Imagine living in the 17th century in the area now known as New York. In a way, that’s what PEF member Charles T. Gehring has done for the past 35 years.
Every workday, Gehring has stepped back in time deciphering and translating the state’s 12,000 folios of Dutch colonial records. He explores an era when New York was a wilderness filled with bears and wolves, plus a potpourri of smugglers, traders, pirates and prostitutes.
Gehring’s translations have inspired authors such as William Kennedy who crafted his historical novel “Quinn’s Book” after being enticed by the translations. Russell Shorto also penned The New York Times extended bestseller, “The Island at the Center of the World,” after talking to Gehring about the trove of historical documents that continue to gain respect and attention.
This year, the painstaking work of translating 17-century Dutch, which only a handful of modern scholars can do, is gaining even more attention. A documentary, “Uncovering America’s Forgotten Colony: The New Netherland Project,” was produced and aired on WNYT-TV in Albany June 6.
Gehring, shares the spotlight in the film with Janny Venema, a Dutch historian.
Celebrating history
“The New Netherland Institute supported this project,” Gehring said. “Its purpose is to promote Dutch heritage and explain what we do as translators on a daily basis. The documentary shows how we handle the documents and the problems we have because many of them were severely damaged in the 1911 fire. It’s sort of a nuts-and-bolts documentary about translating a language that hasn’t been used for more than a couple of hundred years.”
The documentary is just one part of the project. Gehring said the film can stand alone, but is also used to accompany a comprehensive traveling exhibit. The exhibit details every aspect of Dutch heritage and concentrates on various eras, such as the golden age of Patria (1598 to 1648) - a time of Dutch political and military power in all quarters of the globe.
To complete the package, the institute commissioned 12 people to write essays about Dutch heritage for publication in a book called “Explorers, Fortunes & Love Letters: A Window on New Netherland.”
The book is dedicated to Gehring for his years of devotion to continuing the important work of making the Dutch records of the New Netherland available in English translation.
This is not the first time Gehring has been recognized for his work. He has received many accolades throughout the years. The most prized came in 1994 when Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands became aware of his meticulous translations. Gehring was presented with a medal by the Counsel General of the Netherlands, making him an officer in the Queen’s Order of Orange-Nassau.
“It was a great honor and total surprise,” Gehring said. “This is not done very often, and especially to foreigners. And when I pass, the medal must be returned to the Netherlands.”
Getting to the top
Gehring, who is of German and Italian heritage, works out of the New York State Library, the home of the New Netherland Project. His position as director was established in 1974 and has remained funded through support from corporations, foundations and individuals, concurrent with matching grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The latest project with the documentary and exhibit has a price tag of several hundred thousand dollars.
“Luckily, the institute was able to amass this money before the financial structure collapsed,” he said.
What keeps Gehring motivated to do the translations is the history he uncovers. He has become a consummate storyteller as he continues to churn out books, monographs, articles and lectures for the young and old.
“Our concern is with ‘K’ through Ph.D., “ Gehring said. “We not only serve the professional researcher, but also school children. At an early age, children should be aware of the unique background in New York. It helps you understand certain things about the region and about yourself.
“The colonial history of New York doesn’t begin with the revolution. This has been a problem with schools and text books. There is 150 years of history before that and the Dutch were a major force in the 17th century.
“The Dutch culture is a lot more than being concerned with growing tulips, wearing wooden shoes, and eating cheese and chocolate,” Gehring said. “The Dutch heritage contributed to making America a melting pot where, if you show ability and ambition, you can go right to the top.”
In his field, Gehring certainly has.
