Fairy-Tale Beginning: The Brothers Grimm Haus of North America at USU Hosts March 25 Fest

Many are fans of staple childhood stories including “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Sleeping Beauty” and “Hansel and Gretel,” but not all are aware these fairy tales and more were gathered and saved from fading oral traditions by 19th century German librarians, linguists and folklorists Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm — the Brothers Grimm.

Utah State University German studies scholar Claudia Schwabe and her colleagues are out to change that by building awareness of the stories’ rich cultural origins and the brothers’ pioneering efforts. Schwabe is director of the newly established Brothers Grimm Haus of North America, located in Room 135 of the Mehdi Heravi Global Teaching and Learning Center on USU’s Logan campus.

“The Brothers Grimm Haus of North America is a unique thematic live-work-learn laboratory that seeks to foster intellectual curiosity and community across varied disciplines,” says Schwabe, professor in USU’s Department of World Languages and Cultures. “The haus offers students of language, literature, arts, folklore and other majors internship opportunities designed to build professional portfolios and valuable career skills.”

The haus will host its grand opening celebration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 25 in the Heravi Center’s Carolyn Tanner Irish Pavilion (MHC 201). All are welcome.

“We’ll have immersive fairy tale stations, a treasure hunt, an enchanted forest photo booth, raffle prizes and refreshments,” Schwabe says. “Guests can dive into familiar stories that inspired Disney legends.”

The impetus for the USU lab grew from the formation of the nonprofit Brothers Grimm Society of North America by Schwabe and two colleagues from other U.S. universities in 2021.

“We are growing consistently, hosting an international lecture series and fostering collaborations among scholars,” she says. “We exist on the web, but we needed a physical location. The new Heravi Center provided space.”

A native of Germany, Schwabe grew up in a small town near Hanau, the birthplace of the Brothers Grimm.

“From early childhood, I was exposed to fairy tale-themed theater, toys, events, crafts and other materials, in addition to the tales themselves,” she says. “I eventually chose literary fairy tales of the Romantic period as the topic for my doctoral dissertation.”

She views herself as an ambassador, with unique experiences and skills to foster collaborations between scholars in North American and Germany.

“There’s a gap, and I want to create a bridge and foster networking opportunities,” Schwabe says. “My dream is to establish a recurring conference of fairy-tale scholars at USU.”

She says the infrastructure is already in place at Utah State to draw scholars to the Brothers Grimm Haus.

“Many are unaware that USU Special Collections and Archives houses a unique Little Red Riding Hood Collection with books, audio and memorabilia ranging from 1865 to 2018,” Schwabe says.

She also notes USU’s donor-funded Derek Agard Distinguished Scholar Lecture Series in Folklore, established in 2024, has enabled the university to host leading scholars in the field, and is an ideal vehicle to build awareness of the Brothers Grimm Haus and USU efforts.

Schwabe herself serves as co-editor of Marvels & Tales, North America’s top academic journal of fairy-tale studies.

“This position allows me contact with fairy-tale scholars throughout the nation, who are seeking collaborations,” she says. “It’s a wonderful way to connect our students with top researchers and educators in the field.”

Schwabe leads the Brothers Grimm Haus of North America with Associate Director Lisa Gabbert, professor and director of the USU Folklore Program in USU’s Department of History, Cultures and Ideas; along with event coordinator Janelle Carter and community outreach coordinator Christine Ricks.

Utah State’s March 25 celebration coincides with the 200th anniversary of the first American publication of Grimm’s Fairy Tales in Boston in 1826.

“We’re on the brink of exciting opportunities that will open new doors for our students,” Schwabe says. “We envision lectures, workshops and student internships, along with a conference and community outreach activities.”

The haus has scheduled a free community outreach event “Little Red Riding Hood: A Magical Fairy Tale Activity for All Ages,” from 3:15-5:45 p.m. April 10 at the Logan Library, at 285 N. Main Street in Logan.

“We’re just getting started,” Schwabe says. “The possibilities for interdisciplinary study and student career-building efforts are vast and ready to explore.”