Germans From Russia Just another NDSU Library weblog

The 2008 International Convention of Germans from Russia takes place this week (July 28 – August 3) in Casper, Wyoming. The theme for the convention is “Celebrating Our Common Heritage.” For more information, please visit the convention website.

Valentina and Alexander Rupp of Berlin, Germany, arrive in Fargo on a Northwest flight at 8 pm this evening. They will be in Fargo for 16-20 and 27-29 July. Their son, Denis Rupp, was an exchange student at Fargo South this past year staying with Bob and Virginia Dambach.

We will be meeting on 17 July with Alexander Rupp at the Library regarding cooperating projects between GRHC and the Landsmannschaft der Deutschen aus Russland, Stuttgart, Germany. Mr. Rupp will represent the Landsmannschaft at the American Historical Society Germans from Russia/Germans from Russia Heritage Society first joint international convention at Casper, Wyoming, 29 July – 3 August. The Rupps and I travel to Casper on 29 July. They are traveling with their son to California for 20-27 July.

We plan to visit the Spring Prairie Hutterite Colony, northeast of Glyndon, MN later this week.

GRHC’s newest publication is Strasburg, Emmons Co., N.Dak.: Celebratory Publication on the 25th Jubilee of St. Peter and Paul’s Parish, 1914. This work was printed in old German Gothic text. We are most appreciative of the translation from German to English for publication by Father Jonathan Fischer, O.S.B. of St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota. My grandfather, Michael Baumgartner, is pictured in the publication. He was one of the builders of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church at Strasburg. Michael immigrated with his family in 1889 to Strasburg from the Catholic German village of Strassburg, Kutschurgan District, South Russia (today near Odessa, Ukraine).

The Foreword shares: “This year is the jubilee year [1914] for the Strasburg community since this community was founded. For this reason this blossoming community looks back with interest, joy, and gratitude on the 25 years which were so rich in suffering and joy, in privations and successes. Today, after 25 years, the first settlers look back with satisfaction and pride on all the difficulties more richly repaid for all they went through when they see how the community of Strasburg, seen from any point of view, has developed into a blooming parish, which can rightly be numbered among the better parishes in the Diocese of Bismarck, perhaps even in the whole state of North Dakota. The following pages are intended to give a glimpse of these 25 years which now belong to the past. And in particular they are to show our young people what must be done to make something of oneself, but also what one must do to build up a community and to establish and maintain in it a peaceful and orderly relationship.”

Please click here for ordering information.

–Michael M. Miller