Helen (Fahrlander) Ramsey, a daughter of Hermann and Marie Fahrländer, spent a great deal of time organizing the translation of the letters sent to her father. As part of these translations, she provided contextual information about national and international events happening at the time the letters were written, information about German culture, and about family members and events referenced in the letters. Both original letters and these translations with notes are included in the collection. In some instances, there are translations without the originals being apparent in the collection.

The bulk of the letters are directed to Hermann; a very small number from 1947 and otherwise after Herman's death are directed to his wife Marie or the rest of his family. Those to Marie in 1947 are in English; the rest are in German. There is also one letter from Hermann's brother Franz-Anton to a cousin, Frank Anton Resch, also residing in the U.S. The few letters dating from after 1942 and 1947 that are directed to Hermann's and Marie's children Emil, Helen, and families, are from Vitus or Hans-Rudi Fahrländer.

Correspondents include Hermann's father Franz-Anton; Christian Rieder (German friend?; he refers to Hermann as his child's godfather); Maria Hummel; Adolph Ihringer (a friend in New York?); Hermann's sister, Rosa; C.A. or Chs. Aug. Santo [Charles August or Augustus?], a friend; Hermann's brother Franz-Anton, sometimes with his wife Theresia; Mrs. Elizabeth Weber (wife to Hermann's former teacher in Waldkirch); [Franz Joseph] Burger, a cousin; John Young; C. Better (formerly Xaver Peter, who changed his name when moving to Iowa); Nick Koch, a relative on Marie (Gosch) Fahrländer's side; Vitus Fahrländer, Hermann's nephew; and Hansrudi Fahrländer, Vitus' son. The bulk of the letters are from Hermann's father, brother, and nephew.

Topics include individuals' health, family news and information about mutual acquaintances (including others who had traveled through or immigrated to the United States), farming, hunting, legal and estate matters in Germany and in the U.S., the weather, daily events, religious holidays and festivals, the effects of World War I and II and the rise of Adolf Hitler's Nazi party in Germany, etc. The bulk of the letters come from the first decade after Fahrländer immigrated to the United States, and his family members frequently refer to missing him or thanking God that he is safe and well in the U.S. Hermann visited Germany once or twice in the 1890s and 1900s.

Over the years and across the different continents, the family name has been spelled variously as Fahrländer, Fahrlaender, and Fahrlander. Additionally, Hermann's name was also sometimes spelled Herrman or Herman. These variations in spelling are reflected in this finding aid.