHOOD ACTIVITIES
    Went skiing in the meadows. Plenty of snow in the winter. Summer went wading in the creek, played soccer with friends, and went bicycling. Always had to work.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  158:  FARM
    Good sized, mixed farming. 18 cows and 6 horses. Rode horses on Sundays.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  170:  WOMEN
    Did sewing, weaving (talks about weaving in some detail), and baking. Had a big oven. Baked white and pumpernickel bread, 30 loaves. Baked cakes and cookies first.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  201:  
    Pumpernickel bread was laid on the bed when it came out of the oven.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  207:  BUTCHERING
    The women did this in the fall. They had hogs and cattle.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  216:   HOG FARM
    He talks about his nephew with 1300 hogs in Denmark. They mass produce there.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  222:  
    Another farm has 180,000 fryers a years. They send them to Italy and get spaghetti back.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  229:  GRANDPARENTS
    They were farmers. Father's parents had a little farm in Denmark. His name was Rasmus Hanson.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  249:  MOTHER'S PARENTS
    Martin's mother was descended from a minister who in 1500 was important to the Reformation. He describes the history of his mother's family.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  273:  
    This minister died of the plague. Talk of this incident very interesting. 400 people died 1/3 of the people in the town died.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  294:   MOTHER'S NAME
    Lucille Jensen.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  309:   CHRISTMAS
    Had a tree in the biggest room. Used candlelight. Danced around the tree.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  328:  CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER
    Best meal of the year. Pork and "all the things that go with it." Put out grains for the birds.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  338:  FARMING
    Didn't have much machinery. Cut hay with a hand machine. Rye was harvested first. 4-5 men used sythes. Women rolled the grain together. Used pieces of straw as string to bind it together.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  364:  WOMEN'S WORK
    Helped in the fields a great deal. Did the milking three times a day.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  372:  MILK
    Took milk to the dairy where it was processed. Milkman picked it up. The skim milk came back to feed the hogs and calves. Made money by selling cream and milk.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  390:  GRAIN
    Took grain to the miller. Went to windmill and was ground up to feed to hogs and cattle.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  398:  HARVESTING MACHINE
    Cut grains. Went back to tie it. 150 acre farm.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  409:   FARMING
    Got fertilizer. More livestock. Got food for the cows in cakes made from soybeans and other herbs, which was made in Mongolia. This helped the cows produce more milk.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  426:  NEW BARN
    In 1910, a "fancy building" built with rocks from the fields. They were split and then used.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  456:   HOUSE
    The house was connected the barn. Some slept in the barn, easier to care for the animals.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  477:   CHRISTMAS
    Gifts.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  501:   NEW YEARS
    Before New Years Eve they went to relatives and shot off fireworks in the afternoon. In the evening the adults went from house to house for coffee and cookies until 12 or 1am.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  537:   THIEVES
    Problems with neighbors stealing things from the barns, wheelbarrows, etc. Brothers stayed up to guard the barn.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  558:  
    In the winter, the grain was worked off the straw. Process described in detail. Used the straw for roofing houses. Some problems with roofs catching fire with lightening.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  595:  CHURCH
    Not as a child. Adults went on Christmas day.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  609:   EATING
    Everyone ate out of a common dish when they were kids. There was a big pan and everyone had a spoon.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  622:  FOOD
    Side-pork, potatoes, beans, beets, zucchini were all pickled. Talks about preserving ham.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  655:  GRAIN
    Stored above the living quarters. Good insulation. Single pane windows. Flower-pots in windows. Beds built in.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  681:  
    Card playing for entertainment, black jack.
     
     
    98, side 2

    Cassette Counter  001:  FOLK STORIES
    The woman in the graveyard without a head. Many things seen. A graveyard was a place one didn't pass by.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  020:   CHURCH
    Men sat on one side, women on the other. Singing, no dancing. Minister spoke in Danish. Mostly Danish people. A few Germans.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  032:   CHURCH
    Children went to church during confirmation and met with the pastor at his house. Pastor lived well. Lay people brought food and grain.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  047:   PASTOR
    Was from Germany but could speak Danish.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  054:   CONFIRMATION
    Learned about the Bible, singing. Girls on one side of the hall, boys on the other.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  067:  SCHOOLS
    The pastor was also the head of the school district, Lutheran church.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  077:   APPRENTICESHIP
    After school he was an apprentice with a machinist for four years. Lived with the people he worked for.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  100:  
    Germans could wear some sort of hat, but an apprentice wasn't allowed to wear this and could be punished if they did.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  118:  
    War began after his apprenticeship. Stayed home for a while.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  126:  WORK
    Got a job in the Hamburg machine shop. Had to make tools couldn't buy them.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  139:  WORK
    Several close calls with the machinery, not always safe.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  157:  WAR
    Called to war. Could select what he wanted to do. Wanted to be in the Air Corps.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  165:  
    Worked on the waterfront in Hamburg making big grooves on bullets.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  175:  
    Went out on the flying field in Hamburg. Did cleaning jobs. Didn't have runaways.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  191:  STORY
    Big Zeppelin (air balloon) was having difficulty landing. This is described in detail.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  214:  WENT TO BERLIN
    Took the train from Hamburg to Berlin. Got a job on the air field in the Southeast part of Berlin. Didn't get any pay for a week so he starved for a week.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  237:  
    Brother had died in Poland.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  241:   SIGHTSEEING IN BERLIN
    Saw the Egyptian museum and an armament museum. He describes these places.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  263:  DANISH AND GERMAN CONFLICTS
    Couldn't sing certain hymns. Big problem with this.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  291:  
    Picture of the Kaiser was damaged and the person had to skip the country because this was a serious offense.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  309:   DRAFTED
    Heard propaganda on how great war was. Hard to fight in German war because of his sentiment was Danish.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  322:  ARMY
    2 million students in Germany volunteered for the army. They had different feelings when they got to the Russian front line.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  334:   IMPRESSIONS OF WAR
    Nothing beautiful about it. "Hell on earth." Moral and other defects created by war.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  343:  
    Was in France. Contracted typhus and came back to a German Hospital. Was well taken care of.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  256:  AFTER WAR
    Came back to Denmark in 1919. The border was open. The land went back to Denmark from Germany.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  368:  
    Entered Engineering Institute. Needed past apprenticeship experience to get in. Practical experience very important.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  389:  ENGINEERING SCHOOL
    Did drawings in school of steam engines, etc. 3 1/3 years of school. School was based on German techniques.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  408:  WORK
    Got a job in a dairy machine place. Handled boilers. Made cheese machines.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  428:   USA
    Went to the US in 1923 at the age of 27 because there were not enough jobs in Denmark. Couldn't use all the technical men in Denmark.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  442:  
    Didn't know anybody in the US when he went but knew of a few.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  462:  TRIP OVER
    Didn't pay for it. Did dishwashing on the boat.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  478:  PARENTS FEELINGS WHEN HE LEFT
    Dad died in 1917. Mother didn't have much say.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  496:  WORK
    Got a job in a plow shop in Moline, Illinois.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  498:   ELLIS ISLAND
    Remembers two guys playing checkers. Waited for a long time.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  521:  
    Got on a train. Took a few days to get to Illinois. Got to Chicago.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  530:  BOAT RIDE OVER
    Good, in June it wasn't rough.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  538:  MOLINE, ILLNOIS
    Worked at a plow shop. Big blacksmith who he helped. Very hot furnaces. Temperature changes made it difficult.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  558:  SPEAKING ENGLISH
    He knew a few words. People couldn't understand him.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  574:  
    Worked with a sledge hammer all day.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  579:   STORY
    Experiences in a Greek restaurant. Hard to explain what he wanted. He pointed at things.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  589:   DAVENPORT, IOWA
    Worked at a machine shop. Made castings. Talks about the chimney in town, was an American invention. He describes this detail.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  633:  
    President Harding's death is mentioned.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  648:  CHICAGO
    Stayed at the YMCA. Worked at a small machine shop. The owner had been a German navy man. He was very strict.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  681:   JULY 4TH
    Showed up for work, he didn't realize this was a holiday.
     
     
    99, side 1

    Cassette Counter  013:  LINDBERGH
    His flying over to France is mentioned.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  014:   RETURN TO DENMARK
    Went because his mother was sick. He worked his way over by working under decks. Steam kettles.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  030:  
    This trip was in 1927. He stayed one year. On way back to the US with stops in London and Paris.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  038:  
    Binoculars or "spy-glasses" are described. He really liked these.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  046:  NEWARK, USA
    Worked building dye casting machines. English was improving.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  054:  
    Stock market went broke. Laid everyone off.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  068:   NEWARK
    Ran two machines, made $10 a night.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  073:  CHICAGO
    Made four dye casting machines. Everything collapsed. He still had some money.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  081:   TELESCOPE
    He made one because he was interested in finding a way to see the moon and the stars.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  090:  WYOMING
    Drove out in an old car and worked in the beet fields. Shoveled beets into trucks. Hard work. Had meat three times a day, always burnt.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  106:  
    The owners were Russian-German from around Volga, River, Soviet Union. Used Mexicans and Indians for labor.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  121:  TACOMA, WASH.
    Came out west to Tacoma in 1930 during the depression years. Not much steady work. Low wages. Worked on Market Street fixing automobiles and trucks.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  141:   TELESCOPE
    Worked on weekends developing it. Came up with a good one.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  152:  DANISH BROTHERHOOD
    Joined in 1962. Became secretary to the group. For ten years. He was also the treasurer. His wife joined the sisterhood.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  168:  MEETINGS
    Made 100's of sandwiches.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  172:   WIFE
    She was the choir director in the Danish Church in Tacoma for twenty-five years. He met her in church.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  190:  
    Wife's maiden name was Olson. She had seven brothers in the US and two in Denmark who are farmers.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  200:  WEDDING
    In the Danish Church in 1943. Hard to find things to eat because of the rations. About 100 people came.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  225:  CHILDREN
    Edward was an engineer. Lost all his hair. Work became a hazard. Could get dust in his lungs. Now on a pension. Wife is a nurse.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  265:  GRANDCHILDREN
    Two boys, they live in Silverdale, Oregon. Ambition to get them through college.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  278:  WORK
    At a plywood machinery place in Tacoma for 25 years. Used engineering some. He describes this.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  313:  
    Made plywood machinery. Describes these machines. Automatic machines. Made presses, panel saws and other machines.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  340:  
    Got into the company by showing drawings of some presses to the owners.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  353:  
    Interested always in the heavens, stars, etc. A real stargazer. Curious about all this.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  363:  ASTRONOMY CLUB
    They are charter members of this. All members experts in electricity, machinery, etc. About twelve members.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  379:  HOBBIES
    Plays chess, likes to read about it. Thinks about it all the time.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  387:   HOBBIES
    Also enjoys classical music, had lots of records. Likes Mozart, Beethoven, and Grieg.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  416:  
    Talks about the origin of man. Religious Beliefs:
     
     


    Cassette Counter  423:  
    Billy Graham is all wrong. Deuteronomy can't be believed. Talks about Adam and Eve fables.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  449:  TRIPS BACK TO DENMARK
    Changes, not Christian anymore, now only 5%. They have something else, different interpretation.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  470:  CHANGES
    All talk one language. Not old dialect anymore. Hard to understand slang.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  505:  
    Farms more up-to-date. Mass production. Insemination of cows. He goes into detail about these new ways of farming.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  539:  
    Lots of machinery because they can't get help.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  544:  DANISH HERITAGE
    He feels more European than Danish. Special liking for Denmark. Great country.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  560:  
    They eat too much meat in Denmark side pork, etc.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  571:  
    Danish language spoken. Good example of the language.
     
     


    Cassette Counter  602:  
    Europe is where one finds beauty and history. The US is ahead in living conditions, technique, and industry. No country like the US.