Pohl's play is a free adaptation of a German play of the same title by O. F. Berg. The file contains materials related to rehearsal and performance, including a published copy (Berlin, 1866; "Den Bühnen gegenuber als Manuscript gedruckt und dem Theater-Commissions-Geschäft von H. MIchaelson in Berlin zum ausschliesslichen Bühnen-Debit übergeben"), which has been annotated as a prompt-book; 2 versions of a scenario, both handwritten; 1 handwritten item (note) that served as a prop; and 15 handwritten role books, for the following parts: Ludwig Wild, Kaufmann; Max Welf; Arthur Kranich; Amalie Bendler; Minna; Bertha; Amalie Korn (Male), genannt "die alte Schachtel"; Haffke, Stadtrath; Gebler, Stadtverordneter; Fritz, Haffke's Sohn; Rosa, Gebler's Tochter; Conrad Schmidt, Werkführer; Flunker, Buchhalter; Johann, ein alter Diener; and Piese, Buchhalter. (The role books appear to be complete as the play was performed, with a number of additional minor characters omitted.) The title page of the published copy carries a note about the play's success in contemporary performances ("In Berlin und Wien in einer langen Reihe von Vorstellungen beifällig gegeben"), and music is attributed to Bial. Handwritten musical scores are included as follows (see folders 640-641): music and lyrics for songs in the play, accompanied by a title page, which attributes music to Bial; related music labeled for violin; related music with lyrics labeled for soprano; and an insert for the number "Duett," for voice and orchestral instruments, composed and signed by Theodor Schaumberg, who most likely was music director at the time that the play was first performed in Phladelphia using these materials. (Schaumberg was engaged in German-language theater in Philadelphia from at least the late 1860s, and served as music director for productions in Turner Hall around 1875.) The published copy, the role books, and the music's title page are all labeled as the property of Theodor Bloch, who was active in German-language theater in Philadelphia from around 1873 to at least the mid 1890s, first as an actor and later as a prompter, and who also ran a theater lending library. Names of actors and actresses noted on the covers of role books generally reflect their use by three different casts in Philadelphia, around 1875, 1878, and 1879. The latter two casts are also documented by a theater newspaper of July 1878 (see folder 690) and a playbill of Dec. 1879 (see folder 678).
