Wittman Family Collection

Inclusive Dates

1946 – 1986

Abstract

The Wittman Family Collection consists of 104 8mm and Super-8 home movies shot between 1946 and 1986 by Erna, Elmer, Walter, and Norma Wittman of Chicago. Rev. Walter Wittman was the long-time pastor at St. Simon’s Lutheran Church in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, then at Calvary Lutheran Church in West Lawn.

Collection Items

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Film

1946: Our Wedding & Honeymoon

August 31 – circa September 7 1946

Film

[Folks Reel #3: 1952-1953]

1952 – 1953

Film

[1959: Chicago: The Big Snow, The Gang's All Here]

1959

Film

[1960: Camping in Wisconsin and Minnesota]

1960

Film

[1960-1961: 40th Wedding Aniversary, Sara's Confirmation and Graduation]

November 1960 – August 1961

Film

[1964: Miriam's Confirmation and Graduation, Niagara Falls]

June – August 1964

Film

[1969: Astronauts in Chicago, Elisabeth's Confirmation, Miriam's High School Graduation]

1969

Film

[1974: Christmas in Kentucky; 1975: Starved Rock, Elisabeth's Graduation from Carthage College]

December 1974 – June 1975

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To request more information about the items in this collection, please contact the archive at info@chicagofilmarchives.org.

Items with Viewable Media

Collection Identifier

C.2024-01

Extent of Collection

33 reels of 8mm film totaling 6,507 feet; 74 reels of Super-8 film totaling 12,905 feet; one USB stick; one hard drive; one projector.

Language Of Materials

English

Subject

Travel
Family recreation
Lutherans

Custodial History

The films were inherited by the donors from their parents, Rev. Walter E. and Norma L. Wittman. Six films were from Elmer and Erna Wittman, Walter’s parents, which he inherited from them. Walter and Norma's children donated the films to Chicago Film Archives in 2023.

Access Restrictions

Appointments must be made with Chicago Film Archives for on-site access. Due to the fragile nature of the films, only video copies will be provided for on-site viewing.

Use Restrictions

Chicago Film Archives holds the copyright for the films in this collection.

Creators

Wittman, Elmer (was created by)

Elmer Wittman (1897-1966) was born in Chicago, the eldest child of Pauline (Schmidt) and Frederick Wittman. His parents were members of St. Simon’s Lutheran Church at 1540 N. Spaulding. Elmer married the pastor's eldest daughter, Erna Knudten, on April 6, 1921. They owned a two-flat in the Logan Square area (3738 W. Palmer) and lived there for the rest of their lives. They had two children, Walter and Ruth.

Elmer was a graduate of Lane Technical High School, Chicago (1912) and went on to have a career as a draftsman. His earliest places of employment are unknown, but during the Depression, he became unemployed for two years. Thereafter, he worked for the American Bridge Company in Gary, Indiana until his retirement. After retirement he went back to work for the City of Chicago as a structural engineer until his sudden death March 1, 1966.

Wittman, Erna (was created by)

Erna (Knudten) Wittman was born in 1897, the eldest child to Anna Siewert and Rev. Christian W. Knudten. Her father pastored St. Simon’s Lutheran Church (1540 N. Spaulding) from 1892–1948. Erna graduated from the West Suburban Hospital School of Nursing in Oak Park in 1919. She practiced nursing for a short time before marrying Elmer Wittman on April 6, 1921. Erna and Elmer owned a two-flat in the Logan Square area (3738 W. Palmer) of Chicago, and lived there for the rest of their lives. She raised two children (Walter and Ruth), was actively involved with St. Simon’s, and was known for making amazing chocolate candies and for tatting that she had taught herself. Erna died due to complications from Alzheimer’s Disease on March 2, 1985.

Wittman, Walter (was created by)

Walter Wittman was born in Chicago in 1922, the oldest child of Erna (Knudten) and Elmer Wittman. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather Rev. Christian W. Knudten, Walter first attended Carthage College (Carthage, IL, '43) and then went on to Hamma Divinity School (Springfield, OH), where he met Norma L. Sendelbach, an undergraduate student at Wittenburg University. Walter finished seminary in 1945, and was ordained to be assistant pastor to his grandfather at St. Simon’s Lutheran Church in Chicago that same year.

Norma and Walter were married in Springfield, Ohio, August 31, 1946. They first rented an apartment on W. Hirsch St., near St. Simon's. In 1953, St. Simon’s built a parsonage at 3406 W. Pierce, where they lived until 1965. Within one year of their marriage, they welcomed their first child, Sara, on September 12, 1947. They had three more daughters, Miriam (August 31, 1950), Elisabeth (December 12, 1953), and Joanna (November 1, 1956).

Walter served as assistant pastor until his grandfather retired in 1948, when he became pastor of St. Simon’s alone. In the early 1960s, it became apparent that St. Simon’s could not be self-sustaining, and a plan developed to have the church merge with another congregation, St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, in 1965. The determination was made that neither of the two serving pastors would continue at the merged church, Simon Peter Lutheran Church. Walter then accepted a call to Calvary Lutheran Church, 6149 S. Kenneth in Chicago. He remained there until his retirement in 1987. At that point, he and Norma had elected to have a house of their own built at 3848 Glendenning Rd. in Downers Grove. They joined Gloria Dei Lutheran Church there, which had already been the church of both Miriam and Joanna after marriage.

Norma and Walter took annual summer trips: over the years they went to several places in Europe, the Middle East, China, Venezuela, the Seychelles, and Antarctica. After retirement in 1987, Walter became a visitation pastor for Christ Lutheran Church in Clarendon Hills, Illinois. His role was to visit prospective new members, and members who were in the hospital or home bound. He also preached there at least once a month until 2000. In 2004, he fell and suffered a traumatic brain injury and was disabled. Norma took care of him at home for the next three years, until he died of leukemia on December 16, 2007.

Wittman, Norma (was created by)

Norma L. Sendelbach was born in 1925 in Springfield, Ohio, the daughter of Freda and John Sendelbach. Norma was an undergraduate student at Wittenburg University when she met Walter Wittman, who was attending Hamma Divinity School on Wittenburg's campus. She completed her degree in 1946, and Norma and Walter were married in Springfield on August 31 the same year. When Norma moved to Chicago, she and Walter rented an apartment on W. Hirsch St., near St. Simon’s Lutheran Church, where Walter was assistant pastor to his grandfather. In 1953, St. Simon’s built a parsonage at 3406 W. Pierce, where they lived until 1965.

Within one year of their marriage, they welcomed their first child, Sara, on September 12, 1947. They had three more daughters, Miriam (August 31, 1950), Elisabeth (December 12, 1953), and Joanna (November 1, 1956). Until Joanna was school age, Norma was a stay-at-home mother. Norma then returned to school at Crane’s Teachers College and earned her teacher’s certificate. She was a teacher at Orr Elementary School, and then taught first and second grade classes at Eberhardt Elementary School near Marquette Park from 1965-1988.

Norma and Walter took annual summer trips: over the years they went to several places in Europe, the Middle East, China, Venezuela, the Seychelles, and Antarctica. In 2004, Walter fell and suffered a traumatic brain injury and was disabled. Norma took care of him at home for the next three years, until he passed away of leukemia on December 16, 2007. Norma continued to live in the house in Downers Grove until 2010. After a fall and a bout with pneumonia, she died on July 5, 2018.

Wittman Family Collection

Collection Items

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