Germans From Russia Just another NDSU Library weblog

The Peter Miller (Mueller) Genealogy is the newest publication of the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection. My deepest appreciation is extended to Linda M. Haag, co-compiler and data entry, and to Marcie Franklund, photographs and design, for this family history. Peter and Agnes (Schreiner) Miller immigrated in 1894 from the Catholic village of Krasna, Bessarabia, to the Krasna area west of Strasburg, Emmons County, south central North Dakota. This publication includes 130 pages of color photographs and 65 pages of genealogy. A 71 page supplement to this publication is also available for purchase, the Müller Genealogy from Germany.

For more information about Krasna, Bessarabia, visit The Krasna Project website: http://14ushop.com/krasna (English language) and Infoportal für Krasna: http://krasna.info/home.htm (German language).

This summer some of the Dakota Memories Oral History Project web pages have changed layouts. Check out the site to see all the changes. www.ndsu.edu/grhc/dakotamemories

David, a native of Sawyer, North Dakota, joined the GRHC staff in 2005. Since then, he has been an integral part of our team. Shortly after joining our staff, David began working closely with Jessica Clark on the Dakota Memories Oral History Project. His work was not only innovative, but also impeccable. He was an outstanding video editor – editing more than 100 DVDs for the DMOHP. He was also the DMOHP web editor, and he saw the project through a complete web redesign. See www.ndsu.edu/ghrc/dakotamemories to view David’s handy-work. In essence, David was the man behind the scenes for the DMOHP.

This past spring, David graduated from NDSU with a BS in Computer Science. Although we were fortunate that David stayed for the summer, it is now time for us to say goodbye and good luck. David has been awarded an internship with NDSU’s Campus Crusades, and will no longer be an official part of the GRHC. However, he will always have a special place at the GRHC.

We wish David the best in his future endeavors, and thank him sincerely for all of his hard work and commitment to the GRHC. Don’t be a stranger, David!

A Special Thanks,
The GRHC Staff

The AHSGR/GRHS Germans from Russia International Convention at Casper, Wyoming of July 28 to August 3, 2008 was a tremendous success in many ways. This was the first time in 40 years of history the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia and the Germans from Russia Heritage Society joined for a joint convention. “Celebrating Our Common Heritage” was the convention theme. Larry Miller of Spearfish, SD, a member of the GRHS Black Hills Chapter at Rapid City, SD published “Casper Morgen Zeitung” and provided an impressive BLOG at http://www.germansfromrussia-casper.blogspot.com. He also provides 226 photo images from the convention which can be accessed via the BLOG webpage.

A total of 739 people registered for the convention with guests from Argentina, Russia, Ukraine and Germany. Longtime colleagues Dr. Lewis Marquardt and Dr. Dona Reeves-Marquardt, presented, “Our German-Russian Communities: A Common Heritage: An Uncommon History”. At the Blog, there is this Editor’s Note: “As expressed by Lew and Dona, let us not allow this to be our last joint convention! The Parkway did a wonderful job, and the food was outstanding – but what really made this a remarkable convention was “unser leute,” kindred souls from two organizations, coming together to Celebrate Our Common Heritage, the theme of the convention. We depart with new friendships and many memorable experiences!”

There were many convention highlights and excellent presentations. Gwen Schock Cowherd, White Bear Lake, MN, a native of Leola, SD, presented an AHSGR award-winning story at the Folklore Symposium, “The Pendulum Still Swings”. Erin Deis from Fresno, CA, presented “Leaving One Home in Search of Another.” Professor Timothy Kloberdanz of NDSU, Fargo, presented “One Huge Family: We Are Not the Strangers We Thought We Were.” He was assisted with his talk by Maria Appelhans, Fort Collins, CO and her daughter, Rosalinda Appelhans Kloberdanz.

Alex and Nancy Herzog, Boulder, CO and Michael Herzog, Spokane, WA presented “From Steppe to Steppe – From Black Sea to Volga-German Kansas: Comparing three Memoirs from a 20th Century Immigrant Family”. This truly is a remarkable life story shared by the Herzogs. Dr. Eric Schmaltz, Alva, OK, provided a scholarly discussion, “The Long Trek: The SS Population Transfer of Ukrainian Germans to Polish Warthegau and Its Consequences, 1943-1944″. Eric worked as a student for the GRHC in the summers of 1994 and 1995.

The Glueckstal Colonies Research Association premiered their new hardcover book, The Glückstalers in New Russia, the Soviet Union, and North America, 760 pages, with Homer Rudolf, Editor, and Harold Ehrman, Desktop Publishing. The book is dedicated to late Gwen Bernice Black Pritzkau.

Book signing of “The Glückstalers in New Russia, the Soviet Union, and North America.”