Speaker: Vern Neff (VN)

Germans from Russia Heritage Society Convention
Bismarck, North Dakota, 14 July 1995

Transcription by Hope Wald and Linda Haag

About 1920, my dad’s family moved to a town called Mott, North Dakota. When my mother graduated from the 8th grade, she left a little town called Willa, which were about two buildings. (Are we having a problem in the back there a little bit? Not anymore, boy they sat down in a hurry. We still have a few people that are trying to find their way in. We have some room right up here in front. We have a young lady who speaks German, right? Yeah. And she’s kind of directing traffic. So if the people in the door would look for the lady in the white, the waitress, she’s got places for people to sit. We got a guy way in the back and he’s directing traffic. Ok if you’ve got certain people you’re looking for maybe you should go meet them. Way in the back.) Let me finish my story.

At one point in time she went to work for a farmer west of Mott and earned and earned $12 a month. Now $12 a month in 1929 and 1930 wasn’t too bad in comparison to the fact that men who were working on the farm were probably getting paid $50 a month. Now talk about discrimination in a sense. (By the way for the workers at the doors, when you’re no longer needing to work we have tables reserved up in front. And we want them to come up and have a good place to sit. I’d love to tell you that the reason I got selected to be the MC tonight was because some of the people at the headquarters were sitting around the table and they decided to draw straws to see who was going to be the MC for tonight. Well, my name was in there as well. Everybody drew a straw, and guess what, I lost. That’s the last straw.) I’ve got a number of announcements to make throughout the course of the evening. At this point in time I’d like to bring up Reverend Arnold Martzolf, a retired Professor from NDSU, for the invocation, Arnold.

AM (Arnold Martzolf): I should like to request that if you differ in the German prayer that is so beautiful, will you please follow mine, since there are several versions. Not mine, but the one we use at home. Come Lord Jesus be our, wait, I’ll give it to you first and then we will pray. First I say it, then we pray it. “Come Lord Jesus be our guest, and let this food to us be blessed. Amen.” Let us pray. “Come Lord Jesus be our guest, and let this food to us be blessed. Amen.”

BS: Thank you, pastor. At this time I would like to give you a brief introduction of the people sitting at the head table. On my far left we have Edna Gordman, next to Edna, Edna would you raise your hand please? There you go. Next to Edna is Francis Feist; next to Francis is George Huck, Next to George, where did he go? Arnold, he’s looking for his coat. Remember he thought he was cold and now he’s got to get in. Next to Arnold is Burnett, next to Burn is Elaine Bauer and her husband Armand, and my wife of thirty years, Roberta. On my far right is Lou Cosul and Stephan Cosul from Germany. And next to them is Michael Miller who is from North Dakota State University. Next to Mike is Clarence and Marilyn Bauman. Next to Clarence and Marilyn is Joe Marv Eckland, and next to them is Dorothy and Al Feist. Now let’s give them a big round of applause.

At this point in time I’ve decided to keep introductions and everything else, until after we eat. So please enjoy your neighborly company. Make sure that you introduce yourself to everyone at your table, and I’ll come back in 15 or 20 minutes or so. I asked the staff to make it through everyone in 10 minutes, ok, you guys for...duty, plus...Some of the other people...try and have some fun however....But I want you to finish your dessert, I know that about everyone is finished with their meal.

We want to get started with our evening program and talk to some people, Karl Miller. How long did it take you Karl, to get served your supper tonight, 27 minutes and 3 seconds? Karl, now let’s put some statistics into that. I think you are one of the last people that had an opportunity to get your place tonight, and if you think about it he’s one of around 570 people that are eating supper here tonight, ok. A little bit later we have some special ladies who are working hard right now, so we’ll take some time to give them some thanks. Think about it, 570 people are eating supper with you tonight, and Karl said it took him 27 minutes and 3 seconds to get served. I think that’s not too bad. We have a person from Wisconsin here tonight, and his name is Charles Wiser. Chuck are you here? Stand up please.

CW (Charles Weiser): I have my nametag.

BS: No you don’t because I’ve got it right here.

CW: It’s right here.

BS: Oh you’ve got another one huh? They felt sorry for you off the registration desk and they made one for you. Boy I tell you, what a guy. How much did you pay them?

CW: That’s the second time somebody’s said that so I better take it off.

BS: Another announcement, in the court yard, I hope you had an opportunity to walk around this afternoon. There was some singing that was going on at the kuchen area. I can’t imagine that kuchen would go very fast. You know how it is when you’re last in line with the table full of kids. He was last...type of situation. Well I was last in line so I’ll tell you what I got, there was no kuchen left, and I hope that you enjoyed it and we’ll have more tomorrow.

Anyhow, the courtyard on the southwest corner from North Dakota State University, where the Germans from Russia Heritage Center is located, has a display on textiles. It’s a very special display put together by the ADH. At nine o’clock tonight, they are inviting you to come over and take a look at that. They’ll give you a lot more history about textiles, clothing, blankets, the things that they’ve made, both in the old country, and here in the new country. So please go over and talk to Jay, talk to Ann, and I think that probably Mike Miller will be over there as well. Jim Springer, Jim here tonight? If you happen to see a wallet it might have Jim’s name in it. Now he said that he tried to get it back. He said if someone finds the wallet he would give them money. So, if you see a wallet someplace, under a box, underneath the tables give it to the people in the book store; give it to Rachel or Jean. They’ll make sure that he gets it.

Another announcement: Elvira Reuer, this afternoon will talk about a book and the room that she was in speaking, everyone was in tears. Because of that we are making arrangements for tomorrow afternoon at four to Elvira to give another presentation. I think it’s great on her part. She talks about her life in Russia, and it’s in her book. I’m sure that she would like to give her presentation again. Make a point to go and see hear her tomorrow afternoon.

?: Do you have the location?

BS: In the Heart Room, in the Sheyenne Room, down in the basement area on the other side of the complex. (I want to reminisce a little bit with you, and I want you to think of what the answer might be. You know you’re getting older, when you feel like the night before but you haven’t been anywhere. You know you’re getting older when you decide to procrastinate, but you never get around to it. You know you’re getting older when commercials on television put on false teeth, laxatives, and sleeping pills become interesting. You know you’re getting older when you dial a long distance call and you get tired after you get done dialing ten numbers.) (Here’s another one, you know you’re getting older when it takes all night to do what you just do all night. Well who says you can’t have a little fun when you’re doing these ceremonies right? You’re getting even older when you have trouble starting to swing. Lastly, if you have trouble starting a rocking chair, that’s as old as you will get.)

Now for some fun, we want to make sure that everyone had an opportunity to get a little stretching before we get into the more serious part of the program this evening. So in order for me to give you the opportunity to stretch, I’m going to call out the name of a state and if you’re from the name of that state I want you to standup. Let’s not applaud until we can get everybody to stand up. Let’s start off with our Canadian brothers and sisters. If you’re here from Saskatchewan, please stand up. Way back, oh some in the middle ok. If you want to stretch, here’s your chance. Yeah, stay standing, ok. How about Manitoba? Manitoba, anybody from Manitoba? Uh, British Columbia?...Ok and a few more Canadians….Quebec, anybody from the eastern part of Canada here? If they are here please stand. What part? Ontario?

BS: Ontario ok, we’ve got somebody from Ontario. Are there any other Canadian friends here? Let’s give them a round of applause.

We’re going to then sit down. Did you get everything in the right position before you sit down?

Ok let’s go to the eastern part of the United States, first to Wisconsin, please stand. There’s some ok, three, four. Uh Iowa, please stand, stay standing. We have some from Iowa, Uh Missouri? Nobody from Missouri. Uh Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia uh there’s some. One from Georgia. How about South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, oh, Virginia there we go, West Virginia? Anybody from West Virginia, Pennsylvania, there’s one Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, how am I doing? Michigan, anybody from Michigan, I thought I saw somebody from Michigan. Oh in back ok. Let’s see do we got Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, stand up Ohio, oh there’s one. Um gee north and south, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ok these are our eastern friends, let’s give them a round of applause.

Oh! Are there any in the area of the District of Columbia. I don’t think they are standing, there you go. I think most of us are going to be able to stand. Let’s start it with Arizona, there are some Arizona people ok. New Mexico, Texas, got some from New Mexico, Texas standing up. Remember here is your chance to stretch and kind of get everything put back into place. Okalahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, there’s some Okalahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, oh yeah. Ok we are going to wait a little bit with my home state. Let’s go to Wyoming, oh hi. Let’s go to Montana, Montana we have one, a couple. Colorado, uh a couple more. Ok, let’s see, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, California, ok we got a little bit of loyalty. Oregon, Washington, quite a bit from Washington, and last but not least, let’s get North Dakota. Minnesota, I don’t know why, the Minnesota Twins aren’t that good, and I don’t know what you guys are bragging about back there.

Ok, we’ll have everybody sit down and now… Did I forget any states? Alaska, Hawaii, any other foreign countries? Ok, I hope you had a chance to stretch. I’d like to thank you all, I guess that’s the southern term. How would you say that in German, ya’ll. Ok on the bottom of your coffee cup saucer, there’s a little pointer…and I’d like to have…Would this person that has that saucer, that has the emblem on the bottom, bring that here…There was only one of them, there was only one, and it had little wings. Oh, you’re seeing a little flower on the bottom? The flower is not what were looking for, sorry. Now I would like to introduce Al Feist, Al is our…President of [?] Al has a letter that he would like to read.

AF: It reads: To the Germans from Russia Heritage Society board directors, those attending the Germans from Russia convention. On behalf of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, board of directors, board of trustees gives us the great pleasure to accept greetings and best wishes to all the participants of the Germans from Russia Heritage Society convention. I would like to wish you a happy 25th convention anniversary, and extend to you my warmest wishes for a successful convention. Planning a convention is never an easy task. I would like to take this opportunity to commend all organizers on their efforts. I am confident you will enjoy the schedule of events your convention steering committee has planned.

Don’t forget to attend the AHSGR convention in Calgary, July 23-30, 1995 at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in the Calgary Convention Center. Calgary is a beautiful city, and the Calgary steering committee has worked diligently in preparing an interesting and informative program. I have every confidence your convention will be a success; I wish you all the best, with best wishes, Kathy Shultz, executive director.

One other comment, if you’ve been around the room we had the model of the Freudental tile church. There was also a small church modeling on the left hand side of the end table, it’s a model of the Arena Church. I believe it’s kept out at the Pioneer Village. This model kind of serves as a comparison of the kinds of churches that many of our ancestors built after they got here. They left the beautiful churches there, and in many cases we have some beautiful churches that are going to be talked about tomorrow. In many cases also they had some simple, yet beautiful churches such as the model of the church in Arena, North Dakota. Thank You.

BS: At this time I would like to have the waitresses, if they would be so kind, to come out. They were forewarned. Can we have someone by the door, perhaps knock on the door. Let’s stand and when their here, I’ll give word and we’ll give them a round of applause.

I did some snooping around and I found that this is probably the largest, and if not the largest, the second most, or the second largest convention that our societies ever had. And I think that we need to take our hats off to the people from out of state, and foreign countries. I know I made recognition of you before, but thanks to all of you. This has become a very special place this evening. So, I asked Armund Bauer if he’s been to all but one of the twenty-five conventions, and between Armund and [?] they were talking it over, and this is perhaps the biggest convention that our society has ever had. So, thanks to you.

Now do we have any navy veterans here? If you’re a navy veteran stand up. Ok, don’t be shy, I’m not going to hurt you. Now I want to tell a navy story, ok, about an Admiral. Ok, as you know, an admiral thinks he knows it all. Ok, now, seamen are supposed to be on the bottom of the ladder, but I want to tell you a story where the seamen got the better end of the deal. On a pitch black night, Captain [?], on closing courts with his ship, he sends a signal. You know how they go. Change your course ten degrees east. The light signals back, change yours ten degrees west. Angry, the Captain sends, I’m a needy Captain, change your course sir. The seamen sends a note, I’m a seamen, second class, comes the reply, change your course sir. Now the captain is furious, I’m a battleship, I’m not changing course. The last reply, I’m a lighthouse, your call. Now you see how the seaman did one up on the captain.

I’d like to introduce now to you a dear friend of us all, George Huck who was a charter member of the Germans from Russia Society, George.

GH: I was asked by Mr. [?] to make a…so he wouldn’t have to talk that long. I want to tell you a little story, and the reason that I was at the first meeting when we formed this society, I was a translator in WWII in Europe. And I went through my unit, the third division, the third army went through…And because of the…they asked me to translate what was the problem in this little village. I don’t recall the village, however when I talked to those German people, they spoke with the same dialect that we here in North Dakota spoke. So we left and went farther east. I wrote my father a letter and I asked him how come these Germans speak the same dialect as I did? And he said, in a letter that I got about two or three months later, it took a number of days for a letter to go back and forth and the [?] were involved. Anyways, he said some day, some day, I’ll tell you. And so I forgot about it, I was in the army, reentered the army, and went back to Germany and I did some extensive research and I found out in this particular area that the Barnhart’s and the Hucks came from the [?]Loraine area. And I saved all the information that I could get at that time, and I’m talking about the fifties.

The records were still in the German churches and it wasn’t until some years later until they were transferred into archives. And I was fortunate enough to get, because I spoke German, to talk to the German Police, or German Ministers in a couple cases who did get information, because a lot of the records over there, both Lutheran and/or mostly the Catholic that were German and Latin. And I couldn’t, Latin there was, German I could take but I couldn’t take the script. So I was up quite a bit a way from 1800 on back. So my family goes that far, but we do not know from, let’s say 1809 to when we immigrated to the United States. We found out that we were from that part of the country. My Grandfather, his parents came from there. But I could never get any information from my father, I could never get any information from my mother. Until, my mother’s sill alive, my dad passed away in 86’ so he went to the grave not giving his share of the information that he had on record. Now, my mother and her parents moved to the United States in 1909.

My dad immigrated to the United States in 1923, he was in the [?] army, he escaped, he escaped into Turkey…the French cattle ship and they worked their way to Brazil. Now he had to work in the slaughter house…from Turkey to South America. Now here is a little bit of…he had…so he wrote my uncle, my mother’s father a letter and it was addressed [?] Hauk, New Salem, USA Canada. [Laughing] I was told by my parents and my grandfather…My grandfather was in New Salem. The postmaster, remember in those days the postmasters were not German Russian…they spoke German of course and the German Russians spoke the same. So he came to the post office in Flasher and the postmasters that he…yeah, New Salem. I got a letter here from South America, from…so he gave him the letter and he got it to my grandfather and after back and forth, and they had to be sponsored and money and everything it finally came to the United States in 1923. Think about this, if that letter would have came from Brazil to New Salem, North Dakota, USA/Canada, do you think that it would have ever arrive to a [?] that would need to be sent back? So after…and that’s why I am in this world today. My dad was the…in the 1970’s…wound up in Canada…let’s see the hands, there’s not that many of us from that good old Krausenburg…sister since 1990. In 1976…I [?] this, by saying someday I will tell you, and my dad passed away, and I still wasn’t told. Thank you. Oh one more thing…I obtained more information from being a member of this organization than I did anywhere else about the German Russians and putting loose ends together. Thank you. [Clapping]

BS: We have another chairman member who wants to tell us his story about the Germans from Russia, Armund Bauer.

AB: Well good evening Ladies and Gentlemen. I am going to make this very brief. First of all I want to congratulate all of the members of the society on forming and maintaining a very strong and liable society and continue to build with years. Today this society is stronger then it’s ever been. It’s you, it’s members that make it strong and I want you just to reflect on three points that I think has contributed to why it is so strong. First of all, all the materials that you see in the book store that are there are all made with love. It was done because you wanted to be and you poured your heart and soul into doing a job that you can be proud of, and that others my do so. And the evidence of this according to more then 1500 histories that have been written since 1971 and contributed, copies contributed to the society. There’s a lot of love that’s involved in all of the [?] records that have been [?]. Part of what knowing this that at the first convention in 1971, there was one family history on display, and I think that was Elsie Beakler.

So over the 25 years more than 1500 written, that’s more then 60 per year, which is an extremely well production. Another label of love that you see in, beyond what’s in the book store, is the service of all of the board members over the years. Not only did they serve diligently, but also when they came to meetings they paid for their own food, their own lodging, their own transportation. And even today, people that are working at the bookstore…and that wasn’t only the case either. I believe Elise you worked the first two years without compensation. We get all of these board members paying the same fees…the board of directors, everybody pays regardless of what you do. I believe another factor in this society’s progress is the members are good, and indeed are very eager to share the information that they have compiled, regardless of what it is. And this sharingness is going on statewide, and I hope that it will continue in the future, because sharing is a lot of fun. If this is what I’m going to say next is a free commercial, whenever anyone writes to GRHS or myself about cloning or using pictures from German Russian settlements in the United States we always let them. And we are pleased that someone finds it interesting enough and well to repeat the publication. I say this is not a free commercial because 4000 books have been printed around this…Another factor of this is important is that the enthusiasm of the membership.

It always is a lot of fun, these conventions or a lot of enthusiasm. This has contributed great to the advancement of the society. I want to cite an example of that, when [?]…the number of increases that were coming to the Salt Lake City Ocean, required German Russian genealogy was an [implitist?] who the genealogy society’s decision to seek permission and do this. Now he also related to us in a search for genealogically provision about the German Russians after the...she located some records in a drawer that were really old, and were from the German Russian records were among the so called, what she called, the Canary Island records. Another thing that I want to mention is that one of the goals of the society when it was formed was to make other people in this country and throughout the world more aware of this ethnic group. You look into North Dakota history and our history is written by Elwin Robinson, at UND, which was not until the late 50’s that he mentioned anything about the German Russian ethnic group. We had to pay...a masters degree thesis at UND, now he himself became a German Russian. This is the sort of information that Elwin Robinson used at this text to point out the existence of this ethnic group.

I know not many of you have read the thesis and we’re not happy with the way you portray the German Russians, but we still have to thank him for his role in getting this group recognized as an ethnic group in our, in this country. I think we’ve succeeded very well in that particular goal because I know anywhere in North or South Dakota, or anyplace that you see records to German Russians as an ethnic group. In closing I want to extend my wishes for continuous strength in society and of the [?] that continue to be meet and maintaining a strong society. I thank you, probably the most powerful tribute that we can parade to our ancestors.

[End of tape]

BS:...and you know it’s going to be a bad day when you come home, walk into the house, and your four year old comes up and explains to you that it’s almost impossible to flush a grapefruit down the toilet. [Laughing] Can you imagine? How many of you have had somebody that has tried to do that? How about an orange? No orange? Or how about flushing your little sister down the toilet, or your little brother? Have you ever had somebody try and do that? I’d like to introduce now Mike Miller who has made arrangements to have some special friends from Germany, and Mike if you would be so kind as to introduce our guests please.

MM: I certainly want to bring greetings to you from our [?] North Dakota State University and [Kamar...John Duchtcher?] who are privileged to host two special people in North Dakota: Ruth and Stephan Kloetzel. Stephan was born in the village of Mannheim, Kutchergan. He found a wonderful woman who had worked for the Landsmannschalt for eighteen years. I’ve known her for almost all of those eighteen years. This acquired historic moments for this society, because it is the first time that an official representative of such importance has come to the United States to speak to you. She speaks pretty good English. She would prefer to speak in German, but I’ve convinced her to bring her greetings to you in the English language. So it was a great privilege, and a warm welcome that we will bring to our audience Ruth Kloetzel of Die Landsmannschaft der Russlanddeutschen.

RK: Dr. Armand and Elaine Bauer...and our German Russian brothers and sisters attending this 25th and welcoming convention. I bring special greetings and congratulations from the...and the 25,000 members in Germany and throughout the [?]. I look forward to meeting many of you in Bismarck and other North Dakota communities. I...the date to come to the United States and to meet with you is now chosen. It has been terrace the commitment...you are breaking your 25th anniversary. Our association is 45 years old. The second...is over...of our country. The biggest year is...I’m working for our association, and I am...to a German Russian...[Clapping] Now I would like to...No I would try to [?] the plaque of the...as a symbol of our growing friendship, and co-operation between the two societies. And now I want to say a sentence in German. [German sentence] [Clapping].

Stephan Kloetzel: I want to thank our [?] to Germany. We hope we can continue and strengthen our association in the coming years, thank you. [Clapping]

BS: Thank you Ruth, and thank you Stephan, and thanks Mike for making arrangements to get them here. I believe if I’m not mistaken they’re all going to be going [scalvery?], am I right Mike? Yes they will be. I think it’s great you know some of our Canadian reverends, brothers, and sisters have come to the United States perhaps. I know I’d like to get to Germany and visit my roots. Talking about my roots, this is a coincidence because...they started talking about Schaible’s in Germany, and it so happened that they were talking about some Schaible’s who make wine. Am I right? And they make good wine, flavored, yes. Very good wine, yeah. Anyhow they started talking about an old village not too far from Stuttgart and I said, well I have listened to this village and the name of the village is Schaible Hausman and they have been in that village. I said, I have to talk to you more when we have some more time. I thought that was very very unusual to run into somebody who was sort of in my roots, so to speak, in Germany. I’d like to introduce now to you, a tribal member also, about four months ago you might have seen his picture on the front page of the Heritage Review, along with my former boss. My profession at that point in time as I was the Deputy Secretary of State, I worked for Ben Myer for a little over 15 years. Ben’s picture was also on that page. Now for your information, come again the Secretary of State to the state of North Dakota, and I worked for a guy by the name of Al Jaeger. Our job is to incorporate new profit corporations and non-profit corporations. That’s what this is, and Vern was there for the signing of those documents, and Vern if you would be so kind. [Clapping]

VN: So far I’ve really enjoyed this evening, and if it quit right now you probably wouldn’t appreciate it even more. Well the last three weeks I have been involved in a jury trial trying to convince nine people, and now this evening in about twenty or thirty minutes, hopefully less, I’m going to try to convey to you some reasons of why then, why did we organize this society, and what now? And so Mr. Chairman and a distinguished guest and members and friends of the Germans from Russia Heritage Society. Those of us that are gathered in this room here this evening, and as well as our relatives and all of our friends that are not here are probably among the most privileged of people, and the most fortunate of people in both the United States and in Canada. As we think back this evening, a hundred and twenty eight years that our Canadian friends adopted their constitution under the British North American Act of 1867, which gave them the freedom that they sought when their ancestors went and immigrated to Canada. This is the two-hundred and nineteenth year of independence for the United States. It’s the hundred and ninety-first year since the [?] of that free land and freedom from military service manifesto from which Czar Alexander had issued. So the history and the roots of our people go back to Workberg and they go back to Bodin and so on. At that time, when we think back to that period of time, Central Europe was raggaged by what we call the so called “One Hundred Years War.”

The young men, mostly German peasant stock, from the farms and from the villages of Central Europe were being watched in wars that were being fought at home, and the Israeli mercenaries around the world. The Heshens who bought for England during the war of our independence for the United States against the colonies are an example of those mercenaries. That was the period of time when the Princes of, Prince of Hapsberg of Central Europe were fighting for, jousting for territory, and they were jousting for power, and they were jousting for prestige. The consolidation of those principalities in the German invasion had not yet become a reality. But the burden of taxes and the other levies upon the German peasants and farmers and craftsmen of the countryside was very heavy. But I think as I read the books that have been written by the scholars that are part of our organization, I think what comes through loudest and strongest is that the most tolerable thing, most intolerable thing of all, was the pain and the sorrow which was caused by the lost generation, after generation, after generation, of their sons and their husbands.

Those many years of turmoil and of warfare so decimated the German population of young men, that there were reports that there was a period of time when the Catholic Church allowed Catholic Priests to marry in Central Europe and Germany. While this turmoil was taking place in Central Europe, [?] was successful in resting a part of the unoccupied heartland of Russia from the church. At that time she issued a proclamation, and there was an influx of immigration of Germans to evolve the region. This resulted in the opening up of the [?] region to German settlements. That was in about 1764. My father and the [?], they came from the small [?] village of England. It was not until we organized this society, we began to gather in some of this information that I finally found the map, which designated what page we were on.

Then that was followed some forty years later by a manifesto of Czar Alexander in 1904. That manifesto literally started a mass migration, or a flood of immigrants to the area of South Russia, and principally to the [?]. My mother’s family, the Maedke’s, they came from the Odessa region. And those German colonists they will be guarded and spoken out as often being level headed, as being assuming, as being thrifty, as being part of working, as being aspiring, and most importantly of all as being religious. So then the question comes of why them? As we look back twenty-five years. Well, the North Dakota Historical Society of Germans from Russia was organized as a non-profit corporation. The plans for organizing a North Dakota chapter, originated with Judge Ray Frederick from Rugby in the fall of 1970. Judge Frederick was then a member of the international board of directors of the American Historical society of Germans from Russia, and so he gathered together individuals, or sent out a calling. A group of individuals gathered in the fall of 1970 to discuss Judge Frederick’s dream of organizing a society which would preserve our heritage. As we gathered here, and as we talked about how it should be done, why should it be done, and what could be accomplished if it was done? Would the, because as we looked around we were seeing that the heads were gray. Those were the days of prayer, and those were getting old. I live in Williston, North Dakota, and I’m buried in a sea of Norwegians. As I constantly compare their heritage with mine, I find that they left Norway looking for economic opportunities. Because in Norway the farm went to the oldest son, and the daughters were encouraged by their mothers and fathers to find husbands who were also the first born sons. Otherwise they had to go to the cities and find work, and the other sons had to come to the United States [?]. But they came because they were looking for economic opportunity.

And if you know Norwegians you know that as they get older they are like [?], they need to go back at least once or twice. As I compared that with us, when our people came over they carried what they had in their hand, and most of the time they didn’t need anybody to hold up the other end. They were not interested in telling anybody where they came from because they knew where they came from and they knew why they left. So they didn’t, they brought with them an oral heritage, not a written one. By the time they were able to speak with some knowledge and because of a sense of history with their children about what had happened and why they had left. Much of that history had disappeared. Also during that period of time the Soviet Union had changed. As we find out, and as we found out after we organized, this society assisted Dr. Frederick with his research. We found out that in many cases entire villages of [?] were destroyed, cemeteries were destroyed....Anyway [?] has organized our society where Mark Ellis, very very dedicated, Dr. Armund Bauer, our tireless interterm who [?] probably more than anybody else in this room or the entire society who has been the glue that has held us together. And really Armund Bauer is the one who has made us grow.

I would like to stop right now and let’s give them a round of applause. Art was with the state planning office, and Art was a man whose enthusiasm was absolutely infectious. The more enthusiastic he became, the louder he could speak. There were times when I thought if I opened my window, and he opened his in Bismarck, and I was in Williston, we could both hang up our phones and talk to each other. Then there was Reverend William [?], he was the man who was very quiet, but he was, had the ability to pass the right questions at the right time. Then there was [?], a man who was universally recognized for this ability, his integrity and honesty as a lawyer and a judge; and more importantly than anything else he saw that there was a window of opportunities that was open, but a window of opportunity that would be closed, where we could organize a society in which dedication to task we could get the information that we needed in order to preserve our history. So this small group in Texas, Louisiana, the Saskatchewan’s began to organize this society and at that time it lead to a study...That we were going to be organizing a society that would affiliate the American Historical Society Germans from Russia.

At that time that would be an organization entered by David Miller out in Colorado. That organization had been established primarily to preserve the history of the Volga Germans. There was [courts?] following some telephone calls that went back and forth. Those negotiations were taken to our board of directors as the group was gathered in the fall of 1970 hoping to find young Bismarck, as we discussed the possibility of organizing an organization that would affiliate with the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia. That corresponded...I’ll quickly summarize it by saying, if you had had two Germans who have negotiated, and you have a group of two Germans who have negotiated, you can well understand that there’s an impact. And if half of you reach...our group those that were gathered in Bismarck for those several meetings were very concerned, and very interested that we organized this society as quickly as possible, we get as members and people interested as possible, and that we keep the new structure as low as possible so that nobody would be deprived of being a member as we were not interested in probation.

The point, at which I think the negotiations broke down, or at least we called a truce, if that’s the right word, was that the American Historical Society was insisting that the membership of our organization would also have to pay dues to their organization. The problem was then of a “double-lose” structure. As we thought about that and as we considered that that would be an impediment to the organization. And I know also that, I need to be careful as I say this, because often time perception becomes reality. At least I had the perception, and I am speaking only now for myself as being a part of that organizational group, that there was a bit of a difference between the organization that was interested in preserving the history of the Volga Germans, as compared to our group where we were not only interested in the history of the Volga Germans, but more importantly the history of the Germans that had come from South Russia. Those are the group of individuals that had immigrated under the manifesto of Czar Alexander for a while. So in the event that we did decide that we were going to move forward, and we did, and incorporation papers were drafted...and I do that, and we did, and we chose then five directors could be somewhat geographically representative of the state of North Dakota and that included: Judge Frederick, Armand Bauer, Art [Mineral], [?], and myself. Just briefly I want to touch on some of the powers and the purposes for which we organize so that you can go into perspective what we were thinking about twenty-five years ago and how we’ve been carrying into the future. We organized ourselves and the purpose and the power of aiding and assisting in promoting and undertaking the discovery and collection that preservation and the publishing of bibliographies, genealogies, histories, news, letters, diaries, pictures, and photographs.

What you see in the next room is result of the effort that our people have put into promoting that portion of our intent purpose in organizing ourselves. We also organized a collection of songs, literature, arts and crafts. We organized so that we could include cooperatively educational institutions with this surveillance, and to also undertake and finance and refund the studies. And we did the very next year, we helped fund Dr. Karl Stumpp and the work that he was doing. He and his group of scholars had followed the German army into Russia in WWII, and they were tempted to find out what had happened to those German settlements that had moved to Russia under the manifesto of Czar Alexander and how they had survived under communism. The information that he gathered and brought back with him was a tempting correlate with the history of their sources and beginnings was a monumental work.

There was money that was needed to fund and finance that work, and so in a fund raising effort that was undertaken by our organization in the 1970’s to accomplish that. Then we organized a heritage review. The Heritage Review, name of that came from Dr. Armand Bauer and he’s been the person, who has more than anyone else, who has been the glue. As I look around this room I see a lot of gray heads. We sometimes see more gray heads than black hair in our churches also. But, there is a word in the song that we sang, every Norwegian word I learn in Iowa I lose the ability to speak German words. But this word “gemulkekeit”, it means sociability, good nature, coziness, or relaxed moves. There are more definitions, but these that I have given you are important. There is no English word for this. To me the word brings back memories when we had small children, were probably putting a blanket on a bed. The children were in one room, the adults were another, there was good nature conversation, there was laughing, there was an atmosphere of good fellowship and bonding took place. The bonding was between the children, the bonding was between the adults, the bonding was between the children and the adults. When the evening was closing, the kuchen and the goodies would come out. The only thing that came from the store was the salt and the pepper.

Somebody would drop behind the granary and they’d bring in the frozen ham/speck. Then you slice out the few chunks of it and it was cold and froze and you’d put it on a sliced bread and you’d eat it, that was the end of the [?]. But what I’m saying is that, as we look to the future, as we look into the future, and we say what now? I’m suggesting to you and to myself that we could do well, and teach our children and our grandchildren the meaning of the word “gemulkekeit”, The best German adaptation before that concept is lost, and probably even bring that word into the English language because it means and it stands for, the love of family, reverends for God, and it’s a part of the heritage that we have seen, and it’s a part of our obligation to pass that heritage on to our children. Interestingly enough some time back, there was an author for Christian Times Monitor, and he had a short article in the Christian Monitor, and he talks about this word “gemulkekeit”. Let me just read one paragraph of what he said. He says, “When the company...in which changes the length of mind, as well as the heart, and when the coffee and the kuchen is pleasing to the pellet, and all you need to top it off is the cold wind pelting the windows with sleet, while inside the fire crackles and stove. All this combined makes for a feeling of [?], snugglence, conferdence, informality, sociableness, and friendliness. Those are words, which the dictionary uses to give us the sense of [?].”

In closing let me just say that one of the things that I have gone back to and read several times because I’ve always enjoyed reading Joseph Height’s books about paradise on the [?]...But in Joseph Height’s books on the [?], and if you have the book you open it up to the dedication page and right in the beginning there he has a poem on the dedication page. It says, “To there he [?].” You need to get this out and read it because it you see the words you’ll appreciate them more because I may not read them correctly. But it’s to their [?], eternity past, and eternity become and [?] from your life. The ancestors gave you your existence and striving. The [?] carry on your aspiration and hearing, and between the two you want to preserve and enhance what you have inherited of valuable learning and the unending [?]. So let’s work on, let’s try to put that word into our vocabulary, and a part of English language, English dictionary, but more importantly let’s see if we can be a part of that for our children and grandchildren and make sure they pass it along to theirs. [Clapping].

BS: Thank you Vern. That was very powerful. You said an awful lot and I hope that...tonight. Think about what he has said. The German proverb, I have done some research on some German proverbs and there’s a German proverb that goes like this, “Our sons and daughters will not seek prosperity until a third generation.” Now if you think about it the Germans of Germany moved to Russia from about 1806 and on, and about the time that that third generation would have seen prosperity it was time to move again. Our four fathers and four mothers will tear and now on our second and third and sometimes fourth generations and I see prosperity and my children see prosperity, but they really don’t have an opportunity to know what it was like. So what Vern talked about is that we have a library, and what you’re doing is you’re getting to your children their heritage. Now Vern, I want to talk to you a little bit about an absent minded attorney. He had been having some problems. Every time he drank his coffee his thigh started to hurt a little bit. So he went to see a [?], and he said, “Whenever I drink a cup of coffee I feel a pain in my left thigh.” The doctor looked at him and says, “Have you been forgetting again to take the spoon out of the cup?” [Laughing]. [Clapping].

VN: Can I come up there? I was really trying to keep my talk short, but I really had something in mind because I knew he was going to do that. But I have here in front of me a little spray that I keep, and there’s a lot [?] from now because I’m going to judge this. But anyways this farmer came into see this lawyer and he said he wanted to talk to him about getting a divorce. The attorney says, “Do you have grounds?” The farmer says, “Yes, I’ve got three hundred acres.” The attorney says, “No that’s now what I need, do you have a case?” The farmer says, “No, I’ve got a John Deere. That’s what I farm with.” Then the attorney says, “No, you are not understanding me. Do you want to bring a suit, have you got a grudge?” The farmer says, “Well, I’ve got a suit hanging in the closet, and the grudge is where I keep my John Deere.” The attorney says, “You’re not listening to me at all. Let’s talk about your wife for a minute. Did you beat her up?” The farmer says, “Oh she gets up at 4:30 in the morning.” Then the attorney says, “But you want a divorce. I’m trying to find out why.” The farmer says, “Well sir, we’ve got this communication problem.”

I brought this along because I wanted to add a little bit of humor to the seriousness of the discussion that we had with the American Historical Society of the Germans from Russia. The fact that they went there when we went our way, and I think I’m going to visit with Armund about this, has made two stronger organizations. We are the two horses pulling the sleigh and pulling the sled. [Clapping]. I will remind you of only one more story so then you can go home with a smile on your face and go back to your room. This is from, this is Oli and Lela living in this apartment house. Oli comes up to the apartment and he’s in a high state of stress. Very agitated he say’s to Lela he says, you know what he says, you know that [?] he’s a real [?], he’s downstairs, and he’s bragging about he’s kissed every woman in the apartment building. And Lela says, “Except one. And I suppose it’s that snooty business Peterson on the third floor.” [Laughter]. On the more serious side, I have to repeat the letter our organization letter from Mr. Clair Roberts, and I wanted to read it, actually I was asked to read it, Clarence received the letter and he asked to read it. To whom this concerns, from Mrs. Judy Rodgers. I was looking forward to this convention this year since had lost some relatives from around Bismarck. My companion of fifty-two years passed away on March 1, 1995.

Glen and I were always together, and I am lost. And that is what I miss, him at my side. I do not like going anywhere alone. I know life must go on but right now I don’t feel up to doing anything. I pull weeds in the yard to occupy my time. That is therapy for me. I love working in the yard and garden. I know the Lord will strengthen me and help me at this time. I do hope everyone will have an enjoyable time at the convention, we surely did when we were at the other Bismarck conventions. I am starting to find Herman and Miller genealogy so that will help keep my mind occupied for some time. Thanking you sincerely for the information from this year’s convention with love, Judy Rodgers.

BS: In a happier note, we have a lady here who has received the distinguished award. I would like to have someone please escort Pauline Devey to the podium in front of us it you would. Pauline where are you at? Would somebody grab her arm perhaps? Lead her up here? Ok, I would like to give you a little background. Pauline was born in a one room sod house eighty-three years ago, north of Heber, North Dakota. She was a bouncing baby, three pound girl. After her marriage she had three children, and after her children she decided to start writing. She has now written five books, all of them in the Germans from Russia Library. She has another one coming out, she has three audio visuals, slides, and that type of thing about her life. Those are in the institute in the Fargo Library, Institute of Regional Studies. She has worked as a writer for the last sixteen years for the Heber Harold, now keep in mind she started this when she was sixty-seven. She writes columns, sometimes every other week about prairie [?]. She’s got three kids like I said, she’s got eight grandchildren, and she’s got three great-grandchildren, and recently in Fargo she received the special award. Accommodation and a pride to our people of Germans from Russia...A member of the Germans from Russia Heritage Society, an active member of the Volker Kinder Chapter, has recently been named the 1995 communicator of achievement award, and the North Dakota State Newspaper Convention I believe.

It was given, and she will be placed on the National Federation of Women with winners from 49 other states is in the competition for a national award. She’s received, she’s been recognized for having written her books, her audio visuals, her newspaper columns for the past thirty-six years, and part-time newspaper employee for thirty-six years. They’ve set up a needy collection unit for student research benefits, and falling its focus mainly on people and the German Russian people when she does her writing. She received a beautiful plague on May 13, 1995 in Fargo. At this time we would like to represent that to you Pauline for all you’ve done for us. PD: I’ve got to talk. Every time my people ask me...but thanks to my father and mother that they endured those times. I focus mainly, in my three books especially, on what life was about, the lifestyle from the books that phase. But I really want to end this, is after I receive the award, the St. John Church Pastor, the Reverend Father Murray of Heber now gone, have several of my books, and wrote in the actual Oprah Winfrey, and recommended me. I said Barbara, “What in the heck did you write to Oprah about me? I’m only a...?...and what can I do on her show?” She said, “Well, Pauline, your one of those few that was born in a sod house, and that’s as much as a privilege as if you were born in the white house, and Oprah will recognize that.”

Now that my wish be very remote, and come to reality, because Oprah sees those sort’s of letters everyday. But even if she calls, Barbara gave her the telephone number, and if she calls, Jane, the presswoman editor, and I will, she will accompany me to Chicago, and I have decided that I’m going to preach her our German from Russia Heritage Society, and Al Feist must accompany me. [Laughing and clapping]. You know they tell me that Professor Michael Miller is my boyfriend, but I found out that he’s had other girlfriends. And I met him out in the alley, and then the hallway. And told him about the possibility of the Oprah Winfrey show. He says, “Oh yes Pauline I’ll very much go along with you.” And I know he’s going to do most of the talking, and he’s going to pour me that Laurence Welk dialect sort of way that’s a part of us all, but it will be wonderful if we could get on Oprah Winfrey’s show. Perhaps the next three month if it will come to reality. Thank You. [Clapping].

BS: Thank you Pauline. We have a couple more things to do. I’d like to introduce to you Francis Feist. Francis is the south central North Dakota girl who grew up down in the Wishek area. She is now on the Germans from Russia board. She’s a second generation German like I am. At one time Francis also.... Some of the things she saw when she was there, it would be nice if we had a village coordinator type of situation. Between Francis and Ellis Walsher from Shallop, Washington, they started what we now know as the Village Research Communicator, and as a result we have something that’s going even faster, and I think that the other society might have. Francis has been a board member for three years, and she has a special word to say. Francis.

FF: Thanks Bob.

[End of tape]