To Visit the Homeland of Our Ancestors
Updated:

By O. Listopad, Correspondent, Pridnestrovje (newspaper), Griropiopol, Republic of Trans-Dnjestr, Moldova, July 26, 2002

Translation from Russian to English by Natalya Kornfeld, Germans from Russia Heritage Collection, NDSU Libraries, Fargo, ND

This was a dream of every member of the American tour group who came to the village of Glinoje, Grigoripolsky Region, in May, 2002. It was time of unveiling of the memorial erected by American descendants of German colonists who established Glueckstal colonies in 1804-1810.

Margaret Aman Freeman, Redondo Beach, California, the Chair of Glueckstal Colonies Research Association, and Michael M. Miller, Professor, North Dakota State University, told us about their work and why they came to Glinoje: "We came back here to see the land where our ancestors used to live". These were the words of members of the group.

Understandable, everyday life of these grey-headed people is not connected very much with their former homeland. For many they do not know even the German, the language of their ancestors. English became their mother tongue.

Nevertheless, they have a strong historical and cultural attitude to this land of their ancestors.

American guests were touched by the warm reception of villagers. The school administration was headed by school director, I. Mokryak, and instructor of regional circle, T. Bondarchuk, did all their best in order to make the visit of American guests full of interested meetings and warm contacts.

At the meeting, Michael M. Miller expressed hearted gratitude to all people of village Glinoje for active participation in the festival of unveiling of the Glueckstal Memorial Monument. The memorial was placed in school yard not accidentally. The remains of the first settlers were found
during the building of Glinoje School. The Memorial was erected on the new burial place.

It is planned that for the 200th Anniversary (1804-2004) of the Glueckstal District colonies (included are Karmanovo and Kolosovo, former German villages Neudorf and Bergdorf) will be marked by the creation of a 60-minute videotape documentary and the publishing of a 200 anniversary book for completion in 2004.