Our energetic Glückstallers have done it again! Glückstal descendant Jim Klein pointed out that it will soon be 200 years since our ancestors first established colonies on the lonely steppes of South Russia! With this in mind, a small group of Glückstallers met in Bismarck this summer, during the Germans from Russia Heritage Society Annual Convention, to plan for the publication of a Glückstal Colonies Bicentennial Book. Present were Gwen Pritzkau, Tom and Janice Huber Stangl, Homer Rudolf, Jim Klein, Michael M. Miller, and Margaret Aman Freeman. They were hosted at the Board Room by Claudia Berg, Director of the Museum Division, State Historical Society of North Dakota, Heritage Center, Bismarck.

This exciting venture, first suggested by Jim Klein, to celebrate the achievements and observe the sacrifices of our tenacious ancestors in South Russia, will be chaired by Homer Rudolf of Virginia, edited by Harold Ehrman of California, and published under the guidance of Michael M. Miller, Bibliographer, Germans from Russia Heritage Collection, North Dakota State University Libraries, Fargo. Early plans for this bicentennial project include not only an ambitious book but also a video presentation on the Glückstal Colonies.

Seed money is needed to launch this project. Fundraising, under the direction of Penny Raile and Barbara Horn, is now underway. All are invited to contribute. You will find a flyer in this packet which you may use to state your pledge. Please return it to GCRA.

An individual who pledges $1,000 will have his or her name prominently displayed in the front of the book as well as on the credits of the video as a contributor. Those individuals will also receive a complimentary copy of the video and a hardbound copy of the book.

All contributors on all levels will be listed in the book, and given credit in the GCRA Newsletter.

The Glückstal Colonies Bicentennial book joins the volume on Bessarabia, Homeland Book of the Bessarabian Germans, by Albert Kern, the book on the Grossliebental Colony published in German by Eduard Mack, and the Heimatbuch der Dobrudscha-Deutschen 1840-1940.

This Glückstal Colonies Bicentennial Project, tentatively scheduled for publication in 2004, will be a splendid addition to your personal library and will help keep your heritage alive for your children. We are indeed lucky to have devoted volunteers who are willing to give so much personal time and effort to make this project happen.

Please support our Glückstal Centennial Book Project.

For further information about Glueckstal Centennial Project, please contact Margaret Aman Freeman, Glueckstal Colonies Research Association, 611 Esplanade, Redondo Beach, CA 90277 (E-mail: gcra31@aol.com)