Klemis A. Offermann Collection

Content Description

Klemis A. Offermann was born on February 11, 1881, at Goetgen, Germany. His first name was also sometimes spelled Klemens, and his last name as Offerman. He became a Seventh-day Adventist in 1905 and attended the Missionary Seminary at Friedensau from 1905 to 1907. He then worked as a Bible worker in Düsseldorf for four years. There he married Marie Klara Griesbach (1877 - 1967) who was also a Bible worker. They moved to the United States in 1911 where both were employed at the International Publishing Association at College View, Nebraska for five years. Afterwards they moved to the branch office of Pacific Press Publishing Association at Brookfield, Illinois, where Offermann served as associate editor and later editor of the German periodicals, Christlicher Hausfreund and Deutscher Arbeiter [later Botschafter and Deutscher Botschafter], as well as Zeichen der Zeit. In 1925, he was ordained to the ministry served as pastor of the German church in College View, Nebraska, and then in Chicago, Illinois. He served as a member of the advisory committee of the International Branch of Pacific Press at Brookfield, Illinois (1923-1938), and as a member of the board of trustees of Broadview College and Theological Seminary at La Grange, Illinois (1928-1933). Although he officially retired in 1938 the Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook lists his name as an ordained minister of the Lake Union Conference until 1942, and beginning in 1943 his name is found in the list of honorary ministers. Even after his\ retirement from official work he assisted in various capacities such as translating the Sabbath School Quarterly and other materials into German (at least during the years 1950 to 1957). During the last years of their lives Klemis and Marie lived in Dowagiac, Michigan (1954-1968). He died there on January 19, 1968, just 23 days after his wife passed away. Offermann wrote many articles and translated from English to German many books by Ellen G. White and other authors, thereby making a great contribution in spreading the Seventh-day Adventist message among the German speaking people. Offermann also wrote some small books himself. In addition to German and English he was also well acquainted with Aramaic and Syriac. The following books by Offermann are in the Center for Adventist Research: Zu Ewigen Höhen, and Aramaic Origin of the New Testament: A Clear and Concise Presentation of Astonishing Facts Showing That the New Testament Must Have Been Written in Aramaic or Syriac, Not Greek. The Offermann Collection contains the correspondence between Offermann and a number of others. Of particular interest is the exchange of letters between Offermann and Betty Günter (former Lochmann) for 18 years (1948-1966). She was a student at Friedensau Seminary during the same time as Offermann. This correspondence offers an interesting perspective on events and developments in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in East and West Germany during the 1950s and 1960s. There are also copies of Offermann’s writings as well as copies of writings by others.

Provenance

The provenance of this collection is uncertain. It has been in the Center since the 1970s.

Restrictions Apply

Yes

Use Restrictions

All users of this collection will be required to complete the “Application to Use Unpublished Records,” and to observe the regulations specified in the "Patron Agreement" and "Researcher’s Code of Conduct." All records in this collection are open and available for research. Citation for this collection: Box ___, Fld ___, [Klemis A. Offermann] (Collection 71), Center for Adventist Research, James White Library, Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI.