Eva Rodtwitt Papers
MS629
Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives
English
Norwegian
French
This collection's materials are primarily in English, French, and Norweigan.
17.25
Linear Feet
19 document boxes, 6 record cartons 1 half-document box, 1 oversize box
1908
2012
Eva Rodtwitt was a French professor and partner of English department Professor Emeritus Elizabeth Phillips. This collection includes Rodtwitt's personal documents such as applications for grants, her Master's proposal, schedules, diary entries, personal letters and photographs, as well as newspaper clippings, academic essays, interviews about Nazi occupation of Norway, speeches, and course materials for her French classes. Digitized photograph albums from Rodtwitt's life, dated 1905-1964, are available in our [Digital Collections].
Rodtwitt, Eva M.
Biographical Note
Eva Rodtwitt was born in Oslo, Norway, on January 17, 1924, to Trygve and Frida Maria Rodtwitt. She received degrees in English (1946), History (1948), and French (1953) from the University of Oslo, where she also served as the chairwoman of the Student French Club and the Association of Oslo Lektors of French. Following graduation from the University of Oslo, she went on to teach French, English, and History at Kristiansand Katedralskole (Kristiansand Cathedral School) in Kristiansand, and Foss skole (Foss Upper Secondary School) in Oslo. Additionally, from 1962 to 1965, she assisted with the production of plays with the Dramatic Club at the school.
In order to study English, American culture, and American teaching methods and pedagogy in an immersive environment, Rodtwitt applied for and received the Smith Mundt scholarship for visiting international teachers and a Fulbright grant; she arrived in Washington D.C. in 1959. From 1966 to 1968, she was a visiting lecturer at Wake Forest College, where she later became a lecturer and taught courses primarily about French and French literature. At Wake Forest, Rodtwitt emphasized to her students the importance of learning "foreign languages," political awareness, and a commitment to world affairs.
Her partner, Elizabeth Phillips (1919-2008), was an English professor at WFU, and they lived together in the Reynolda campus historic neighborhood. Rodtwitt retired from Wake Forest in June 1997 but maintained many academic interests and other pursuits. As long as it was possible, she spent time each summer in Norway along the coast. Rodtwitt spent her later years in Winston Salem at Arbor Acres, where she passed away on March 3, 2020. A memorial service in her honor was held in Winston Salem in March 2023.
Collection Overview
This collection documents the life, work, and academic pursuits of Eva Rodtwitt. Materials include booklets, course notes taken both as a student and as a teacher, newspaper clippings, poetry and songs, photographs, photograph albums, scrapbooks, research materials, sheet music, and commercial slides of Norweigan landmarks. Both her professional academic pursuits as well as her personal ones are included.
Photograph albums from this collection, dated 1905-1964, are available in our [Digital Collections], as are two articles Rodtwitt wrote about the German occupation of Norway during World War II.
Arrangement
The collection is composed of 6 series: Series 1. Biographical and personal materials; Series 2. Correspondence; Series 3. Course notes; Series 4. Home videos; Series 5. Scrapbooks, photograph albums, and slides; and Series 6. Subject files.
Series 1. Biographical and personal materials contains photographs, interviews about the Nazi occupation of Norway, personal schedules, letters, and 8mm films, many of which are identified; due to equipment access, the films are not able to be viewed. The series also contains Rodtwitt's Master's degree proposal and Fulbright grant application, which includes an autobiographical essay of her educational career and transition to the United States. The series is arranged alphabetically.
Series 2. Correspondence includes letters to Rodtwitt's friends including Maya Angelou, her partner and WFU English professor Elizabeth Phillips, speeches to the faculty Humanities Club, and personal correspondences with family and friends in both the United States and Norway. The series is arranged alphabetically.
Series 3. Course notes contains tests, lesson notes, and assignments for French classes. It also contains notes from courses taken by Rodtwitt from fellow WFU professors, including Edwin G. Wilson and Elizabeth Phillips. The series is arranged alphabetically.
Series 4. Home videos contains eleven 8mm films, most of which Rodtwitt labeled. In some cases the labels are in Norweigan or are difficult to read. The series is arranged alphabetically, with films that don't have titles at the end.
Series 5. Scrapbooks, photograph albums, and slides contains materials collected or created by Rodtwitt. Some albums or scrapbooks are organized by subject matter, as indicated by the title; most are collected by date. They contain family and childhood memories as well as many of her travels, friendships, relationship with Phillips, and life in Winston Salem. The series is arranged chronologically, with undated items at the end.
Series 6. Subject files contains newspaper clippings on topics such as Maya Angelou, Edvard Munch, Obama, and global affairs. Other subjects include culture, socioeconomics, and language in Norway. The series also holds academic essays by others. The series is arranged alphabetically.
Preferred Citation
Eva Rodtwitt Papers (MS629), Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for use. 8mm films are currently not available for viewing.
Copyright Notice
The nature of the WFU Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Archives and Special Collections of ZSR Library claims only physical ownership of most materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to the U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
Biographical and personal materials19422012circa 1942-2012, undated1813-1814 period talk notesundated 215Audiocassette tapes: French stories, music17Birthday lyrics for Wanda Balzano and Eva Rodtwitt200711Bryant, Shasta, retirement party materials1988211"Ciss's mountain cottage," 8mm Kodachrome film19751912Diary papers, personal notes, and schedules1951200212Eva Rodtwitt celebration reception at Wake Forest, invitation199727Event poster1996 December 3English185Event programs19461959English186Faculty in Modern Languages list194226"Gemea wedding," 8mm Kodachrome film19751913Germaine Brée retirement party 1982198522Grant application195913Humanities Club handwritten speeches 199423"Hut and seagulls and Norwegian friends," 8mm Kodachrome film19741910Illegible title, 8mm Kodachrome filmundated197"Ingrid's wedding I," 8mm Kodachrome film1974 September 28195"Ingrid's wedding II," 8mm Kodachrome film1974 September 28196Interview on Nazi occupation of Norway, article copies 198015"La France," 8mm Kodachrome filmundated193"La France," 8mm Kodachrome filmundated194Master's degree proposal 2006200718Memorial materials and poetry199720232013"New Year's Party," 8mm Kodachrome film1973198Norway's Liberation, personal health, personal emails and clippings, 80th birthday2004200616"Palmes Academique," award clipping1978113Personal photography collection, photograph collage 1976198219Personal photographs, family and friends 2012112Schedule and personal calendar 197819781978 November210"Summer 1975," 8mm Kodachrome film1975 July199United Kingdom postcards, London, Edinburghundated213University of Oslo certificates, academic certificates, curriculum vitae, application for research leave19431993214Untitled, 8mm Kodachrome filmundated192Untitled, 8mm Kodachrome filmundated1911"Yoga hut," 8mm Kodachrome film1974191Correspondence194220101942-2010, undatedBirthday cards 1975198914Brée, Germaine, correspondence1989 November 18French182French department, correspondence19921993187French teaching, course profession, and faculty roles, personal letter undated 220Folkeregisteret, Oslo, correspondence199417Inauguration of French House notes and letter 197624Letters from students195420101812Letters to parents194219561811Matalucci, Kipp, correspondence1993, undated1813Maya Angelou, Maya, letterundated25Personal correspondenceundated110-1121-2Pucciano, Mary Beth, correspondence198819921988-1992, undated205Rodtwitt to Elizabeth Phillips, correspondence 198728Sally to Rodtwitt, correspondence199429Wright, Douglas Alan, correspondence19681969English2012Course notes195120081951-2008, undatedAlbert Camus, Algeria, course notesundated611Albert Camus articles, clippings and course notes 19941995614Albert Camus notes on Absurdism, course notes and analyses 1989612Albert Camus, "The Myth of Sisyphus", course notes 1987613Albert Camus, Germain notes, clipping, class notes and analyses 1996615Albert Camus, "La Pierre qui pousse," questions, class notesundated 610Albert Camus, "Les Justes," notes class questions and analyses undated616Albert Camus, "L'Hote," questions, class notes197269Asian culture, religion notes, Chinese and Japanese philosophy notes undated 711Alfred de Musset class notes, analyses undated71Alphred de Musset, "La Muse" poetry notes and vocabulary undated72Alphonse de Lamartine, course notes and analyses undated73Andre Gide "La Symphonie Pastorale," course notes, questions, and note cards199274Andre Gide "L'Immoraliste," poetry notes, course notes199275-6Art history course notescirca 1992English181Artists and artistic styles, painters, time periods, course notes 195877Arthur Rimbaud course notes, poetry questions and analyses, vocabulary undated 78Arthur Rimbaud course notes and clippings, exam outline196779-10Blake, Yeats, and Thomas course with Edwin G. Wilson and Music History II course with David Levy notebook1998 SpringEnglish165Charles Baudelaire poetry, course notes and questions undated 712Charles Baudelaire, "Spleen," course notes, poetry questions and analyses undated 81Charles Baudelaire course notes and analyses, poetry and history 197582Charles Baudelaire poetry course notes and analyses undated 83Charles Paul Segal, "Antigone," play notes, course notes and analyses 195884Course materials, Norwegian language 196385Coruse materials, vocabulary, textual analyses, poetry notes undated86Dijon, France history course notes 199187Descartes notesundated88Du Bellay notes, literary analysesundated89English 323: Shakespeare course with Olga Valbuena and Spanish course notebook1996 FallEnglish164English 373: Literature and Film course with Lisa Sternlieb and Classics 261: Mythology course with James Powell, notebook199819991998-1999 FallEnglish166Eugene Ionesco, theatre of the absurd, Philomathesian article, theatre brochure, clippings1994810Flaubert course notes, French review, theories and analyses19542001811Flaubert history, literary theory, chapter notes, course analyses, postcards undated 812Flaubert notes and Moliere's "Le Medecin malgre lui"undated813Flaubert, <part>Madame Bovary</part> chapter notes and analyses, Flaubert newspaper clippings 198791Flaubert, <part>Madame Bovary</part> study guide, performance brochure, Julian1972107Flaubert, "Trois Contes" notes and analysesundated 1511François Rabelais class notes and newspaper articles undated 92François-René de Chateaubriand notes undated 93François Villon notes undated94French 217 Ourika notes and questions 199595French class notes, notebooks, course schedule 1951200496French 216, Le Moyen Age, Montaigneundated97French 275 exam content, course notes, L'ecole des femmes notes and analyses199198French 213, "Phèdre", notes, analyses, and vocabulary199399-10French 222, Becaud poetry, French National Anthem sheet music and lyrics 1997911French 265, French drama, "La Farce de Maitre Pathelin" questions, Jean Louis Barrault1993912French course notes, exam, conjugation sheets 1993913French exam outline 1988101French literature course notebookundated188French literature, short stories, narratives, course notesundated102French Literature, Honore de Balzac, course notes and analyses 1-2undated 103-4Gérard de Nerval, notes, timeline, Delfica notes, poetry notes, themes, Myrtoundated105-6Hadrian Marguerite Yourcenar course with Kathryn Milam and Isabel Zuber2005 SpringEnglish167History course, Dijon France, course notesundated 108-9History, Literature, and Philosophy notebooks, course notes1957111-2Humanities 214, <part>Kristen Lavransdatter</part>, <part>The Mistress of Husaby</part> course notes, questions, clipping 19791010Introduction to nineteenth century French literature, poetry and prose notes, article19581994113Italian course materials, lessons, exams, and vocabulary undated 114Jean Guillaume, "Pandora" notes, themes, and analyses undated 115Jean-Jacques Rousseau, literary theories, analyses, and course notes 1979116Jean-Jacques Rousseau "Montesquieu" class notes undated 117Jean-Paul Sartre notes, Existentialism, philosophy course notes, analyses, and notebook 1981118Jean-Paul Sartre "Le Mur" course questions and notes 1992119Knut Hamsun life and works, clippings, and notes undated 121"La Farce du Cavier", Paul Verlaine course notes and poetry questions, and "Le Deserteur"undated 1110La Fontaine notes, analyses, and vocabulary undated 122"La Veuve Noire," "La Chevelure" course materialsundated 123"Le Bateau Ivre," Arthur Rimbaud poetry notes undated 124"Le Fleurs du Mal," questions, course notes, poetry analyses undated 125"Le Medecin malgre lui," summary, notes, analyses, and theatre poster undated 126"Le Misanthrope," Molière, notes and analyses, notes on idealism undated 127"Le Roman de Tristan et Iseult," notes undated 1510"Le Rouge et le Noir," notes, questions, and chapter analyses undated 128"Les Miserables," course notes, questions, and analyses, Victor Hugo notes 1-219811983129131Louis XIV course notes and book chaptersundated 132-3<part>Madame Bovary</part> course questions, literary theory, realism, reader's guide1994134-5<part>Madame Bovary</part> course notes, chapter notes, and analyses undated 136M. Conner, notebook, French notes 2008137Marcel Proust course materials19511978138Molière course notesundated 139Molière, "Le Tartuffe," vocabulary, scene questions, notes and analyses 19921310Molière, "L'avare," questions, scene analyses, and course notes undated 141Molière, "Le Bourgeois gentilhomme," analysis, other works, abstracts, course questionsundated 142Molière "Le Malade imaginaire," course materialsundated 143Music course with Peter Kairoff, materials199720001997 and 2000 Fall1814Music course with Peter Kairoff and English 350: William Wordsworth course with Edwin G. Wilson, notebook19971815Norwegian course lessons and notebooks19572001144Pascal notes, course notes undated 145Paul Verlaine, course notes and poetry undated 146Philosophy 111: Socrates and Aristotle course with Charles Lewis, notebook2000 Spring1817Philosophy course materials1999 FallEnglish201Philosophy course notes, Camus, Sartre, analyses and themes undated 147Philosophy course with Andrew Cross, notebook1999 FallEnglish202Pierre de Ronsard, "Ode a Cassandre" notes, questions, poetry notes undated 148Poetry notes, Shelley, Keats, Byron, Wordsworth, Tennyson, Shakespeare 1-2undated 149Politics 232, student work, Dr. Welsch notebook20031410Religion courses with Ulrike Wiethaus and Fred Horton, notebook1994206Romantic literature analyses, linguistic articles, book chapters, and notes 198519871411Samuel Beckett biography, theatre questions and class notes undated 151Serge Cuenin course notes 1986152Stephen Barker's excerpts from philosophical works undated 153Stendhal course notes, analyses, and questions 1988154Stendhal, "Chronique de 1830," chapter notes 1981155Stendhal, "La Chartreuse," class notes, analyses, and note cards undated 156Stendhal course notesundated 157Stendhal timeline and biography notes undated 158<part>The Tale of Genji</part>, notebook and chapter notes 2004159Text and Pre-Text course and Shakespeare course with Elizabeth Phillips199920001999 Spring-2000 FallEnglish2010Victor Hugo, "Cromwell" notes, "Hernani" drama notes, critiques undated 1512Victor Hugo, <part>Notre-Dame de Paris</part> chapter notes and analyses undated 1513Victor Hugo poetry course notes and analyses undated 1514Victor Hugo, "Ruy Blas" play notes, scene notes, and "Cromwell" notes undated 161Victor Hugo, course materials1997162Voltaire notes, class notes, enlightenment undated 163Home videos19671980circa 1967-1980Christmas home video (8mm reel)197427"Vardura" home video (8mm reel)197427"Skerry" home video (8mm reel)197427"Maya, Bobo, Jane" home video (8mm reel)197427"Spruce Pine" home video (8mm reel)1974 March27"W.F. bliz's lot," possibly Eliz's, home video (8mm reel)1967 Fall27"Campus neighbors: Hills, Wilsons, Golle, Nelle, Hut" home video (8mm reel)undated27"Matz's film" home video (8mm reel)undated27"1) Fra hylta, 2) Winston Salem" home video (8mm reel)undated27"With Bambi Halward" home video (8mm reel)undated27"Po la nei til hyller" home video (8mm reel)undated27Scrapbooks and photograph albums190820101908-2010, undatedFamily photograph album190819452811938194027219231933271Hardcover photograph album192819692821942194621119401954212Photomatic print of woman wearing hat and eyeglasses19481957circa 1948-19572751949213194019412141954195921519591965216Vardura journal and photographs19621967217Sommer1967197121819691975circa 1969-1975219Correspondence, photographs, and notes19701999circa 1970-1999274197319782110197719802111197819812112197819812211983222-3198422419841985225-619851986227-8198622919882210-1119891990221219891990231-21991233-419911993235-61993237-819931994239-1019942411995242199524319952441996245-61997247-819971998249Song of Maya celebration19982511998252-31998254-5199819991998, 1999 summer256-71999258199925919992510-112000261-2200126320012002264-5200226620022003267-82003269200326102006261120072612"Honoring the Contributions of Dr. Elizabeth Phillips" scrapbook200728320102613Norway slides, commercialundated273Subject files194520121945-2010, undatedAbsurdist philosophy and Camus clippings1994410Ancient Religion and Folk-Beliefs of the Sami, Alta Museum pamphlet 1994215Anglo-American House of Oslo University booklet 1946216Bicentennial of French Revolution, newspaper clipping 1989217Bosnian War, Balkans newspaper clippings, book chapters, Map of Balkans 19992001218Colonialism, Africa, Slave trade, book chapters 1-2undated 31219<part>Coraddi</part>, UNCG's magazine for the arts 198432Eastern Medicine brochures, heart research, newspaper clipping on aging 1998200433Edith Piaf Song Collection, Hal Leonard corporation 1987200034Education essays, teaching styles of teaching culture 199735Edvard Munch, clippings and artwork 1991201236Essays in French and Norwegian1953, undatedNorwegian184<part>Free Inquiry</part> magazine, theology and religion clippings 200237French Revolution 200th anniversary notes and correspondence1989 SpringEnglish189French Revolution, newspaper clippings on Goethe, French Revolution pamphlets 1949198938French sheet music and lyrics1947199762German surrender at Akershus Fortress and Norway liberation day photographs1945 May192Henrik Ibsen, "The Wild Duck" clipping, "A Doll House," article 200639Humanities Club, Dr. David Levy paper, composer profiles 1993310Humanities Institute, Wake Forest University, Symposium for establishment 2011311Islam and Arabic culture clippings20032004312<part>Islamic History, Politics and Culture</part>, book chapters 2008313Joint French/Italian program, <part>Old Gold and Black</part> articles1983 April 151816King Olav V, death 1991314"Kristin Lavransdatter" essay, notecards, and photographsundatedNorwegian1810La Cantatrice Chauve, directed by Eva Rodwitt at Ring Theater 1979315Maya Angelou clippings and performance brochure for "On a Southern Journey"19831985317Maya Angelou, <part>Old Gold and Black</part> clippings20022008318Midnight Sun web200841Military History on the 99th Infantry Battalion (separate) and newspaper clippingundated42<part>Mind Body</part> newspaper, psychology articles on disorders, human brain changes200343"Mullen Around: A Star Spangled Lied," sheet music 195744Musée de Kristiansand196745<part>Nature Conservatory Magazine</part>, Issue 1201246New World Order, Capitalism, and Globalization clippings1997200448New Testament and Jewish people clippings 19992005412Newspaper clippings and publications 1997413Ninety-ninth Battalion United States Army Bjorn Jervay web materials 2008414<part>NC Crossroads</part> Vol. 5, Issue 4 and poems by John York 19822001415North Carolinians United for ERA newsletter1981416Northwestern Bank, The Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 brochure 1981417Norway's liberation from Nazis, essay2005English183Norwegian constitution booklet undated 418Norwegian culture, industry, and arts newspaper clippings 1992199351Norwegian clippings200052Norwegian Royal Wedding of Haakon magazine2001316Norwegian history, political geography, brochures and pamphlets 196753Norwegian education, Royal Ministry of Church, Education, and Research report199454Norwegian language notes and manuscript undated 55Norway's National Anthem sheet music undated 56Norway clippings, brochures, and papers57Norwegian Role in Peace Process for Guatemala, essay200758Obama, Barack, clippings2008201059<part>Philosophy of Religion</part> book chapters, and Descartes philosophy article19972002510Poetry, literature, theory, and theatre clippings1999200249Poetry notesundated203Poetry and writings by Rodtwitt199819991998-1998, undatedEnglish204Reynolda House Tour of Wales and Ireland 19981999511Russian politics, book chapters, articles, newspaper clippings, and map200361Selbu Tradition, Knitting of Norway, booklet undated63Skjønsberg, Simen, biographical articles19931994Norwegian207Sturgill, Mack, obituary1998 June 17English208Tourist Series, Oslo Norway book, city overview, culture, history and photographyundated 65Urban Arts of the Arts Council, Gorge Henry Black booklet 197866Vesaas, Tarjei, essays and research materialsundatedNorwegian2011Victor Hugo brochures, newspaper clippings, posters, and death centennial 198567Visual Arts collection, art from Norway, newspaper clippings1989200568Waagaard, Mari Beinset, biographical articles2004 February-MarchNorwegian209<part>Wilderness Society</part> and <part>Books and Arts</part> clippings1947198864World War II, Mountain Haven clippings19451968411