The play was first published around 1862. The file contains materials related to rehearsal and performance, including a published copy (Berlin: Eduard Bloch, n.d.; Eduard Bloch's Volks-Theater No. 14, second edition) that has been annotated as a prompt-book; and 15 handwritten role books, representing a total of 13 parts, as follows: Martin Winter, ein reicher Bauer; Erhard, sein Sohn; Jungfer Barbara, Wirtschafterin bei Martin Winter; Nelke, Amtmann; Birnstiel, ein Pachter; Schraube, Dorfmusiker; Jobst, Knecht bei Martin Winter (2 versions); Lebrecht Winter, ein fahrender Musiker, Martins Bruder; Christine, Lebrechts Tochter; Frau Werner, eine alte Bauerin (2 versions); Christian, der Scheerenschleifer; Niclas, der Feldhüter; and Claus, der Schaafhirt. (There are a few additional roles in the character list: Conrad, Knecht; Lene, Magd; Puff, ein Invalide; and Schnack, Dorfbüttel.) Music is attributed to F. Gumbert. Handwritten musical scores are included as follows: a homemade booklet (fragmentary pages) containing 6 songs, some with lyrics (music by Gumbert); a piano score with lyrics (music by Gumbert); and a half-sheet instrumental score possibly composed or arranged by Theodor Schaumberg, who was active in German-language theater in Philadelphia from around 1868 to 1875 (it appears to be in his hand and initialed "T.S."). The piano score is accompanied by a title page bearing a dedication from Gerhard Stehmann, Treasurer of Germania Theatre Co., to Theodor Bloch, dated 1894. Stehman was also an actor with the theater at that time. Bloch, who had been active in German-language theater since 1873 or before (mainly as a prompter, sometimes as an actor in the 1870s), was also the proprietor of a theater lending library. The role book for Martin Winter is labeled by hand as the property of Bloch. The title is listed in Bloch's catalog for his library, dated 1886 (see box 34). One of the role books for Jobst is signed and dated on the last page "3/1 1894 Fritz Singer"; it seems to have been written out by Singer, an actor in German-language theater in Philadelphia at that time. Names of actors and actresses noted on the front of some of the role books reflect three or four different casts over time, with a number of names familar from the casts of other German-language plays in Philadelphia from around the late 1880s to 1894; some names could not be placed and might date from earlier or later. (The collection's holdings of theater newspapers and playbills contain no reference to this play.)
